Apollo and Daphne -Bernini

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who was a baroque sculptor gave the Borghese Museum collection many of his works including Apollo and Daphne. He sculpted this along with some help from his workshop between 1622 and 1625. This marble sculpture was commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese. It depicts the nymph Daphne who is being chased by Apollo, the god who was struck by Cupid's arrow and fell in love with Daphne who unfortunately doesn't love him back. Bernini creates the very moment of her morphing into a laurel tree as to stop Apollo from getting what he wants. We can see Apollo with his one arm around her torso as her fingers sprout leaves and branches and the bark climbs up her leg and her toes become roots into the ground, Apollo is too late. Bernini skilfully creates this exact moment where we can see the momentum as if she will transform before our eyes. This defines the baroque period; the exact moment of optimum action and the movement captured, with such grace and elegance. It is appreciated at many angles. This is Pagan sculpture if you haven't noticed already but it is justified be a moral rule that reads: Those who love to pursue fleeting forms of pleasure, in the end find only leaves and bitter berries in their hands." Which means that we shouldn't chase the pleasurable things in life, we should rejoice in the love of god, because if we don't we won't be satisfied in the end.

Caravaggio- The Calling of St. Matthew

The Calling of St.Matthew Caravaggio, 1597-1601, Oil on Canvas

The Calling of St. Matthew is one of Caravaggio's early paintings and is one of two paintings he did of St. Matthew. Caravaggio's was a Baroque artist and his well known style of the sharp contrast between light and dark are  clearly shown in this painting. Christ, who we can hardly recognize without the subtle glowing of his halo, enters from the right and what follows him is the beam of light which Caravaggio uses to illuminate the face of  Levi (St. Matthew) and Christ's hand which is very similar to that of Adams in The Creation of Adam done by Michelangelo. This plays upon the fact that many believed that Christ was the second Adam, he was the redemption of mankind. By doing this he emphasizes the higher calling of Levi (St. Matthew). What is interesting about this painting is that Caravaggio setting is very mundane and ordinary . Caravaggio like to portray his religious figures as everyday local people.

Jacopo Pontormo; Joseph in Egypt

Joseph in Egypt, Jacopo Pontormo, 1515-18, oil on wood

According to Vasari this painting is possibly his most beautiful work and that is Joseph in Egypt, this very chaotic work is very much a Mannerist painting in its complex and ambiguous meaning. This particular painting shows many episodes of Joseph's stay in Egypt but we can't really start anywhere, all the space seems to be taken up and we are just confused and overwhelmed with all that is going on. Vasari states "I should venture to say that it would be impossible to see another painting executed with as much grace, perfection and good craftsmanship as that employed by Jacopo in this one. " This painting shows the style of Mannerism by showing the artificial over the natural in the faces and collection of ground levels, and a very intensely ambiguous and complex composition. with this painting we are moving farther away from the principles of classicism and the Renaissance style and we start to discover the more abstruse and conflicting ideals of Mannerism.

The Last Supper....100 years later

Last Supper, Tintoretto, 1594, Oil on Canvas

Jacopo Robusti, better known as Tintoretto painted his version of the Last Supper in his very own style which foresees the pictorial devices of Mannerism. He is a Venetian painter and he claimed to be a student of Titian, we see in his Last supper the combination of Titian explosive colors and Michelangelo's unprecedented drawing. In this painting, Tintoretto shows his knowledge of spiritual depth,  emotional power, Venetian color schemes, and the power of light. Although his subject matter is the same of Leonardo's they are very different in how they express this subject matter. This is very much of the Mannerism Art by the imbalanced composition and visual complexity. Tintoretto's perspective shows the vanishing point far beyond the right side which shows the event of Christ at the table, after(?) he has said "One of you will betray me." Tintoretto also shows daily activities happening around the table which adds to the chaos. We almost find ourselves squinting to see what exactly is going on amongst everything. We can tell where Jesus is because of his bright halo, but if it was a subtle halo like that depicted by Tintoretto's predecessors we might not have recognized him. Jesus still seems to be the center of the painting, but the asymmetrical balance of this painting makes it very complex to read, which in nature is what the Mannerists are about. This is almost a direct contrast to that of Leonardo's spatial equality and balanced composition.

The Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel , Michelangelo, 1508-12

 The Sistine Chapel is probably one of the most famous works of Michelangelo Buonarotti and it was made between 1508 and 1512. The ceiling is divided accordingly and Michelangelo thoroughly planned which scenes from the bible he thought appropriate and which scenes he could and couldn't paint according to the papacy. There are nine scenes from the Book of Genesis including the Creation of Heaven and Earth, Night and Day, Adam and Eve, The story of Noah, the Expulsion from Eden etc. These were elaborately executed and bordering these scenes are male nude, Michelangelo’s preference when it came to painting subjects. These nudes were in contorted and abstract positions in which he was influenced by ancient Roman and Greek statues, which he saw there in Rome. There are also twelve Prophets who occupy the spaces surrounding the nine scenes and between each prophet are triangular section that depict daily life events and actions. He also painted architectural structures such as orders and columns that help divide each figure and scene and this was also a way to help occupy space because the ceiling is huge! When you see it in person, that is when you can truly appreciate the intensity of detail and grandeur of it all. You can only imagine the tolerance, patience and effort Michelangelo must have had in order to finish this.

Raphael Sanzio

Self-Portrait Raphael Sanzio 1506

Raphael Sanzio was born on April 6, 1483 and died April 6, 1520, he was a high Renaissance artist. One of his most famous paintings is The school of Athens. According to Vasari during his early years he followed in the footsteps and styles of Pietro Perugino, but as soon as he saw the natural and sophisticated style of Leonardo Da Vinci, he became a follower of his style in how he created “his figures and their movements that surpassed all other painters, Raphael was left wholly astonished and amazed.” He also studied the art and style of the famous Michelangelo. With all these influences he his own technique and style evolved that expressed his unique individuality. Vasari quotes his “clarity of form, ease of composition and visual achievement of the Neoplastic ideal of human grandeur” wasn'tlike any other. Raphael was praised as one of the great Renaissance artists along with Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci whom, he admired. Unfortunately, he died on his thirty-seventh birthday, a very young aged Raphael. He was said to be very kind, he loved women and left us with artwork that can clearly be only that of the High Renaissance.

Raphael: The School of Athens

School of Athens, Raphael, 1509-10

Raphaello Sanzio Da Urbino or better know as just Raphael was another artist of the high Renaissance and made the Renaissance worth remembering. He made many improvements in color, perspective, and was known for his clarity and execution. One of his most famous works is the School of the Athens which is located in the Vatican in a Room where the Pope signs documents called La Stanza della Segnatura. It shows many theologians, scientists, and philosophers and what they represent. The two main philosophers are in the middle and that is Plato and Aristotle. Plato represents the dimension that exists outside of our realm and that is why he points to the sky and then there is Aristotle and he points to the ground which means he stands for "our" dimension and reason through the physical realm. Among the others are Diogenes, the great cynic, and even Raphael added himself to the far right. Raphael shows his knowledge of philosophy and the other studies by showing all these brilliant people coming together in conversation. Vasari adds that he "adorned this painting with perspective and many figures completed with such a delicate and soft style." He also showed he knew about roman classicism and culture by placing them in the right setting with the coughed barrel vault above and they seem to be in a palazzo. This represented the minimal requirements of the Renaissance, but Raphael takes it to a whole new level when he expresses his understanding of perspective and executes beautifully.

Michelangelo

David, Michelangelo, 1501-1504

When we think of the Renaissance, they are a few artists who we immediately think of and  Michelangelo Buonarotti is definitely one of them. Michelangelo took the Renaissance to a higher level and is why we study the Renaissance. He was famously known as a sculptor and painter. Some of his most famous works are the David and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. The David is located in the Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy. It shows a very graceful yet strong, young David before he defeats Goliath. His body shows all his weight one side with his right leg holding his weight and his right arm falls straight down, beautifully showing his strength. His larger-than-life-sized body shows the beauty and essence of Renaissance art. In his left hand he was holding a rock in which he will use to kill Goliath. Michelangelo shows his knowledge of the human body as he reverts back to the Greeks and Romans by showing the human body in a youthful and beautiful form with all the muscles seen smoothly under the skin. He studied and loved creating the human body, especially nude.

Leonardo Da Vinci

Self Portrait of Leonardo Da Vinci,  1512, Red Chalk on Paper

Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) has given the world countless masterpieces  and he has shown what it takes to be a true Renaissance artist. Giorgio Vasari has a few words in store for him:  "Nature so favoured him that, wherever he turned his thought, his mind, and his heart, he demonstrated such divine inspiration that no one else was ever equal to him in the perfection, liveliness, vitality, excellence, and grace of his works." Leonardo created some of the world's most notable works including he Mona Lisa, The Last Supper and many more. He was an mathematician, sculptor, painter, musician, scientist and inventor among other things. He was always looking for challenge according to Giorgio Vasari. He also was very curious about things around him and had a persistent attitude towards learning.  We also know that he rarely finished works and Giorgio Vasari explains his reasoning of why that is : "It is clearly evident that because of Leonardo's understanding of art, he began many projects but never finished any of them, feeling that his hand could not reach artistic perfection in the works he conceived, since he envisioned such subtle, marvelous  and difficult problems that his hands, while extremely skillful, were incapable of ever realizing them." However even the unfinished works we have of him today are still considered to be done so beautifully and we would rather take unfinished than none at all because he truly had talent and was considered to be the epitome of the term “Renaissance Man.”. 

The Tempest by Giorgione

Giorgione was a Venetian painter during the high Renaissance and he was a mysterious painter. There are only about a handful of works that are attributed to him because he never signed or titled his works. One of his works, we know for sure, is The Tempest and it was made around 1508.It shows a woman, maybe a gypsy, who is suckling a baby and a young man on the opposite end, maybe a soldier, and they are outside with an approaching storm and a village in the background. Radiography has helped us to see that instead of the man , there was another nude woman originally. We do not know why he took her out or much about what this painting means but nonetheless it deserves much praise for its harmonious nature and its simplicity. We do not know most of his art's contexts or what they mean but he is nonetheless a Renaissance artist. It is an oil on canvas and Giorgione used very soft forms and colors and he also known for the poetic quality in his work. He also helped create the Venetian artistic reputation during the Renaissance. Giorgione was a student of Giovanni Bellini and one of his pupils was Titian, who has a very similar style.

Sandro Botticelli

Sandro Botticelli, 1445-1510

Alessandro Di Mariano di Filipepi, better known as the great Sandro Botticelli was undeniably one of the greatest Renaissance artists. As a young boy  he was apprenticed by Fra Filippo Lippi, during his time at the Brancacci Chapel and he showed great talent very young. Lippi grew very fond of him. Botticelli is famously known for Primavera and Birth of Venus which show some of his greatest works of art. Some things to consider about these two painting are that instead of religious figures he presents mythological ones.  He has such care and and skill that Vasari describes how other artisans always desperately tried getting a hold of his sketches because of his precision and unteachable grace. He also had very good judgment of perspective and objects. He created a plethora of works and it seemed by each work he did he became more popular and even the Pope at the time, Pope Sixtus IV asked him along with other artisans to paint frescoes on the walls of the Sistine Chapel. This also gave him a credible reputation as a painter of that time. He did many paintings for Florentine Churches as well as for private collections. He was said to be a pleasant man who enjoyed joking around and he was also a man of pride and honor. 

The Holy Trinity by Masaccio

The Holy Trinity, Masaccio, 1425, Santa  Maria Novella

The Holy Trinity was created by Tommaso Masaccio in the year 1425. It is a fresco and remains in the Santa Maria Novella Basilican Church  in Florence. This painting shows Christ hanging on the cross that is being supported by God. The cross is also being flanked  by Mary and John. The kneeling figures on the step below show their devotional praise to Christ and God, many say they are members from either the Berti Family or the Lenzi Family, who might have commissioned this painting. Although we do not much about who commissioned this fresco, we do know that this was one of Masaccio's major commissions and one of his greatest works of art. Architecturally speaking, Masaccio showed his great admiration for linear perspective  and his appreciation for roman antiquity by accurately painting the Roman barrel vault along with the Ionic and Corinthian capitals on the columns that create the boundary for this scene. He also brilliantly creates the vanishing point  at the viewer's eye level which contributes to his genius perspective of the receding barrel vaults that tower over God and create depth. This visual effect is know as Tromp l'oiel, which means "Deceiving to the eyes." One can really understand the brilliance Masaccio showed artistically and architecturally while in its presence.

Leon Battista Alberti

Leon Battista Alberti, Courtyard of the Uffizi Gallery, Florence

Vasari states "But when by chance theory and practice meet and join together, there is nothing more useful to our lives, for through the means of science, art is perfected and enriched, and the advice and writings of learned artisans are more useful and trustworthy than the words or works of those artisans who do nothing more than practise their craft, whether they d so well or badly. The truth of these statements is clearly demonstrated by Leon Battista Alberti [...]" Alberti seriously studied the work of ancient Roman architectural treatise of Vitruvius and with his combined and earned observations of architecture, many consider him to be the first Renaissance architect to understand the classical architecture in depth. He designed the Palazzo Rucellai and used different capitals for each story of the building. This he compared to the Coliseum and it gets lighter with height. He believed  in the system of ideal proportions and actively advocated it. He became an architect rather later in life but nonetheless his impact of Renaissance and his advocacy for the importance of classical architecture and the balance and harmony of perfect proportions made a profound contribution to architectural design.

The Tribute Money (Masaccio)

Masaccio, The Tribute Money, Brancacci Chapel, Santa Maria Del Carmine, 1424-27, Fresco

Masaccio, in my opinion was among the greatest Renaissance artist, he has really helped me to see how the use of perspective and light has helped the Renaissance. He experimented with perspective and the illusion of light as it hits different objects and figures. In this particular fresco, which is located in the Brancacci Chapel, (which I can't believe I saw) in the Santa Maria Del Carmine in Florence, Masaccio depicts the episode from the the Gospel of Matthew. He shows this fresco as a three part story. Starting from left to right, we have Saint Peter by the shore side retrieving the money from the fish, the middle depicts the tax collector, who confront Jesus as they try to enter the Roman town of Capernaum. Jesus asks St. Peter  to go get the money he will need to pay the tax form the belly of the fish. Peter, after finding the money returns and pays the tax collector ( far right). Masaccio shows the bulk of his characters by allowing us to see the traces of light as it hits the figures. It hits objects at an angle developing dark shadows the light does not touch, which adds to the dimensionality. He also created perspective by using a vanishing point, just above Jesus's head, which he uses for his buildings. We can also see his unprecedented technique of showing blurred objects as they are more distant and more detailed objects as they are closer. It must have been truly amazing to witness Masaccio create this ingenious three part story in one piece of artwork.

Ambrogio Lorenzetti and his impact on Trecento and Quattrocento

The allegory of Good Goverment Ambrogio Lorenzetti 1338-40

During the Trecento and Quatrocento, the Renaissance was beginning to really pick up. Major advances in art were taking place and that had much to do with the Medici family and their influence in Florence and also economically Florence was becoming renown for their woolen cloth. Among all that was going on including that Bubonic Plague that devastated thousands of peoples lives around the 1340's, there were still many artists inspired to do what they loved and what could hep make money. One of the artists around this time was Ambrogio Lorenzetti, however he was not a Florentine but a Sienese. Florence and Siena were growing economically and yet they were rivals, always competing for land and power. Ambrogio Lorenzetti made a complete room of frescoes for Siena's Palazzo Pubblico. His room was called Sala della Pace or Room of Peace. He shows the panoramic views of both countryside and cityscape living in Siena. From bustling city traffic to festive events. He captured the essence of life in Siena where everyone, good or bad was apart of this city. The architecture of the city helped him develop his perspective and he could experiment with different views of the land. This is considered a major stepping stone for Renaissance art because of the tremendous detail and perspective Lorenzetti allowed us to see.

Donatello's Bronze David in the eyes of Vasari

Donatello Bronze David  1440

Giorgio Vasari wrote about the critical importance of Ghiberti and Donatello in Part two of his Lives. These two artists are crucial turning points in sculpture that show distinct changes in Renaissance sculpture. Ghiberti was known by his very famous Gates of Paradise that belong to the east side of Florence's San Giovanni's Baptistery. He shows great depth and perception in all his panels. Donatello sculpted beautiful figures that were not like any others. One of his works is the very famous bronze David (ca 1440). In this sculpture of David, he brings the Renaissance revival of the old Classical principles. Another important feature is that David is a freestanding nude and it is said that Donatello is the first sculptor to portray the nude male in statuary. It was considered indecent at that time: to sculpt a nude. However Donatello showed David as a young biblical slayer, but in a very sensual way and his body is in a very relaxed contropposto stance and that was very bold and elegant. Giorgio Vasari regarded Donatello's David by saying “this statue is so natural in its vitality and delicacy that other artisans find it impossible to believe that the work is not moulded around a living body.” He also described Donatello as “having no other equal,” truly a great artist.

The Growing Movement

Nicola Pisano's Pulpit in the Pisa Baptistery

As the Proto-Renaissance era continues, we are introduced to some key artist who play a huge role in jump starting the Renaissance movement. The characteristics of Renaissance art are the evocation of ideals of classical antiquity, direct observation of nature, application of scientific perspective and reconciliation of pagan and christian traditions. We start with Nicola Pisano, an artist who built a pulpit in the Pisa Baptistery. He was one who started to change some old styles and do things a little differently. Such as writing your name and declaring yourself the best sculptor of your time, which Nicola Pisano did and was uncommon at the time. He also sculpted a male nude who might be Hercules, Daniel or Fortinado, during this time male nudity was from classical antiquity and was pretty much forgotten. He also made Corinthian capitals and that was an old Greek feature as well .On this Curara Marble pulpit he made figures of Christian virtues and profits of the old testament and also has the events of the life of Christ. His pulpit was considered more realistic than other art that was made during that time. Other Artists such as Coppo Di Marcovaldo, Cimabue and Giotto started to slowly create art that was more realistic, relatively speaking for that time period. They also showed the growing importance of the Virgin Mary.

Cimabue

Madonna Enthroned, Cimabue

In Giorgio Vasari's Lives  he writes about a person who sheds some light of the nature of art, this person is none other than Cimabue.He was also considered the last great Italo-Byzantine master. He was one of the first to bring out the characteristics that started the Renaissance movement. One of his artworks was named Madonna Enthroned and it is of the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus Christ in a hodgetria position. This means that Mary is pointing to Christ for he is the future and savior. Cimabue created an architectural throne, not yet geometrically correct yet it still implies that there is depth in this artwork, the intuitive depth and perception, which we might not instantly recognize but was more apparent during that time because it foreshadows the more elaborate depth of three dimensional on a two dimensional surface that was in the years to come. Another new characteristic was clothes Madonna wears are more brightly shown and much more elaborate. Cimabue shows more naturalistic styles in which he portrays the bodies of each character in this artwork. This artwork and artist paves the wave for Giotto and many other artists to continue to follow in his footsteps and make art more naturalistic.

Vasari and the Three stages of Renaissance Art

During the Renaissance, Giorgio Vasari believed there to be three main stages in which Renaissance art clearly and fully develops. He describes these stages by the artists that portray different techniques and styles he considers to be categorically  significant. The first stage begins with the artists Cimabue and Giotto. Cimabue was Giotto's teacher and they have relatively similar styles. These two artists begin to portray their art in a more humanistic and natural way that was unlike any of the art previously portrayed. Vasari then leads  in to the second stage, with the next set of artists whom he describes by having sophisticated techniques of design and perspective and these artists are Ghiberti, Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio. The final stage contains the artists most commonly heard of today: Raphael, Leonardo, Michelangelo. These artists then towards the end of the Renaissance perfect the art with the new techniques and styles. Vasari believes that the artist should know about the subject matter he is trying to convey. Masaccio, who belongs to the second realm of artists is a great example of  someone who uses perspective and design in a whole new way. For example in his painting, "Tribune Money",he develops linear and aerial perspective, He also uses chiaroscuro to show depth and perception of the landscape. Vasari reveals his theory and many people rely on it today to help understand the becoming of excellence of art during the Renaissance.

The Beginning

The Renaissance was an era when artists created an abundance of art that expressed new styles and new techniques. The word Renaissance actually means “Rebirth,” as in a rebirth of values from the Greco-Roman times of naturalistic beauty. Breaking away from the Middle Ages, the new styles of art that surfaced were more humanistic ways of portraying the natural world. Giorgio Vasari, a Renaissance biographer describes artists as taking “ nature as their guide.”

Art historians relate one name with the beginning of Renaissance art and this artist played a crucial part in exemplifying the new styles and techniques. His name is Giotto di Bondone. Many refer to his work as pivotal to the beginning of the Renaissance. He gives his subject matter more naturalistic aspects. This was definitely abandoned during the Middle Ages. He allows his characters to reveal their emotions and give each of his characters their own individual personalities which make them more humanistic and allows the audience to better relate to them. This alone was very significant at the time. His characters also possess weight and volume, which gives us a sense of their presence. His landscapes begin to show depth and perception. This change helped other artists to look to nature as a source of true being. With more humanistic scenes, the audience can react and relate. Giotto's artwork is just the beginning. This road to natural beauty is prolonged and definitely improved. However, Giotto remains a crucial part of this movement towards greater artistic excellence during the Renaisance.

Vasari

Giorgio Vasari is one of the most important figures of the Italian Renaissance.He lived during a time where art was at its best and he saw some of the most amazing artworks that we admire and he knew the artists and became familiar with them and their work. Undoubtedly he gave the proper attribution to all their expertise and skill as he wrote "The Lives of the Artists," which he categorically organized the artists and their  art as the world should see them: as master creators and their masterpieces. He knew many of these artists on a personal level and some he heard of. he was also a divine creator himself he helped remodel many of the churches of Florence like the Santa Maria Novela or the Santa Croce. However he decided to start writing about the growing prosperity of art that surrounded him. He believed that true artists were not learned in a classroom by technical books but by patient training and the teachings of masters, one could subtly become an artificer. He developed a three stage theory on the art of Renaissance time period. In his "Lives" he exemplifies how each artist is his own creative genius and he reveals each of their personalities. Giorgio Vasari describes an artist as having a sort of "grace" that is unlike any other that can be obtained by the "technical knowledge" of the artist. Giorgio Vasari should be considered a great artist himself for allowing his expertise of art to succeed so many centuries for all to understand and appreciate. To me, i now consider him one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance even though technically his life was shortly after. If not for Vasari we would be without a great chunk of Renaissance history and we would not be able to understand these artists to a great extent. So Salute a Giorgio!

To me art is reality, sure it is so easy to say this and yet it seems so difficult. The many variations and countless representations art reveals can force us to loos ourselves and find ourselves. It represents who we are. From the beginning of time humans have sought to express themselves in ways that show their deepest emotions and it is breathtaking to know that we have came a long way and art never fails to accomplish its goal: to express. As time continues to unfold, we look at past and future civilizations and their way of relating to art. In the grand scheme of things, there is one particular time period that is one of the world's most amazing for art. The Renaissance and Baroque era was undoubtedly one of the most important times in the world's history. Art and artists gave the world the most amazing contribution ever. Millions or people seek to lean more about this relatively short time period and I expect to gain the most of my time here in Florence. Buildings. Sculptures. Churches. Bridges. Paintings. Drawings, and much more. This city has a plethora of important creations and demonstrations of a time where Florence cradled the most talented artists the world has ever known. It is a place of unsurpassed beauty and an over-abundance of knowledge. I hope to retain as much as I possibly can and appreciate all there is to know about this historical place and the time where it was at its best.