14 Tradition and Innovation II: the fifteenth century in the North Flashcards
Big difference between architecture in Northern Europe and Italy in 15th century?
While Brunelleschi had put end to Gothic style in Florence, it continued in North throughout 1400s.
Identify, date, describe
Courtyard of Palace of Justice (formerly Treasury), Rouen, 1482.
Flamboyant gothic style. Infinite variety of decorations, often purely ornamental.
Gothic style continued in Northern Europe throughout 1400s
What is the Perpendicular Gothic style?
Last phase of the Gothic style in England. Conveyed character of buildings in late 1300s and 1400s because straight lines are more frequent than curves and arches of earlier ‘decorated’ tracery.
Identify, date, describe
King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, begun 1446.
Perpendicular Gothic style. No side aisles, so no pillars and steep arches. More sobre than decorated style, but imagination given free rein in details –such as fan vault.
While the ________ had been victorious in Italy in painting and architecture, the North in the 15th century remained still faithful to the ______ tradition.
While the Renaissance had been victorious in Italy in painting and architecture, the North in the 15th century remained still faithful to the Gothic tradition.
Differences between northern and Italian masters in 15th century?
North was still faithful to Gothic tradition.
Art in North was matter of custom and usage rather than science.
North not interested in studying secrets of ancients from Roman monuments.
Just as Fra Angelico and Benozzo Gozzoli in the south had used _________’s innovations in the sprit of the ___th century, so there were artists in the north who applied Van Eyck’s discoveries to ___________ themes.
Just as Fra Angelico and Benozzo Gozzoli in the south had used Masaccio’s innovations in the sprit of the 14th century, so there were artists in the north who applied Van Eyck’s discoveries to traditional themes.
Identify, date, describe
Virgin in the rose-bower, Stefan Lochner, 1440, oil on wood.
Lochner was like northern Fra Angelico –using renaissance method but preserving spirit of medieval masters.
Still uses gold background, but real stage, with foreground.
Stefan Lochner dates?
Early 1400s
1410-1451
__________ Renaissance art, less preoccupied with attaining ideal harmony and beauty than _________ art, favoured the portrayal of _____ life.
Northern Renaissance art, less preoccupied with attaining ideal harmony and beauty than Italian art, favoured the portrayal of daily life.
Who was St Stephen?
Deacon in the early Christian church and cared for the poor. First Christian martyr, stoned to death by the Jewish council in Jerusalem after he condemned them for murdering the Messiah. Dates c5-c34AD.
Patron saint of bricklayers and stonemasons.
Identify, date, describe
Estienne Chevalier with St Stephen, Jean Fouquet c1450. Left wing of Melun diptych.
Donor’s portrait with patron saint. Estienne Chevalier was treasurer to Charles VII. ER ESTIEN
on wall.
Jean Fouquet visited Rome in his youth and learned from Tuscan masters.
Use of light and shade, perspective. But also true to northern tradition:interest in texture and surface of things –fur, stone, cloth, marble.
Jean Fouquet dates?
Mid 1400s
c1420-80
Identify, date, describe
Jean Fouquet c1450. Right wing of Melun diptych.
Virgo lactans –common type of depiction of Madonna. Also depicted as queen of heaven –both human and otherworldly.
Colours of angels because heraldic colours of king were red, white and blue.
Disguised portrait of Agnes Sorel, mistress of Charles VII.
Identify, date, describe
Medallion accompanying Melun diptych, c1450. The medallion was Fouquet’s way of signing the diptych. It is traditionally recognized as the oldest self-signed self-portrait.
Identify, date, describe
Descent from the Cross, Rogier van der Weyden, 1435.
Body held by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.
Mary Magdalene (right) and St John (left) with sisters of Mary.
Shows the Swoon of the Virgin, or spasimo. Her form echoes that of Christ.
Christ’s body in T-shape of a crossbow to reflect commission from the Leuven guild of archers for their chapel.
Lack of vanishing point made up for by 5 levels of depth within painting. Violated virtuosically by servant on ladder with nail.
Reproduces every detail, but not real scene –translates ideas of Gothic into lifelike style. But deliberate violations of perspective –ladder impossible perspective, and left leg of Mary elongated.
Reconciles art’s new demand for realism with its religious purpose.
Identify, date, describe
Death of the Virgin, Hugo van der Goes, c1480, oil on wood
Range of expression of apostles. Real scene, but no part of panel is empty and meaningless.
Identify, date, describe
Altar of Church of our Lady, Cracow, Veit Stoss, 1489
Wings of altar represent important moments in life - Seven Joys of Mary.
Identify, date, describe
Early woodcut, c 1470, from The Art of Dying Well, printed in Uln.
Angels receiving soul, while demons and devils rage.
Identify, date, describe
The Holy Night, Martin Schongauer, 1473, copperplate engraving
Extraordinary detail. Ruin as setting allows to frame scene and leave no part of it without interest. Masterful composition –diagonals meet at head of Virgin.
