The Renaissance is a phenomenal phenomenon in the history of mankind. There has never been such a brilliant flash in the field of art. Sculptors, architects and artists of the Renaissance (the list is long, but we will touch on the most famous), whose names are known to everyone, gave the world priceless works of art. Unique and exceptional people showed themselves not in one field, but in several.
Early Renaissance Painting
The Renaissance era has a relative time frame. First of all, it began in Italy - 1420-1500. At this time, painting and all art as a whole are not much different from the recent past. However, elements borrowed from classical antiquity begin to appear for the first time. And only in subsequent years, sculptors, architects and artists of the Renaissance (the list of which is very long), under the influence of modern living conditions and progressive trends, finally abandon the medieval foundations. They boldly adopt the best examples of ancient art for their works, both in general and in individual details. Their names are known to many, dwell on the most prominent personalities.
Masaccio - the genius of European painting
It was he who made a huge contribution to the development of painting, becoming a great reformer. The Florentine master was born in 1401 in a family of artisans, so his sense of taste and desire to create was in his blood. At the age of 16-17 he moved to Florence, where he worked in workshops. Donatello and Brunelleschi - great sculptors and architects are considered to be his teachers. Communication with them and acquired skills could not but affect the young painter. From the first, Masaccio borrowed a new understanding of the human personality, characteristic of sculpture. The second master has the basics of a linear perspective. The researchers believe the first reliable work is the âTriptych of San Giovalenaleâ (in the first photo), which was discovered in a small church near the town in which Masaccio was born. The main work is the frescoes in the chapel of Brancacci, dedicated to the life story of St. Peter. The artist participated in the creation of six of them, namely: âA Miracle with a Statierâ, âExpulsion from Paradiseâ, âBaptism of the Neophytesâ, âDistribution of Property and the Death of Ananiasâ, âResurrection of Theophilusâs Sonâ, âSaint Peter Heals a Patient with His Shadowâ and "St. Peter at the pulpit."
Italian artists of the Renaissance are people who are completely and completely dedicated to art, who did not pay attention to ordinary everyday problems, which sometimes led them to a poor existence. Masaccio is no exception: the brilliant master died very early, at the age of 27-28 years, leaving behind him great works and a large number of debts.
Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506)
This is a representative of the Padua school of painters. He received the basics of craftsmanship from his adoptive father. The style was formed under the influence of the works of Masaccio, Andrea del Castagno, Donatello and Venetian painting. This determined Andrea Mantegna's somewhat harsh and harsh manner compared to the Florentines. He was a collector and connoisseur of works of culture of the ancient period. Thanks to his style, which is not similar to one another, he became famous as an innovator. His most famous works are Dead Christ, The Triumph of Caesar, Judith, The Battle of the Sea Deities, Parnassus (pictured), etc. From 1460 until his death, he worked as a court painter in the family of the Dukes of Gonzag.
Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510)
Botticelli is a pseudonym, the real name is Filipepi. He did not immediately choose the path of the artist, but initially studied jewelry art. In the first independent works (several Madonnas), the influence of Masaccio and Lippi is felt. In the future, he also glorified himself as a portrait painter, the bulk of the orders came from Florence. The refined and sophisticated nature of his work with elements of stylization (generalization of images using conditional techniques - simplicity of form, color, volume) distinguishes him from other masters of that time. A contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci and young Michelangelo left a bright mark on world art (The Birth of Venus (photo), Spring, Adoration of the Magi, Venus and Mars, Christmas, etc.). His painting is sincere and sensitive, and his life path is complex and tragic. The romantic perception of the world at a young age gave way to mysticism and religious exaltation in adulthood. The last years of his life, Sandro Botticelli lived in poverty and oblivion.
Pierrot (Pietro) della Francesca (1420-1492)
Italian painter and another representative of the early Renaissance, originally from Tuscany. The author's style was formed under the influence of the Florentine school of painting. In addition to the talent of the artist, Piero della Francesca had outstanding abilities in the field of mathematics, and devoted the last years of his life to her, trying to connect her with high art. The result was two scientific treatises: âOn the Perspective in Paintingâ and âBook of Five Correct Bodiesâ. His style is distinguished by solemnity, harmony and nobleness of images, compositional balance, precise lines and construction, soft gamut of colors. Piero della Francesca possessed an amazing knowledge of the technical side of painting and features of perspective, which earned him high authority among his contemporaries. The most famous works: âThe History of the Queen of Shebaâ, âThe Flagellation of Christâ (pictured), âAltar of Montefeltroâ, etc.
High Renaissance Painting
If the Proto-Renaissance and the early era lasted almost a half century and a century, respectively, then this period covers only a few decades (in Italy from 1500 to 1527). It was a bright, dazzling flash that gave the world a galaxy of great, versatile and brilliant people. All branches of art went hand in hand, so many masters are also scientists, sculptors, inventors, and not just Renaissance artists. The list is long, but the peak of the Renaissance was marked by the work of L. da Vinci, M. Buanarotti and R. Santi.
The extraordinary genius of da Vinci
Perhaps this is the most extraordinary and outstanding personality in the history of world art culture. He was a universal man in the full sense of the word and possessed the most versatile knowledge and talents. An artist, sculptor, art theorist, mathematician, architect, anatomist, astronomer, physicist and engineer - all this about him. Moreover, in each of the regions Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) proved to be an innovator. So far, only 15 of his paintings have survived, as well as many sketches. Possessing tremendous vitality and thirst for knowledge, he was impatient, he was carried away by the process of cognition. At a very young age (20 years), he received the qualification of the master of the Guild of St. Luke. His most important works were the fresco âThe Last Supperâ, the paintings âMona Lisaâ, âMadonna Benoitâ (pictured above), âThe Lady with the Ermineâ, etc.
Portraits of Renaissance artists are a rarity. They preferred to leave their images in paintings with many faces. So, around the self-portrait of da Vinci (pictured) to this day, disputes do not subside. There are versions that he made it at the age of 60. According to the biographer, artist and writer Vasari, the great master was dying in the arms of his close friend King Francis I in his castle, Clos-Luce.
Raphael Santi (1483-1520)
The artist and architect hails from Urbino. His name in art is invariably associated with the idea of ââsublime beauty and natural harmony. For a fairly short life (37 years), he created many world-famous paintings, murals and portraits. The plots that he portrayed are very diverse, but he was always attracted to the image of the Mother of God. Absolutely justifiably, Rafael is called the âmaster of the Madonnas,â especially those written by him in Rome. He worked in the Vatican from 1508 until the end of his life as an official artist at the papal court.
Comprehensively gifted, like many other great Renaissance artists, Raphael was also an architect, and also engaged in archaeological excavations. According to one version, the last hobby is in direct correlation with premature death. Presumably, he contracted Roman fever during excavations. The great master was buried in the Pantheon. In the photo, his self-portrait.
Michelangelo Buoanarroti (1475-1564)
The long 70-year life of this man was bright, he left to his descendants imperishable creations not only of painting, but also of sculpture. Like other great Renaissance artists, Michelangelo lived in a time full of historical events and upheavals. His art is the perfect final note of the entire Renaissance.
The master placed the sculpture above all other arts, but by the will of fate became an outstanding painter and architect. His largest and most unusual work is the painting of the Sistine Chapel (pictured) in the Vatican Palace. The area of ââthe mural exceeds 600 square meters and contains 300 figures of people. The most impressive and familiar is the scene of the Last Judgment.
Italian Renaissance artists possessed multifaceted talents. So, few people know that Michelangelo was also a wonderful poet. This facet of his genius fully manifested itself already at the end of his life. About 300 poems have survived to this day.
Painting of the late Renaissance
The final period covers the time period from 1530 to 1590-1620. According to the British Encyclopedia, the Renaissance as a historical period ended with the fall of Rome in 1527. At about the same time, the Counter-Reformation won in Southern Europe. The Catholic movement looked with caution at all free thought, including the glorification of the beauty of the human body and the resurrection of the art of the ancient period - that is, all that was the pillars of the Renaissance. This resulted in a special trend - mannerism, characterized by the loss of harmony between the spiritual and the physical, human and nature. But even in this difficult period, some famous Renaissance artists created their masterpieces. Among them are Antonio da Correggio, Andrea Palladio (considered the founder of classicism and palladianism) and Titian.
Titian Vecellio (1488-1490 - 1676 years)
He is rightly considered a Renaissance titan, along with Michelangelo, Raphael and da Vinci. Even before he turned 30, Titian was given the fame of âthe king of painters and the painter of kingsâ. Basically, the artist painted on mythological and biblical themes, moreover, he became famous as a magnificent portrait painter. Contemporaries believed that to be sealed with the brush of a great master means to gain immortality. And indeed it is. Orders to Titian came from the most revered and noble people: the popes, kings, cardinals and dukes. Here are just a few of the most famous of his works: âVenus Urbinskayaâ, âThe Abduction of Europeâ (pictured), âCarrying the Crossâ, âCrowning with the crown of thornsâ, âMadonna Pesaroâ, âWoman with a Mirrorâ, etc.
Nothing is repeated twice. The era of the Renaissance gave mankind brilliant, extraordinary personalities. Their names are inscribed in the world history of art in gold letters. Architects and sculptors, writers and artists of the Renaissance - their list is very long. We touched only the titans who made history, brought to the world the ideas of enlightenment and humanism.