The Ceiling Art of Pozzo's Triumph of Sain Ignatius of Loyola in the Church of Saint Ignazio in Rome

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:

In Europe, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, much of the continent fell into a cultural recession. For many centuries science, mathematics and the arts were extremely stagnant. Beginning in the mid 14th century, the Italian Peninsula began to undergo a transformation evident in the works of artists, writers and scholars. This era is known as the Renaissance and was a revival of the classical world following the appropriately named Dark Ages. Renaissance thinkers became known as humanists, interested in learning about religious and non-religious studies and celebrated worldly achievements. Florence, Italy was the center for many of the advancements that took place during this time period and was the birthplace of many of the Renaissance individuals we know today. The economic, political and artistic influences of the Medici family, combined with it’s ideal geographical location for trade, made Florence emerge as the birthplace of the Renaissance.

What was the Renaissance and why did it happen? Italian life in the 14th and 15th centuries was lived among the vast ruins of the ancient Roman Empire. The cruelty and barbarism of Rome

The Renaissance period is known for the revival of the classical art and intellect born in ancient Greece and Rome. The Renaissance is also a time that is marked by growth, exploration, and rebirth. The Italian Renaissance started in Florence and progressively made its way into Venice and then into the great city of Rome. During the Renaissance, Rome was home to some of the most renowned works of art and the finest architectural masterpieces in the world - too many that still holds true today. Along with the delicate architecture and grand artistry, Rome was also home to a mixture of people and cultures. It is in this cultural context and through the book A Street Life in Renaissance Rome: A Brief History with Documents, that understanding how men, woman, and specifically Jews and Christians lived in Rome becomes important to better understand this period of renewal.

The Italian Renaissance was a period in history unlike most others; this was an era of ingenuity, expansion, and enlightenment that would revolutionize both society as the people of the Renaissance knew it to be, and as the future generations of individuals across the globe understand it today. Florence held itself out to be the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, yet the people of this renaissance era never lost sight of the Greek and Roman heritage. The following essay will discuss the varying ways in which Florence was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, and will provide the reader with examples that demonstrate Greco-Roman ideas and practices in the Italian Renaissance.

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.

Because Duccio's work is a triptych, beautifully articulated figures have been added to the wings of the piece and above Christ himself. On the left wing, illustrated as a bishop, is Saint Nicholas, a religious figure known for secret gift-giving and working miracles. On the right is Saint Gregory (also Pope Gregory I), a monastic pope known as the "Doctor of the Church." Above the crucifixion scene is a representation of the risen Christ, flanked by two angels. This could serve as a reminder that eternal life exists after

Boundless World History. "Italy during the Renaissance". Lumen. Boundless World History. 27 May 2018. (-- removed HTML --)

This had been happening since the Crusades, which is why Italy held much more wealth during this time than other parts of Europe. Italy also had a relationship with the Ottoman Empire, as they were trading partners. The ottoman empire significantly influenced the Italian Renaissance. This empire encompassed parts Africa, Asia, and Europe. Ottomans were an economic powerhouse. They were experiencing an Islamic Golden Age which meant they were on a serious pursuit of knowledge. They developed and researched subjects such as Mathematics, Science, and Astronomy. So as Italians reestablished trade they were exposed to the new ideas of the Middle East. This acted as a natural Segway to the Italian Renaissance. Feudalism never flourished in Italy. Italy was more urban whereas the rest of Europe was still rural. Money was made through trade and commerce instead of farming. Cities were the place where people exchanged ideas and the site of an intellectual revolution. This is where people would interact with one another and admire art and architecture.

In many ways, Italy had benefits over northern Europe in detaching from the feudal system and accumulating enormous amounts of wealth. I think that above all else, geography was Italy’s anchor in this respect. Being a projecting land mass sticking out into the Mediterranean Sea, and beneficially located between the main part of Europe and the Byzantine Empire, cities within Italy had little choice but to weave endeavors of commerce into every day life while engaging in the market and foreign trade. Therefore, Italy became prone to the extensive continuity of goods and novelties earlier than other European areas. Accordingly,

Ross King’s Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling narrates the four years from 1508-1512 that Michelangelo spent laboring over the immense project handed to him; to fresco the 12,000 square foot ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. King’s book describes the battles that Michelangelo faced; the internal struggles, political turmoil and rivalries among fellow artist that encompassed his surroundings. Michelangelo’s battles with his health, family problems, financial burdens, rival artists and the ever impatient Pope are told in great detail by King. King also provides precise artistic descriptions of the process required to fresco scenes so magnificent they are considered one of the greatest artistic masterpieces of all time.

Trade prospered, helping out Italy and the rest of Europe. By the end of the 6th century BC, Rome had become the largest and richest city in Italy.

The High Renaissance in Italy, although short lived, was extremely important on the influences of future Italian art. During the High Renaissance the main focus on Florence, for the arts, shifted to Rome due to the power and wealth from the popes. Because of the move from Florence to Rome, the two most important factors of this time, Classicism and Christianity, were merged into one. “Italian ideas were also brought northward through trade and commerce into Europe, where they had a tremendous amount of influence on the artistic traditions there as well” (Benton & DiYanni, 2008).

‘The Holy Trinity’ (fig. 1) was a fresco painting created in 1428. It is currently in the Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella, in Florence and was believed to have been commissioned by the Domenico Lenzi and his wife. It is both a religious and secular painting. It portrays the Trinity of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Ghost, which is symbolized by a white dove. Masaccio uses a scientific approach by creating an illusion of space within the painting. When the viewer walks into the Santa Maria Novella, they are confronted by a painting that looks realistic but is quite strange. ‘The Holy Trinity’ simulates a real

The ceiling fresco is also referred to as the Apotheose of Sant’Ignazio. He created this piece for viewers who enter the church and look up at the church, it would seem as if they were looking straight into the heavens. The fresco was created so that there would also be a transition from the architecture of the church to his painting. For example, the columns and walls of the church have been replicated into the painting to create a sense of reality for the viewer. The transition between the actual stone architecture and the painted surface seems to rise up infinitely into the heavens is imperceptible. Pozzo created this masterpiece to give the viewer a sense of realism, especially when they are looking at the figures. This piece has many brilliant strokes which give it the recognition it truly