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Leon Battista Alberti

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Leon Battista Alberti, born in the 15th Century originally from Genoa was educated at Padua and Bologna in classics, mathematics and Church canon law. He was a typical Humanist and his education also made him well-versed in philosophy, science and the arts. In 1421, he attended the University of Bologna where he studied law, which he did not enjoy. Later on, he obtained a degree in canon Law which then led to his mathematical studies. His book, Della Pittura published around the year 1430 were written to influence both artists and patrons through a combination of technical detail and philosophical discussion on Florentine art. This book is divided into 3 parts, the first relates to perspective and mathematics. The second and third parts …show more content…

These different perspectives are used and illustrated through different paintings like Piero’s The Flagellation, Leonardo’s Last Supper and Uccello’s The Deluge. Piero’s art is centred around mathematics and he was convinced that the highest beauty was found in those forms that have the clarity and purity of geometrical figures. The Flagellation shows Piero’s accurate sense of linear perspective; the tiles show the orthogonals and transversals as well as the blue sky and clouds that were drawn in perspectives. The use of foreshortening is minimal, and can be seen in the feet and arms of the middle figure at the front of the picture. One of the key elements is light which helps to create a perspectival depth. For example, the supernatural light above Christ and an external light source which casts the shadows. It was said that Piero made models and clothed them to study the fall of light on drapery folds before he began his paintings as can be seen on the 8 figures in the painting. Through his action, we realize the value he has placed on the use of light to create form in his figure construction. The fall of the drapery helped enhance a 3-D form to the figures. This light and line of columns show the separation between these two views of life. Like Alberti has suggested in every painting, there is a variety of poses in The Flagellation. This is demonstrated

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