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Leonardo da Vinci
- I. Leonardo da Vinci and other Renaissance artists considered imitation of nature primary goal
- a. Search for naturalism became end in itself: to persuade onlookers of reality of object or event they were portraying
- b. New artistic standards reflected new attitude of mind as well, one in which human beings became focus of attention
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Art in the Early Renaissance
- a. Leonardo and others said Giotto began imitation of nature
- i. What he begun not taken up again until work of Masaccio
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a. Massacio
- i. Cycle of frescoes in Brancacci Chapel= first masterpiece of Early Renaissance art
- ii. use of monumental figures, a more realistic relationship between figures and landscape, and visual representation of laws of perspective, a new realistic style of paiting was born
- 1. onlookers aware of reality that appears to be continuation of hteir own world
- 2. provided model
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a. 15th century impact
- i. Development of experimental trend that took two directions
- 1. One: mathematic side of painting, the working out of the laws of perspective and the organization of outdoor space and light by geometry and perspective
- a. Paolo Uccello: figures mere stage props to show off laws of perspective
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15th Century Impact: Investigation
- 1. Investigation of movement and anatomical structure
- a. The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian by Antonio Pollaiuolo
- i. Revels in Classical motifs and attempts to portray human body under stress
- 1. Realistic portrayal of human nude became preoccupation
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i. 15th century: period of __ and __
Last decades of 15th:
experimentation and technical mastery
- i. new sense of invention, especially in circle of artists and scholars who formed part of the court of the city’s leading citizen, Lorenzo the Magnifencent
- 1. One of this group’s members was Sandro Botticelli
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Sandro Botticelli
- a. Interest in Greek and Roman mythology reflected in Primavera
- i. Painting set in garden of Venus
- ii. Figures well defined and possess other-worldly quality that is far removed from realism charactered in Early Renaissance paintings
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Revolutionary achievements of Florentine paints in 15th c.
Donato di Donatello
i. Matched by equally stunning advances in sculpture and architecture
a. Studied and copied Roman statues of antiquity- b. Statue of David: first known life-size, freestanding bronze nude in European art since antiquity
- i. Celebrated Florentine heroism in triumph of Florence over Milanese in 1428
- ii. Radiated simplicity and strength that reflected dignity of humanity
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Filippo Brunelleschi
- 1. Filippo Brunelleschi accompanied Donatello to Rome
- a. Drew inspiration from architectural monuments of Roman antiquity
- b. Returned to Florence and created new architecture
- i. Building dome for unfishished cathedral of Florence (Duomo), whichw as started in 1296
- ii. He devised new building techniques and machinery to create dome
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Church of San Lorenzo
- i. When Medici commissioned him to design the Echurch, he created church interior different from medieval
- 1. Classical columns, rounded arches, coffered ceiling created environment that comforted rather than overwhenlmed like gothic churches
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Portraiture
- 1. New emphasis on portraiture accompanied new assertion of human individualty
- a. Patrons in corners of sacred pictures
- b. Monumental tombs and portrait statues honored many of Florence’s prominent citizens
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Mid 15th Century
- 1. Mid-15th c: artists given accurate rendering of facial features while revealing inner personalities
- a. Portraits of duke and duchess of Urbino by Piero della Francesca showed accurate representation as well as sense of both power and wealth of them
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