Religious Art During The Renaissance

The Renaissance occurred in Europe between 1400 and 1600. This event began in Italy during the Medieval period and then expanded to the rest of Europe, marking the start of the Modern age. The Renaissance began in Florence Italy in the 14th century. It was a cultural movement that had an enormous impact in Europe during the early modern period. The Renaissance’s influenced politics, science, literature, art, philosophy, religion, music, and other aspects. Around the 13th century in Italy started the Renaissance’s art influence. Leonardo da Vinci, was known as the "Renaissance man," because of his art masterpieces and his studies in other fields during this time. Italy wasn’t a political concept in the

Gorgeously. Striking. Grace. The golden painting is taking up by the two most iconic symbols of Christianity: Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary. Christ gently placing a golden grown on the inclined head of the Virgin Mary, who is sitting on the right side of Jesus; her hands crossed over her chest symbolist of humble, reverent and loyalty. This position was purposely set by Fabriano. In Christianity art, position is significant in dividing between good manners and malefactors. For instance, in The Last Judgment by Giotto di Bondone in 1305, heaven was placed on right of Christ, and hell was on the left. This ideology was clearly stated in the bible “...before him shall be gathered all nations:

Christian artwork is used to represent and symbolise the Gospel and important figures. Not all individuals could read and write, therefore images were very important in delivering messages and teachings. One artwork chosen is “Annunciation” by John Collier created in 2003. This modern artwork shows Gabriel asking Mary if she would become the mother of Jesus. The other one is the “Holy Night Nativity Scene” by Antonio Correggio created in 1530, which focuses on and sets the scene of Jesus’ birth.

The work presented is St. Lucy Altarpiece, painted by Domenico Veneziano. It was created in Florence ca. 1445-47 A.D. This composition of tempera on a roughly 6 x 7 foot wood panel displays a horizontal scene of Madonna and Child with attending saints and bishops. Designed as an altarpiece, with the intentions of its being displayed before the public, St. Lucy Altarpiece stresses the importance of it’s main characters; Madonna and Child. Veneziano stresses his motives of bringing attention towards Madonna and Child by using physical light and darkness, space, perspective, and even the subjects within the painting to communicate their importance.

Prior to Raphael’s The Alba Madonna, there had been numerous paintings of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus. What was unique about this one was the fact that a very young John the Baptist was included. In his painting, Raphael has John the Baptist holding a cross and the Baby Jesus grasping it. All three subjects in the painting are gazing at the cross. Church teachings state that Jesus had an understanding of his fate at a very young age. This painting signifies that understanding. Baby Jesus is accepting his future fate of suffering and dying on the cross. His mother Mary and cousin John are also accepting of his fate. Raphael has captured

Raphael was one of the most important artists of the Italian Renaissance. Raphael painted and designed many brilliant pieces of work and the stanzas inside the Vatican. He was a master at such necessities of modern art such as depth and perspective and the use of light and shadow, and was the turning point styles of paintings like the use of Madonnas in paintings. Through his short life, Raphael would make some of the most awe-inspiring, beautiful, and influential works of art during the Italian Renaissance.

This is similar to a renaissance painting The Rest on the Flight into Egypt with St. John the baptist by Fra Bartolommeo composed about 1509. This piece on the contrary is

In the painting, ‘Virgin and Child’, by Rogier van der Weyden, it can be observed that the artist chose to use the medium of oil on wood. Despite the fact that Rogier van der Weyden created this painting in the Netherlands and was born in Tournai, Belgium, their primary influence appeared to stem from the Italian Renaissance, which had begun to use the technique of oil paintings with increasing frequency by turn of the 15th century. The subject of the painting itself, Madonna and her virgin child, were a common theme in the Renaissance, where religious subjects and topics were the primary choice for any prominent artist during this historical artistic period.

The two main characters in the painting display elegant mannered poses and all the figures appear arranged in rather unnatural poses. There is a small scene at the foot of the Saint Catherine and Christ figures. This is thought to be the Christ child with the Virgin Mary and grandmother, Saint Anne. Below these two scenes are three smaller bordered scenes. The central one depicts two enemies reconciled by an archangel and the outer ones show Saints Michael and Margaret fighting demons. All these images show the triumph of good over evil, with the middle characters shedding their weapons and embracing. All these small pictures support that the painting was commissioned by Arigoi di Nero Arighetti to celebrate the end of a feud.

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

The title of this artwork is Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist and Angels. It was created by François Boucher in Paris. It was painted in the year 1765. It was painted with oil on a canvas. This painting is housed in the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, New York. In this painting, Boucher wonderfully depicts the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus, along with a toddler Saint John the Baptist and a lamb, having a picnic together. They are being watched over by five small cherub angels up in the heavens.

The Renaissance time period was home to many new ideas in art. This includes new artists bringing forth ideas that had yet to be discovered and made popular. New themes and types of art were also being brought forward during this period.

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, known as Raphael, was an Italian painter and architecture who created numerous works of art. The boy born on April 26, 1483 in Urbino Italy became a Renaissance sensation through his “Madonnas,” and other oil paintings. In 1514, Pope Julius II gave Raphael the opportunity to be his chief architect, and later on in life created the great painting we know today as the Sistine Madonna. Raphael was an extremely influential man of the era through his early life, architecture and paintings.

     The style and the form of these two paintings reflect the development of the artistic techniques during the Italian Renaissance. While both reflect a Biblical theme with a central focal point of the Madonna and Child, “Madonna Enthroned” has a key image that is best viewed from a central position and “Madonna and Child…” has a greater degree of importance over the majority of the surface of the canvas. In “Madonna and Child…” the viewer does not perceive that an image is being forced upon them as is found in the work by Giotto. A use of light and space is also key to preventing the Puligo piece from being “forced”, where the organization of distance visibly removes the viewer from “Madonna Enthroned” while drawing the viewer into the painting in “Madonna and Child…”. Color also serves a similar purpose, where Giotto’s work is monochromatic but ocher while Puligo’s work carries a greater expression through the detail involved.

Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most remarkable painters, sculptors, architects and brilliant philosophers of all time. He was born on April 15, 1452 near Vinci but the biggest part of his life he spent in Florence where he began drawing and after a certain period-painting. When Leonardo was fourteen he began working with Andrea del Verrocchio, who was one of the most recognized painters of his day. Da Vinci’s work soon