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Italian Renaissance TheItalian Renaissance was the earliest manifestation of the general European Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement that began in Italy during the 14th century and lasted until the 16th century, marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe.
Fifteenth-century Italy was unlike any other place in Europe. Florence, where the Italian Renaissance began, was an independent republic. It was also a banking and commercial capital and, after London and Constantinople, the third-largest city in Europe. Wealthy Florentines flaunted their money and power by becoming patrons, or supporters, of artists and intellectuals. In this way, the city became the cultural centre of Europe, and of the Renaissance.
Italian Renaissance architects based their theories and practices on Classical Roman examples. The Renaissance revival of Classical Rome was as important in architecture as it was in literature.
Tempietto del Bramante all'interno do San Pietro in Montorio sul colle Gianicolo di Roma.
Temple of Vesta (Latin Aedes estae, Italian Tempio di Vesta)
Masaccio born in 1401, died in 1428. Perhaps one of the most influential artists of the Renaissance. Historians claim that he, along with Donatello and Brunelleschi, inspired the style of art that typifies art of the period. In his 27 years on the planet, he developed a style that used perspective in a way that created an illusion of three-dimensions--a significant change from the flat style of painting that typified medieval art. His most famous work can be found in the BrancacciChapel in Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence.
The Tribute Money, fresco in the Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence
Donatello born in 1386, died in 1486. Famous for many things including the youthful sculpture of David in Florence. A less famous work in the city is the brass pulpits he build for the Old Sacristy of San Lorenzo which was built by Brunelleschi. Like Masaccio, Donatello was one of the earliest artists working with the idea of perspective. His method was sculpture and he brought dramatic shapes to life with his skills.
DonatodiNiccolòdiBettoBardi (circa 1386 – December 13, 1466), better known asDonatello, was an early RenaissanceItalian sculptor fromFlorence.
Leonardo da Vinci born 1452, died 1519. His most famous works are the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper which are works in oil., he left us a legacy of detailed drawings of the human anatomy, plans for a tank, helicopter, ideas on the construction of multi-level canal and road systems. Because he was an artist and a scientist at a time when both art and science, he has come to characterize the ultimate "Renaissance Man."
Annunciation (1475–1480)—Uffizi, is thought to be Leonardo's earliest complete work.
J The Last Supper (1498)—Convent of Sta. Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy
Mona Lisa or La Gioconda (1503–1505/1507)—Louvre, Paris, France
Michelangelo Buonarroti born 1475,died 1564. In the 89 years that he lived, Michelangelo created many of the works of art that we think of when we think of the Renaissance. A skilled painter who spent many years completing the frescoes that adorn the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo had trained as a sculptor and created two of the world's greatest statues--the enormous David and the emotional Pieta.
The Madonna of the Steps (1490–92), Michelangelo's earliest known work.
Raphael born 1483, died 1520. Popular with the popes of the period, Raphael decorated the papal apartments of Julius II, continued to do so under Leo X and, following Bramante, served as architect of St. Peter's. In his painting The School of Athens, he reflected the classical influence upon Renaissance art, but he also paid tribute to the men who inspired him by using the faces of da Vinci, Bramante and Michelangelo as philosophers participating in the debate between Plato and Aristotle.
Classical motifs are used extensively as embellishment and include columns, pediments, moldings, the classical figure, cherub, rinceau or grotesque, rosette, scroll, cartouche, and geometric patterns. During this era various types of designs and embellishments were used in their architecture, and arts and design. Some of the types of motifs have been cultural influences from other cities.
The Grotesque The Grotesque was a style of decoration based on ancient Roman wall paintings discovered in Italy in the late 15th century. It featured a combination of scrolling plants, figures, fantastic creatures, masks and vases.
Strapwork Strapwork resembles flat strips of leather, bent to suggest bold, three-dimensional shapes. It appeared frequently in English design in the 16th century. Strapwork was often used to frame other motifs or architectural features.
Mythological stories The arrival of Renaissance culture in England created a renewed interest in the stories and characters of Classical mythology. These were often shown in prints and paintings and used as motifs on objects.
During the early fifteenth century, Europe continued to evolve out of a series of medieval feudal states ruled by wealthy landowners into concentrated town centers or cities functioning as powerful economic nuclei. As these cities took on greater political and financial authority, the middle classes, made up of artisans, bankers, and merchants, played more substantial roles in commerce with their greater wealth and independence.
Studiolo from the Ducal Palace in Gubbio, 15th century (ca. 1479–82)
