The Renaissance Paintings.

Renaissance Paintings

"Renaissance" means "Re-birth". It is an era when artists looked toward the art of Classical Antiquity, turning away from the ideas of the Gothic period. Literature and art for the ancient world were models for art. The Divine, and omnipresent being of God, was no longer the focus, but rather humanity. Much attention was place on depicting the anatomy for the human figure. It is during these times that artists began to be recomnized for their works, unlike the centuries before where most were anonymous.

Here is a brief description of the different Renaissance movement:

• Early Renaissance Paintings in Italy 1420-1490;

  

  Masaiccio, Madonna with Child and Angels, 1426, Egg tempera on wood, 136 x 73 cm National Gallery, London

  The main elements of the Early Renaissance were:

  • Increased focus on ancient art (Antiquity).

  • More attention to achieving realism. This is concurrent with the development of science. The human body and anatomy being unveiledby dissections that allowed artists for the first time to render the human figure with solid knowledge of bone, veins and muscles. Perspective in art was improved with the re-discovery of vanishing points and the invention of the "camera obscura".

• High Renaissance in Italy 1490-1530;

  

  Raphael, The Sistine Madonna, 1513, Oil on canvas, 270 x 201 cm, Gemäldegalerie, Dresden

  This was the time of Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo and Raphael. Rome was under the rule of Popes,a dn became the leading centre for art in the Renaissance. The great masters embraced the Renaissance ideal, or "Uomo Universale", the ideal of a man who strove to learn all areas of knowledge and skills to his greatest ability.

• Renaissance in the Netherlands and Belgium 1430-1580;

  

  Jan Van Eyck, Madonna with the Child Reading,1433 Oil on wood, 26,5 x 19,5 cm National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

  Beautiful luminous paintings of landscape still-lifes and portraits werw created. These are less influenced by ancient spirituality than the Italian counterparts, and the subjects were more down-to-earth. Some incredible painting techniques by artists like Jan van Eyke are the inspiration of artists till today.

• Renaissance in France 1430-1610;

  Elegance and eroticism typifies the works of French Renaisance. Under the patronage of King Francis I a great number of great Italian artists flocked to the country, greatly influencing art there.

• Renaissance in Germany 1470-1550.

  
  Virgin and Child Art Print
  Dürer, Albrecht
  Buy at AllPosters.com
  

  The brilliant artists of the German Renaissance included Shongauer, Matthias Grünewald and Albrecht Dürer.