High Renaissance Italy Flashcards
Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper, 1495-1498
Refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, monks; Milan; fresco- oil and tempera= flaking over time- experimentation
importance- organization; 1) Judas not set apart on other side of table (must find him- dark-skinned & eating); 2) unified composition- Christ at center of triangle, vanishing point- Christ’s head; 3) balanced motion and emotion, controlled chaos; 4) mathematical unity- 4 groups of 3 people; Christ 2nd part of Trinity, at second window; Three: parts of Trinity, theological virtues; Four: seasons, Gospels, elements; 3+4: gifts of Holy Spirit, sorrows of Virgin; 3*4: apostles, months, hours of day
Donato Bramante, Tempietto, 1504
“little temple”- courtyard of San Pietro in Montorio, Rome- martyrium- place where martyr killed- St. Peter crucified upside down; for King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella
Julius II- identifies with Rome and Roman architecture here- miniature of St. Peter’s
circles and squares basic building blocks of universe; central plan/circular design, hemispheric dome; Vitruvian Man- arms & legs outstretched- man is microcosmic map of universe=perfect square in perfect circle- God gave us map of universe in our bodies
Michelangelo, David, 1501-04
symbol of Florentine republic; distortive qualities=deliberate optical illusions, originally meant to be seen from below Duomo, but moved to Palazzo Vecchio
older than Donatello’s- closed form, contrapposto, counterbalanced hips and shoulders
Donatello’s more age-appropriate- Michelangelo’s- 14’, monumental, physically imposing like secular gov’t
new psychological engagement- before the battle- furrowed brow from deep drill work
leonine physiognomy- brow, hair, sharply turned head= Roman Imperial portraits
Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel Ceiling, 1508-1512
best example of humanism & revival of heroic, anatomy from antiquity+ M’s interest in monumental male nude- >5800 square feet, >300 figures, 70’ above pavement
central panels OT scenes, from Genesis
most famous “The Creation of Man”- God the Father from Greco-Roman images (Juno), Adam modelled after Laocoon
man is God-like, man is mirror of God; perfect individual= God + universe, God gives man life (limp testicles)- all models male- male ideal
Raphael, The School of Athens, 1509-11- decorates papal library (Stanza della Segnatura) with the 4 epistemological methods- law, poetry, theology- philosophy most famous (“School of Athens”)
gathering of most famous thinkers, philosophers, mathematicians, scientists of all time- on L- Plato- on R- Aristotle & natural philosophers/scientists- multi-figural, dynamically organized
Plato points up-world is a shadow of a higher, “truer” reality that is eternal and unchanging- Aristotle points down- the only reality is the one we can see and experience by sight and touch
Pythagoras, Ptolemy, Michelangelo- self-portrait of Raphael
monumental architecture, repeated arch shapes, draws eye to vanishing point
looks chaotic but organized, integration of figures into ellipses, counterbalancing diagonals
engagement in theoretical discussions shows power of human thought and intellect
Titian, Venus of Urbino, 1538
most famous nude of Renaissance in collection of Duke of Urbino- most important model for all reclining female nudes
woman holding roses, bracelet- suggest Venus- goddess of love and sex- two maidservants pull dresses out of cassone (plural- cassoni)- cassoni- marriage chest often with painted images of courtly love- hope for couple to produce beautiful children during sex
exhibits Venetian interest in colore- in oil painting color ellicits emotional response of eroticism
