Essay about A Comparison of Two Paintings from the Renaissance Period

Many ages of art shine through Duccio’s portraying of Mary in Madonna Enthroned (fig. 6). Both being trained in the Greek manner, Duccio’s version of Siena’s patron saint is comparable to Cimabue’s Enthroned Madonna and Child with Angels and Prophets from the year 1280 2 (fig. 7). Duccio, however, took a softer

Throughout history, people have used paintings and art as a tool to express their religious beliefs and values. Illustrations depicting the Virgin Mary and child, often referred to as Madonna and Child, are one of the most recurring images in Christian and European Art through the ages. Though these paintings and sculptures may have similarities in their iconography and style each work of art varies based on the different artists’ and time periods. Two paintings that portray these features currently reside in the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. The first, Virgin and Child by Rogier van der Wyden, was originally painted after 1454. In the painting, the Virgin Mary is holding Christ against her shoulder as he twists around to face toward the viewers. The second painting is Virgin and Child with a Donor, painted by Antoniazzo Romano and originally painted c. 1480. In this painting, Virgin Mary is supporting Christ who seems to be standing and includes a figure of a man with his hands crossed in prayer. While both paintings depict the mother and child, there are both similarities and differences in style and portrayal. In this paper, I will thoroughly examine these traits, as well as address the similarities and differences associated with the two paintings. This analysis will be done by using information gained from reading Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, in class lectures from ARTH 1381 Art and Society Renaissance to Modern and ARTH 1300 Ways of Seeing Art, and close visual

Compare and Contrast works of art that represent the 15th Century Early Renaissance art and 16th Century Northern European art. The artists Masaccio and Grunewald will be used to illustrate the differences and similarities in the styles of art. Their works of art are chosen for their interpretation of the style that was representative during these eras. Early Renaissance artists used mathematical one-point linear perspective to create illusions of depth and depicted the human body as realistic and natural. Northern European artist used medieval mysticism and intense emotional spirituality and they used illustrative human figures rather than realistic depictions. By understanding the corresponding and distinctions between these two works of art we can understand why they created their artwork in the respective style to their era.

Cimabue’s piece shows a linear formation of the surrounding figures, with both the angels and prophets placed in straight lines. This opposes the realistically situated figures in Giotto’s. Though Cimabue’s formation is linear, the postures and gestures of the figures in his piece are much more fluid and graceful then those in Giotto’s who are much more vertical. This absence of verticality in figures shows the influence Gothic sculpture had on Cimabue’s work. The figures in both show isometric perspective, staying the same size regardless of depth into the imagery. The figures in Giotto’s also seem more grounded and have none of the floating qualities Cimabue’s embodies in his angels. This differentiates the stylistic and realistic natures of the pieces.

Pinturicchio was an Italian early Renaissance painter. He was also knowns as: Bernardino Betti and Bernardino di Betto. He built on the work of Gothic painters and predominantly produced highly-detailed frescoes. Images of the Virgin and Child were frequently used for private devotional purposes. The abnormal combination of saints usually had personal significance to the owner’s family. The Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist and the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian is a portrait of an intimate moment between Madonna representing Mary and her child, Jesus, signifying the devotion and adoration due to her figure from Christian art. The bond between the Madonna and her child is expressed through the intimate moment where she only has eyes for Jesus. Saint Sebastian, who survived being pelted with multiple arrows, was often prayed to for protection against sickness. The artist used smooth brushstrokes, small minute details, bright colors, sweet faces, and intricate drapery; all characteristics of the Italian Renaissance. The early 15th century was the premier of perspective to create a sense of 3D space. Pinturicchio used frescoes to create something that looks like it is receding back into space and not flat. In this specific piece of work, the light is coming from one single source and casting shadows. Mary is dressed in the classical Marian colors of blue and red. The

The great thing about art, is that there are multiple portrayals of one idea but, the artist’s own personal style allows one to feel something that another may not. Early Renaissance painters, Giotto di Bondone and Duccio di Buoninsegna established their own unique style to depict a biblical scene known as, The Betrayal of Christ. Through a close analysis of each artist’s representation of, The Betrayal of Christ, one is able to compare and contrast the artists own understanding of the scene through their attention to detail, character, and space throughout the painting. When examining these two works, one will have a stronger emotional response towards Giotto’s interpretation rather Duccio’s, due to his methods of handling organization, figures, and space.

Art during the Italian Renaissance differed from art during the Middle Ages. The two have contrasting characteristics and concepts. To the people in the medieval world, religion was their life. Everything in daily life focused around the church and God (Modern World 164). Medieval culture influenced the arts; this was evident in the religious themes. During the Italian Renaissance, painters and other artists focused on the portrayal of a more humanistic way of life. Renaissance artists’ work portrayed realism with “lifelike human figures in their paintings” (Modern World 164). Renaissance artists wanted to express ancient Greek and Roman cultures in their work (Modern World 162). Italian Renaissance

This late impressionist painting is one of many by Cassatt that depict a tender moment between a mother and her child. It references both the religious image of Madonna and Christ from the Renaissance and earlier, as well as the contemporary issue of women being consigned to a purely domestic role. The perspective of this painting is particularly unusual for a portrait, given that the two figures are depicted from above while both looking downward, therefore foreshortening their facial features. At the same time though, there is a warm intimacy to the painting that is derived from the comfort that each figure clearly takes from the company of the other. The influence of Japonisme can also be identified through the painting’s flattened aesthetic

At the time many people were getting religious paintings commissioned for churches. We can see that the focus for both Giotto’s Ognisanti Madonna and Lorenzetti’ Enthroned Virgin and Child is on Mary and the baby Jesus. In both of these paintings Mary is seated on a throne, with Jesus in her lap. Jesus has similar right hand positions in both artworks. And around them are angels. The fact that they are in the center of the artwork in both piece shows they are literally the “center of attention” honing in on the fact that they are both religious

This Madonna is painted with High renaissance painting styles. Madonna is again painted as a biblical figure wearing traditional garb of the time period. The skin of Madonna and baby is very soft and the expressions a very serene. This piece of work is very symmetrical compared to the work of parmigiano and there is a very strong sense of nature in this piece. Baby Jesus is help in a loving manner in this work compared to the Parmigianino piece where the baby seems to be ready to fall to the ground.

Around the thirteenth century, there were paintings which symbolised Mary's virginity and the birth of Christ. Their paintings and Christian civilisation have a great relationship, they focused more on lines and decorations. The purpose of the paintings was for Franciscan cloister. The emotions and figures Giotto created were more humanised, as it made him the father of European painting. Moreover, pictorial space was created to indicate depth. Expressive ways of the kneeling king who holds Christ and Mary’s physical gesture transforms deeply in the way human acts. It represents Giotto’s

Giotto picked and masterminded his subjects deliberately. The larger than usual, forcing Madonna, the grave, noble infant Jesus, and the mindful, devout holy messengers and holy people at their feet are all similarly urgent parts of the artwork and, separately, appear to have their very own existence. Maybe the most momentous part of the Ognissanti Madonna is Giotto’s amazing utilization of shading. With a conventional gold foundation, the gold of the blessed messengers' radiances and gold lines along the royal position, the sketch appears to sparkle in a majestic, heavenly light. The warm greens and reds, diverged from the light pinks and purples, serve to acculturate and help the generally profound, ethereal painting. Surface assumes a key part in the Ognissanti Madonna, particularly in the characteristics of di Bondone's subjects. An investigating take a gander at the composition uncovers the strikingly human-like surface of the fragile living creature and the painstakingly nuanced outward appearances of elegance, delight and regard. The apparel, as well, exhibits di Bondone's careful scrupulousness. The thick, rich robes of the Madonna fall reasonably between her legs, the free creases appearing to possess genuine space. As he would do all through

The Painting that we are writing about today is called the “Madonna the magnificat”, it was created in 1481, the painter is Sandro Botticelli, and the medium is tempura. This painting depicts Mary and baby Jesus, there is a lot of detail put into the symmetry of Sandro's paintings, and especially with this one because it is so close to the faces of the characters. The majority of Sandro's paintings are of biblical or mythological theme and the characters that are in his painting are always dressed like they are either royalty or they are actual mythological

The present work is focused on undertaking an in-depth analysis of two famous religious paintings: The Virgin and Child by Barnaba da Modena, an Italian painter from the fourteenth century, and The Elevation of the Cross by Peter Paul Rubens, a seventeenth century Flemish artist and diplomat. Following, by comparison, a thorough account of the two works' features, careful observation reveals more than one interpretation.

Piero della Francesca’s art has always been intriguing to the eyes of the lookers, analysers, every art pieces containing lots of symbolism and meanings. The Altarpiece Madonna and child with Saints adored by Frederico da Montefeltro was one of the work. Piero della Francesca was born in 1412 and was involved in the Early Renaissance movement. His style involved the use of humanism, geometric forms and use of perspective to create art. From what I saw in the piece Enthroned Madonna and Child with Saints, the first thing I saw was a group of people surrounding a woman with a baby. The atmosphere of the piece seems to be solemn and grief even though the painting was painted in bright colours. It was the facial expressions of the people that depict that it may not be a joyous event. The knight was at the forefront of the painting and almost seems to be bigger than anyone else, it may suggest that he’s important in the piece. Piero also used linear perspective in the altarpiece, creating a sense of depth and the vanishing point at around Mary’s eyes. With the use of geometry, Piero managed to create the background architecture with such clarity which a lot of artists at that time couldn’t achieve.