LATE GOTHIC TO MANNERISM

Goth is a Roman term and was used to describe Northern European Barbaric
clans such as Ostrogoths and Visigoths. The term Barbaric is used because Goths
were war-faring and violent people. For long time, the term Goth has been used to
describe anything barbarous and monstrous. Art historians and the Renaissance
thought the art work of this period ugly so they called it Gothic art. So the Gothic
term describes the late Medieval art and architecture in Europe. Many cathedrals
were built in the name of different saints. Three different time periods are used to
describe Gothic art. Early Gothic dates (1140-1194). High Gothic dates (1194-
1300). And Late Gothic dates (1300-1500) in the past. In medieval Europe the art
flourished in the twelfth century and mostly consisting of paintings and sculptures
Growing out of the strongly and solidly built, it was a very early form of Romanesque
type of style, this art movement kept on striving in its ending periods, 14th and 15th
centuries, to make more natural or real looking paintings and sculptures. In the late
Gothic period (1300-1500), architectures gave buildings the soaring heights which
touches the heavens.

When it comes to paintings during the late Gothic period, the main idea or theme
was the of religious nature. As the Gothic period penetrated into its late stage, the
figures that once looked flat and lifeless, were modified and given a nature look and
the Gods were given life in the sculptures. The use perspective views in paintings
was evolution of modern three dimension drawing. Things started to look more
fascinating than ever and it became more interesting field for the young artists.
Paintings were supplemented with more details than ever and at that time also
started the depiction of moving objects into paintings. In the late Gothic period the
paintings and other artworks were given life and real look. Different saints of glory,
angels and Jesus were painted onto the surfaces of interior of church roofs, details
like facial expression, movements were also added to sculptures and paintings. This
allowed the spectators to spectacle the visitors who were mostly the followers of
Jesus, to see the Virgin Mary carrying her Son Jesus into her lap, like an human
mother would do, but this time a neat and tidy three dimensional perspective
sculpture instead of a rough stone figure. Feelings of emotions such as that of the
happiness and dismay were also became prevalent in the late Gothic sculptural
representations. Most of the Gothic sculptures were found inside or outside the
cathedrals, suggesting us that, most of them were of religious nature. In the late
Gothic period, stone masonry works also flourished, and most of the construction
cover, buildings of stone churches. Some projects were so massive in duration that
their complete construction took almost hundred years. The main features of these
churches built with stone, were adding soaring heights to the roofs of churches, and
use of flying buttresses was made to provide a system of supports to give heights to
the roof. Extravagant use of stained-glass was made in the main walls of church.
That gave the cathedrals an ostentatious look on the interior roofs. Late Gothic
period started merging into the new period know as early Renaissance. Quite often,
the artists of the early Renaissance worked with most religious matters. The most
striking feature of this transition was the more realistic approach towards the
depiction of natural figures and events, and realistic approach to presentation of
natural things.

Mannerism is an unreal, factitious, synthetic imaginative, ambiguous, style

bases on magnification of elements of early Renaissance art. For example
magnification of CONTRAPPOSTO or the ELONGATION of ideal proportions.
Mannerism is derived from the Italian word maniera, meaning manner, style or
fashion, often pertaining to exaggerated affections. It originated from Florence and
Rome in the early 1500, and expanded all over the Europe gradually. The term
mannerism is not easily described. First time it was used by a historian Jacob
Burckhardt, a Swiss native and further expanded by German art historians in the
early 1900. High Renaissance was the age of art which depicts conformity,
consensus and harmony, and for sure it was age of grandeur and the resurgence of
classical relics, that was no longer found to exhibit conformity, consensus, and unity
in mannerism. In the main cities of Italy i.e. Florence, Mantua and Rome, there was
a plenty of centers encompassing mannerists. Many mannerists fled to different part
of the continents and Europe in the pursuance of employments and then begins the
distortion of the primitive art and different new arts were invented and now different
styles of art spread across the Europe. Now the emperors of Europe begin
demanding and purchasing more of the Italian artist.
 Mannerism covers a wide range of approaches affected by and reacting to,
harmonious ideals and discreet naturalism that is associated with magnificent artist
like Leonardo da Vinci, Raphae, and early Michelangelo. Mannerism is also
attributed by intellectual exaggerations as well as its manufactured and artificial
qualities. There is an ongoing discussion going between scholars that whether it is
separate part of era of art or it is an integrated part of High Renaissance age.
Mannerism progressed in Rome and Florence where two students of the great artists
of Andrea del Sarto, are among the persons highly noticeable efforts for using
elongated shapes and severely used balanced poses, a distorted perspective,
irrational settings, show and vaudeville lighting. Most of the artists matured in the
High Renaissance age and there style of art was a bit magnified or can be said
exaggerated, as most regards mannerism as the extension of High Renaissance
age. Now the newer lot of artists started studying the primitive sculptures and
paintings. Sometimes this style is often pertained as the Anti-classical style.
Expanded forms, elongated angles, twirling poses, and far subject gazes. High
Renaissance worked with perfect proportioning of different components and
restrained beauty, while the paintings of mannerist were attributed by elongated
forms, twirling angles and twisting poses. In addition mannerist sculptors dealt in
metals of expensive nature, and used more frequently than their predecessors. The
Mannerists started to develop a form in which the sculpted things could show
physical vigor, temper, devotion, intensity, resentment, sentiment, tension and
linguistic or morphological perfection.

In short we can say about Gothic (1300-1500) and Mannerism (1520-1580), the
art of former was replicated by the art of later. In the late Gothic, the artists used
different innovations for the depiction of natural objects. Use of perspective type of
drawing made a revolutionary change in the customary art works. While mannerism
may be attributed by replication of previous works i.e. the paintings and sculptures of
Late Gothic or High Renaissance age and intellectually magnified. In fact in the High
Renaissance, the artists were left nothing to do but to start a new era attributed by
the replication of previously done work.
Q.NO.1 DISCUSS WHETHER THE ART OF ITALY FROM 1200-1400 MARKS THE

END OF MEDIEVAL ERA OR THE BEGINNING OF ITALIAN RENAISSANCE. OR

PERHAPS IT IS A TRANSITION BETWEEN THE TWO PERIODS?

Medieval art covers 1000 years of time and space in Europe. Medieval age also
called Middle Ages ranges from 5th to 14th century in time. Most of the arts in the
medieval age were manufactured for the Churches and religious purposes. From
1200-1400 which marks the transition from end of medieval era to reborn of ancient
Greeks and Roman architecture, literature, etc.

In this transition many changes occurred. In the late medieval era artists were
more bound to the orders of churches and they followed strictly the roles made by
the churchmen. But in the Renaissance which covers a wide range of secular
articles, particularly mythological subjects. Artists introduced their own styles of art,
so Renaissance actually gave birth to the wide range of artistic styles. In the
medieval type of arts there were no significant facial expressions and paintings were
rough and lifeless, whereas in the renaissance age artists lighted up the pictures with
natural and realistic emotions. In the medieval age most of the pictures were flat and
were not proportioned, but Renaissance marks the age where the concept of
perspective and proportioning evolved. Also the poses were more realistic in the
Renaissance age. In the medieval European age paints used were of quickly drying
nature, that didnt gave the artists time to correct their mistakes, but the Renaissance
marks the age where the use of oil paints evolve, and artists now had enough time to
correct their mistakes.

Many changes occurred from 1200-1400 medieval era to Renaissance. Oil on

stretched canvas technique allowed the painters to utilize different types of textures
and 3-D shapes and forms with great accuracy. Use of painting gave depth, such as
the most common trick was to paint the blurring details as the object appeared
further away. The paintings showed the more ideal human forms as the artists
started studying anatomy, were lit with Realism and Naturalism.
Q.NO.3 COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE CHARACTERISTICS OF VISUAL IMAGERY
CREATED FOR NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN RENAISSANCE.

Northern and Southern Renaissance are regarded as Gold Age of European

history, because this age marks the start of pacing of Europe towards modernization.
The Southern Renaissance started during 14th century and Northern Renaissance
started during 16th century in Italy.

Though there are very few differences between Northern and Southern
Renaissance art works. But the main difference is due to the difference in point of
views of artists (from North and South) regarding the living styles and believes. In the
Northern Era, the European society was mostly under influence of Christianity and
administrative bodies were the Churches. The people were strongly attached to the
teachings of Christianity. Then the artists were more obliged to mold the artworks
according to the orders of Churches to bring the people more closer to their religion.
The Northern era were attached to the Middle ages believes more longer than that of
Southern facsimile did. Thats the reason why most of the imagery in Southern era
are about lives of peoples and other natural phenomenon. The way to look at the
arts was completely changed in the Southern Renaissance. Most of the paintings in
Southern era were oriented about the Greek and Roman philosophies, gods and
goddesses. Artists were striving for different and new techniques for the sake of
improvements and to make better artworks. They brought lives to pictures by making
them more colorful than ever, that could easily fascinate a person and made him lost
in the world of imagination. Unlike the Northern art, where the art and colors were
more depreciated and criticized.

Major role for the development of the Northern and Southern Renaissance might
have been played by the layout of lands. Italians were more exposed to different
cultures such as to the Asians and middle east, than northern parts of Europe, so it
might have been the major reason that the Italians used innovations and
experimented with new things. Religion was considered important but they also gave
the importance to material things. Also they felt that different fields of sciences were
also necessary for life but not only the religion.
 Q.NO.2 IN WHAT WAYS DOES THE ART OF MANNERISM MOVE AWAY FROM

OR CHALLENGE THE CONVENTIONS OF ITALIAN RENAISSANCE?

What would happen next after High Renaissance, probably the answer was
Mannerism. It was felt then there was nothing more left to be done. So it was more
easy option to replicate the work done in past. The new style of art popped up in
Florence and Rome (Cities of Italy) and spread across the remaining parts of
Europe. And the term Mannerism was actually used in 19s and which actually
happened in the Late Renaissance.

It can be said that High Renaissance was astounded. It represented a peak, an

undeniable zenith of genuine artistry that leads to heavens. The only downside of
the business was that nobody knew where the art should go then cause it was on the
High Renaissance. So the answer to the riddle was Mannerism. Mannerism
improvised the old paintings with particular styles, such as elongated shapes. In this
style the bodies of human were elongated. The bodies now with relatively longer legs
and arms were quite different than those of well proportionate bodies in the era of
Renaissance. Higher manneria was the peak stage of Mannerism, this stage was
totally oriented about the technical skills of the artists. The artists depicted their
thoughts into the art but mostly against the reality.

Mannerism made us to look things without considering the proportion and

calculations, whereas proportioning the paintings according to the reality was
pronounced in the case of Renaissance era. So Renaissance concentrated on
measuring every details and was less dependent on the instincts of artists, which
made it less imaginative and creative kind of art. So we can say now that
renaissance and mannerism both are related to each other, renaissance is confined
to measuring the each detail according to proportion and mannerism involve more
the instincts of artists than real values.