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Art History 112
Wednesday, January 27, 1999
Announcements:
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information about summer study abroad in Italy was
distributed
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the reading assignments (page numbers) that have
been assigned are not correct; correct page numbers will be distributed
soon
Lecture notes: The
green text refers to slides displayed during lecture.
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Overhead: Monday, January 25, 1999
Sculpture:
Lorenzo Ghiberti
Or San Michele, Florence c. 1369
Nanni di Banco (c. 1384-1421)
"Four Saints" (Quattro Coronati), Or San Michele, Florence, 1410-14,
marble
Cf. Portrait of a Roman, 3rd Century A.D.
Donatello (1386-1466)
"St. George," Or San Michele, c. 1415-17
Cf. St. Peter, south portal trumeau at Moissac, early 12th C.
"David", c. 1425-30, bronze
Cf. Praxiteles, Hermes with Infant Dionysus, 350-330 B.C.
contraposto
"Equestrian Monument of Gattamelata", Piazza del Santo, Padua, 1445-50,
bronze
Cf. Marcus Aurelius, Piazza Campidoglio, Rome, 175 A.D.
Outline: Wednesday, Jaunary 27, 1999
Donatello
"Feast of Herod", baptismal font, Siena Cathedral, c. 1425, gilt bronze
"Mary Magdalen, c. 1455, wood, partially gilded
High Italian Renaissance (Primarily 1495-1520)
Painting and Sculpture
Leonardo da Vinci
"Mona Lisa", c. 1503-05
Cf. Ghirlandaio, Portrait of Giovannia Tornabuoni, 1488
"The Virgin of the Rocks" c. 1485
"The Last Supper", Sta. Maria della Grazie, Milan, c. 1495-98
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Early Italian Renaissance Sculpture
Donatello "Feast of Herod", baptismal
font, Siena Cathedral c. 1425, gilt bronze
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scene: John the Baptist's head is presented to King
Herod
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captures the that instant
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veils are still swirling
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human psychology
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mathematical one-point perspective is applied to
the relief medium
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we look down at the table, up at the arches, through
openings
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contemporary to Masaccio's "Tribute Money"
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example of technical advancements
Donatello "Mary Magdalen" c.1455, wood,
partially gilded
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gold leaf was applied selectively
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Mary Magdalen is a prostitute who becomes a follower
of Christ; and will remain with him through the passion
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rag gown--very dramatic
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COMPARE: Buddhist Monk Shunjo, Japanese sculpture,
c. 1234
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similar emotional intensity
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Donatello really goes off on his own; this is not
typical of Early Italian Renaissance Art
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conveys the decay of the human body
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grotesque face
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expressive hands
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animal-like as a result of death and decay
HIGH ITALIAN RENAISSANCE (1495-1520)
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individualism reaches its peak during the High Italian
Renaissance
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"masterpieces" of genius were created
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at this time the idea of "genius" was developed
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meant magnificent, unique, personal contribution
to society
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artists considered themselves to be geniuses
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Michelangelo, for example, did not acknowledge a
mentor
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geniuses possessed a great number of talents, for
example
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visual art
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music
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sciences
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architecture/engineering
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3 figures of the High Italian Renaissance
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da Vinci
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Michelangelo
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Raphael
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seen as courtier
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urbane
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functions in inner circles
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da Vinci and Michelangelo were loners
Raphael
(Raffaello Sanzio) "Philosophy" (The School of Athens), Stanza
della Signatura,
the Vatican, Rome, 1509-11
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demonstrates how High Italian Renaissance artists
relied on classical precedent
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Michelangelo appears in the painting
da Vinci
"Mona Lisa", c.1503-05
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oil-based
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luminescent surface
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light strikes back of surface and comes back to the
viewer
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very innovative
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direct eye contact
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sharing same psychological space as the viewer
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limited detail
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sfumato: blurring of contours
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results in subtly of figure, landscape
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sensuous softness, not sexual
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*captures the substance/spirit, rather than the detailed
accouterments
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Ghirlandaio, "Portrait of Giovannia
Tornabuoni, 1488.
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tempera
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very precise; as though her beauty must be documented
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femininity
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precision
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the viewer is more removed from the figure
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da Vinci believed that nature was the authority of
art
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ancient artists would create the ideal human being
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what was perfect, rather than what was seen
da Vinci,
"Virgin of the Rocks", oil, 1485
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conventional subject matter
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sense of unity, harmoniousness
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sensual beauty
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communicates the subject matter with color
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Madonna, Christ, John the Baptist, angel
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sensuous face, flesh
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Masaccio "Virgin
and Child Enthroned", 1426
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humanism
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Renaissance instruments: angels
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precise, careful perspective
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