✣The Renaissance was a

time of rebirth, creativity,

and exploration of human
potential.
 MIDDLE AGES

✣ 1. Feudal System: Society was structured around a system of lords, vassals, and
serfs. Lords owned the land, vassals served the lords, and serfs worked the land.
✣ 2. The Church's Influence: The Catholic Church had immense power and
influence over all aspects of life, including politics, education, and daily life.
✣ 3. Crusades: A series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims over
control of holy sites in the Middle East, which also led to increased cultural and
trade exchanges.
 MIDDLE AGES

✣ 4. Black Death: The bubonic plague killed a large portion of Europe's population
in the 14th century, leading to significant social and economic changes.
✣ 5. Medieval Art and Learning: Art was largely religious and symbolic, and
learning was mostly confined to monasteries and universities controlled by the
Church.
✣ 6. Gothic Architecture: Characterized by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and
flying buttresses, as seen in many cathedrals.

These elements set the stage for the transformations of the Renaissance,
which brought a renewed focus on humanism, individualism, and classical
knowledge.
Renaissance
Period
 Renaissance Period
✣ -The Renaissance came right after the Middle Ages in Europe.
✣ - People became very interested in the learning and values of ancient Greece
and Rome again.
✣ - The Renaissance style of painting started in Italy in the late 1300s.
✣ - Renaissance art aimed to show the experiences of individuals and the beauty
and mystery of nature.
 Renaissance Period
✣ - The High Renaissance started in the 1490s with Leonardo da
Vinci's painting "The Last Supper" and the death of Lorenzo de'
Medici.
✣ - It ended in 1527 when Rome was attacked by the troops of
Charles V.
✣ - After this attack, the High Renaissance period ended, but the
Renaissance continued for a while before also coming to an end.
LEONARDO DA VINCCI

✣ Leonardo da Vinci is famous for works

like "The Last Supper" and "Mona Lisa."
He was born in 1452 in Vinci, Italy, and
his contributions to art, science, and
engineering have made him one of the
most celebrated figures in history.
✣ Lorenzo de' Medici, was a major patron of
the arts during the Renaissance, supporting
artists like Leonardo da Vinci and
Michelangelo. He played a significant role
in the cultural development of Florence
during this period.
✣ Florence is a city in
Italy that was a major
center of culture,
politics, and art during
the Renaissance.
 KEY POINTS ABOUT
FLORENCE
•Renaissance Birthplace: Florence is often considered the birthplace of
the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement that
began in Italy in the late 14th century.
•Artistic Hub: Many renowned artists, including Leonardo da Vinci,
Michelangelo, and Botticelli, lived and worked in Florence. The city was
a hub for artistic innovation and production.
•Patronage: The powerful Medici family, who ruled Florence, were
significant patrons of the arts. They funded many artists and projects,
contributing to the city's rich cultural heritage.
 KEY POINTS ABOUT
FLORENCE
• Architectural Landmarks: Florence is home to iconic
buildings like the Florence Cathedral (Il Duomo) with its
famous dome designed by Brunelleschi, and the Palazzo
Vecchio.
• Cultural Influence: Florence's influence extended beyond art to
fields such as science, politics, literature, and philosophy.
Figures like Dante Alighieri and Niccolò Machiavelli were also
associated with the city.
Florence's contributions to art and culture during the
Renaissance have had a lasting impact, making it a crucial location
in the history of Western civilization.
 Renaissance Art

•By the end of the 15th century, Rome replaced Florence as

the main center of Renaissance art.
•Art mostly showed religious images used in religious rituals
and as devotional objects.
•Besides religious images, many artworks showed everyday
life, including marriage, birth, and family life.
 Renaissance Artists
•Renaissance artists came from all levels of society. They often
started as apprentices and learned from experienced masters
before joining a professional guild.
•Artists were hired by patrons because they were dependable.
Italy’s growing middle class bought art to copy the aristocracy
and improve their own status.
Paintings
 Technique Used
✣ During the Renaissance, artists like Giorgione and Titian started using
oil paint directly on canvas for their artworks. This technique actually
goes back further to Jan van Eyck, a Flemish painter who was crucial
during the Northern Renaissance. Other notable painters from this
period include Albrecht Durer from Germany and Hans Holbein the
Younger. They all contributed significantly to the development of oil
painting as a major artistic medium.
Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco

✣ Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco, was

an Italian painter of the Venetian school
during the High Renaissance, who died
in his thirties. He is known for the
elusive poetic quality of his work,
though only about six surviving
paintings are firmly attributed to him.
Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco
✣ Giorgione is often referred to as a master of color due to
his innovative and expressive use of color in his paintings.
He was known for creating rich, harmonious color palettes
that added depth and emotion to his compositions.
Giorgione's ability to blend colors seamlessly and create
atmospheric effects greatly influenced the development of
Renaissance art. His mastery of color is evident in works
like "The Tempest" and "Sleeping Venus," where colors
are used not just to depict objects realistically but also to
convey mood and meaning.
Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco

The Tempest (La Tempesta) - A

mysterious and evocative landscape
painting with a stormy sky
and figures.
Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco

Sleeping Venus (Venere

dormiente) - A reclining nude
painting of Venus, portraying
idealized beauty and
sensuality.
Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco

The Three Philosophers (I

Tre Filosofi) - A complex
composition featuring three
philosophers engaged in
contemplation, set against a
landscape backdrop.
Tiziano Vecellio

Titian, also known as Tiziano Vecellio,

was an Italian painter of the High
Renaissance and one of the most
important figures in the history of
Western art. He was born around
1488/1490 in Pieve di Cadore, in the
Republic of Venice, and died in 1576 in
Venice.
Tiziano Vecellio

Venus of Urbino - A reclining nude

painting of Venus, celebrated for its
sensuality and the artist's skillful use
of color and light.
Tiziano Vecellio

Diana and Actaeon and Diana and

Callisto (part of the series known as
the "Diana paintings") - These
works depict scenes from Greek
mythology with dynamic
compositions and vibrant colors.
Tiziano Vecellio

Bacchus and Ariadne - A

mythological painting showing the
moment when Bacchus, the god of
wine, discovers Ariadne and falls in
love with her.
Tiziano Vecellio

Bacchus and Ariadne - A

mythological painting showing the
moment when Bacchus, the god of
wine, discovers Ariadne and falls in
love with her.
Tiziano Vecellio

Assumption of the Virgin - A

monumental altarpiece depicting the
Virgin Mary ascending into Heaven,
displaying Titian's mastery of
religious narrative and grandeur.
Jan van Eyck

Jan van Eyck was a prominent

Flemish painter of the Northern
Renaissance, active during the 15th
century. He is renowned for his
meticulous attention to detail,
innovative use of oil paint, and
mastery of light and texture.
Jan van Eyck

Innovator of Oil Painting:

Van Eyck is credited with
perfecting the technique of oil
painting, which allowed for
greater detail, depth, and
intensity of color compared to
the traditional egg tempera
method.
Jan van Eyck

Ghent Altarpiece: One of his most

famous works is the Ghent
Altarpiece (also known as the
Adoration of the Mystic Lamb), a
large polyptych altarpiece that
demonstrates his technical prowess
and narrative skill.
Jan van Eyck

Portraiture: Van Eyck was skilled

in portraiture, capturing the likeness
and personality of his subjects with
remarkable realism. His portraits,
such as the Arnolfini Portrait, are
celebrated for their psychological
depth and exquisite rendering.
( young man thymotheus)
Jan van Eyck

Religious and Secular Works: In

addition to religious subjects, van
Eyck also painted secular scenes
and landscapes, often imbuing them
with symbolic and allegorical
meanings.
Jan van Eyck

Legacy: Van Eyck's contributions to art,

particularly his technical innovations in oil
painting, had a profound impact on
subsequent generations of artists in both the
Northern and Italian Renaissance. His
meticulous approach to realism and his
mastery of light and color set new standards
in European painting.
Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528):

Painter and Printmaker: Dürer

was not only a painter but also a
highly skilled printmaker, engraver,
and theorist. He is considered one of
the greatest artists of the Northern
Renaissance.
Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528):

Works: Some of his famous

paintings include "Self-Portrait"
(1498), "Adam and Eve" (1504),
and "Knight, Death, and the Devil"
(1513). He also created numerous
woodcuts and engravings, such as
the "Four Horsemen of the
Apocalypse" series and "Melencolia
I" (1514).
Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528):

Technical Innovations: Dürer's

meticulous attention to detail, use of
perspective, and exploration of
human proportions influenced
generations of artists. He played a
crucial role in elevating the status of
printmaking to an art form in its
own right.
Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528):

Technical Innovations: Dürer's

meticulous attention to detail, use of
perspective, and exploration of
human proportions influenced
generations of artists. He played a
crucial role in elevating the status of
printmaking to an art form in its
own right.
 Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528):

✣ Self-Portrait (1498):
• Description: This self-portrait by Dürer is one of
his most celebrated works. It shows him at a young
age, looking directly at the viewer with a confident
expression. He presents himself in a manner that
suggests his skill as an artist and his intellectual
curiosity.
• Significance: The self-portrait is not just a depiction
of the artist but also a statement of his artistic
identity and ambitions. It reflects Dürer's interest in
human proportions and his ability to capture a
lifelike representation of himself.
 Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528):
✣ Adam and Eve (1504):
• Description: This painting depicts Adam and Eve in the
Garden of Eden, with the Tree of Knowledge in the
background and various symbolic animals surrounding
them. Eve holds the forbidden fruit while Adam looks on
contemplatively.
• Symbolism: Dürer's "Adam and Eve" reflects Renaissance
interest in classical themes and human anatomy. It also
explores the theme of sin and redemption, with Adam and
Eve's fall from grace symbolized by their disobedience to
God's command.
• Technique: The painting demonstrates Dürer's meticulous
attention to detail and his skill in depicting the human form
realistically, emphasizing the idealized beauty of Adam and
Eve.
 Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528):

✣ Knight, Death, and the Devil (1513):

• Description: This engraving portrays a knight riding
through a dark and forbidding landscape. He is
accompanied by Death, personified as a skeletal figure, and
the Devil, represented as a monstrous creature.
• Themes: The engraving explores themes of mortality,
courage, and the struggle against evil. The knight,
embodying virtue and moral strength, remains steadfast
despite the menacing presence of Death and the Devil.
• Influence: "Knight, Death, and the Devil" is considered
one of Dürer's masterpieces in printmaking. It demonstrates
his technical prowess in engraving and his ability to convey
complex narratives and moral allegories through visual
imagery.
Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/98-
1543):
•Court Painter: Holbein was known for his portraits, particularly of
the English court during the reign of King Henry VIII. He worked in
both England and Switzerland.
•Works: His notable portraits include those of King Henry VIII, "The
Ambassadors" (1533), and "Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam" (1523).
He also painted religious works and designs for decorative arts.
•Realism and Detail: Holbein's portraits are characterized by their
realism, psychological depth, and precise rendering of details. He
captured the personalities and status of his subjects with great
accuracy.
•Legacy: Holbein's influence extended beyond his lifetime, impacting
later portrait painters and contributing to the development of realism
in European art.
Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/98-
1543):
•King Henry VIII:
•Description: Hans Holbein painted several portraits
of King Henry VIII, but perhaps the most famous is
the full-length portrait from around 1537. It depicts
Henry VIII standing in a powerful pose, adorned with
luxurious fabrics and jewels, emphasizing his status
and authority as king of England.
•Significance: Holbein's portraits of Henry VIII are
iconic representations of the Tudor monarch,
showcasing his physical presence and royal demeanor.
These portraits were instrumental in shaping Henry's
public image during his reign.
Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/98-
1543):
✣ The Ambassadors (1533):
• Description: "The Ambassadors" is a double portrait of
two French diplomats, Jean de Dinteville and Georges
de Selve, standing beside a table filled with symbolic
objects. The painting is rich in symbolism, including a
distorted skull (anamorphic skull) at the bottom of the
painting, which is only visible from a certain angle.
• Symbolism: The painting is a complex allegory of
worldly and spiritual pursuits, featuring objects related
to science, religion, and the arts. The inclusion of the
anamorphic skull is a reminder of mortality and the
transience of earthly pursuits.
• Technique: Holbein's meticulous attention to detail and
his ability to render textures and fabrics with precision
are evident in "The Ambassadors." The painting is a
masterpiece of Renaissance portraiture and symbolic
representation.
Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/98-
1543):

✣ Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam (1523):

• Description: This portrait depicts the renowned
humanist scholar Desiderius Erasmus, known for his
contributions to literature, philosophy, and theology
during the Renaissance.
• Characterization: Holbein captures Erasmus with a
thoughtful expression, reflecting his intellectual depth
and influence in Renaissance Europe. The portrait
emphasizes Erasmus's scholarly pursuits and his role as
a leading figure of humanism.
• Legacy: Holbein's portrait of Erasmus is considered
one of the definitive images of the scholar, conveying
not only his physical likeness but also his intellectual
stature and cultural impact.
The Beheading of St. John the Baptist
✣ Artist: Caravaggio
✣ Year: 1608
✣ Depicts the execution of Saint John the
Baptist with Salome standing with a
golden platter to receive the head of the
victim.
✣ Only painting to bear the signature of
Caravaggio, which is placed in red
blood being spilled from the cut throat.
✣ The signature became apparent only
when the painting was restored in the
1950s.
The Beheading of St. John the Baptist
 Decline of the Renaissance Period
By the late 1500s, a new artistic style called Mannerism emerged as a reaction
against the naturalism of the High Renaissance. Mannerism emphasized
exaggerated forms, distorted proportions, and a sense of artificiality rather than the
balanced, idealized naturalism of earlier Renaissance art.
Mannerism originated in Florence and Rome but quickly spread across Europe,
becoming the dominant artistic style for a time. Despite this shift, the achievements
of the High Renaissance, characterized by artists like Leonardo da Vinci,
Michelangelo, and Raphael, were still highly regarded. The High Renaissance is
often seen as the peak or culmination of Italian art, known for its harmonious
compositions, lifelike figures, and mastery of perspective and anatomy.
 experiment with techniques characteristic of
both Renaissance and Mannerist art. Provide
materials such as oil paints or colored pencils
to recreate aspects of these styles, focusing on
realism versus exaggeration.