Art History: Renaissance
Filippo Brunelleschi was one of the greatest sculptors and architects of the Renaissance. His architectural achievements consist of some of the most well known and impressive structures not only of the Renaissance, but today. Not only were his structures amazing, but during his time he also invented new technology that would allow for his structures to be built. What would happen if Brunelleschi never designed architecture? We would have lost his inventions, his structures, and all of the work he inspired in other artists. Brunelleschi’s career path changed from sculpture to architecture after his loss to Ghiberti during the competition for the Eastern Doors of the Florentine Baptistery. If Brunelleschi had won that competition, architecture and art in the Renaissance, and even today would have been negatively affected.
To understand how Brunelleschi came to be the artist he is, you need to look back to his childhood. Brunelleschi, during his youth, was showing that he was already capable of great things. His great-great-grandfather was a master physician, so there we can see evidence of technical skills being passed down. Brunelleschi’s father tried to push him into various career paths which didn’t involve art, such as being a physician, and a notary, but Brunelleschi showed little interest and was more drawn to manual labor, art, and things of greater utility. Utility by definition is the quality or state of being useful. We will eventually see several useful things come from Brunelleschi. His father realized that his son was going to do what he wanted, so he introduced him to a goldsmith where he learned to set stones and work with metal, which he quickly mastered and moved away from. He then moved...
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...ay have never discovered the secret to linear perspective, which was later used by not only architects, but painters as well, such as Masaccio's Holy Trinity fresco in 1427. All of the art that was ever inspired by Brunelleschi wouldn’t be here today. Brunelleschi barely lost the competition for the eastern doors of the Baptistry, and that may have been the most defining moment of the Renaissance.
Annotated Bibliography
Paatz, Walter. The arts of the Italian Renaissance: painting, sculpture, architecture. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1974.
Partridge, Loren W.. The art of Renaissance Rome, 1400-1600. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1996.
Turner, Richard. Renaissance Florence: the invention of a new art. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1997.
Vasari, Giorgio. Lives of the painters, sculptors & architects. London, Toronto: J.M. Dent, 1927.
In the early years of the Quattrocento, the Calimala guild decided to erect a second set of bronze doors showing scenes from the Old Testament. As with most large commissions at that time, a competition was held to find the artist who could create exactly what the guild was looking for in this work of art. Seven of the best sculptors in Tuscany were given one year to complete a panel showing the Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. However, the real competition was between Filippo Brunelleschi, the future architect of the Cathedral’s dome, and Lorenzo Ghiberti. Opposing stories state that the Calimala guild asked Brunelleschi and Ghiberti to create the panels together. Brunelleschi could not see the panels to completion because he agreed to complete another commission outside of Florence. Ghiberti claims that he won with a unanimous vote from the judges and Brunelleschi was never a part of the creation of the second set of doors. Lorenzo Ghiberti cast one en...
Nash, Susan. Oxford History of Art: Norther Renaissance Art. 2nd. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. 30-65. eBook.
Johnson, Geraldine A. Renaissance Art, A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.
Smith, R. “Eternal objects of desire. Art Review- Art and love in Renaissance Italy” in New York Times Art and Design, November 20, (2008)
Brucker, Gene A. & Co. Renaissance Florence. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1969. Mandelbaum, Allen. A.
Lorenzo De Medici can be considered as one of the most influential men of the 13th century. His work in political affairs and administration were renowned in all Italy and his family could count on him in every aspect. Lorenzo was also a promoter of a new period called Renaissance. He was one of the first “mecenate” to explore this new way of art. In this project, I will concentrate how he developed art in Florence, giving a clear example through an Artist of that period that was working for him: Sandro Botticelli. His work “The Spring” is a well-defined example of what we can call “art in the Renaissance”, in particular for the Italian Renaissance.
...borderline obsession with Ancient Greek and Roman mythology, history, and literature that gave him a "formidable ability to conceive and execute arresting history pictures (138). Additionally, it is written that Batoni was unwilling to part with the painting (138). While he is known for having painted numerous portraits, his personal affection towards select paintings have made them intriguing as to the purpose behind their creation. In modern day terms, we can probably conclude that his love for antiquity and art led to a passion for projects such as his "Allegory of Peace and War."
In this paper I'm focusing mainly on Renaissance art work, since that was the assignment, but I feel it's important to also mention the other important parts of the Renaissance, architecture, science, politics and religion.
2) Bailey, Gauvin A. Between Renaissance and Baroque: Jesuit art in Rome 1565-1610. University of Toronto Press. 2003.
Baxandall, Michael. “Conditions of Trade.” Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-century Italy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Baxandall, Michael. “Conditions of Trade.” Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-century Italy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.
The objective of this essay is to provide an explanation of Leonardo da Vinci’s life and work as an artist in context with his time spent in Milan. Following an initial introduction to Leonardo’s formative years in Florence (and his apprenticeship to the sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio, 1435-88), I will attempt to explain the significance of his presence in Milan with detailed descriptions of his work there. Giorgio Vasari (1511-74) was also an artist and architect, but is perhaps better known for his book on the lives of well known painters, sculptors and architects (published 1550; from Cimbue to his autobiography which was included in a revised edition):
Artists in the Renaissance aided the continuation of Renaissance ideals. Renaissance art, including paintings, sculptures, and architecture,...
...ed in the discovery and eventual colonization of North and South America. Painters, sculptors, and architects exhibited a similar sense of adventure and the desire for greater knowledge and new solutions; Leonardo da Vinci, like Christopher Columbus, discovered whole new worlds. With a new emphasis on the science, people like Philippo Brunelleschi were accomplishing great feats of artistic and architectural design. The new Renaissance “style” that emerged during this period called upon the classical roots of ancient Greece and Rome but new scientific understanding and a stronger emphasis on the individual also influenced the works created during this period.Bibliography Rice Jr., Eugene F.; Anthony Grafton. The Foundations of Early Modern Europe, 1460-1559. W. W. Norton & Company. New York, NY, 1993. Helton, Tinsley. World Book Encyclopedia, v16. “Renaissance”, pp. 222-224. World Book–Childcraft International Inc. Chicago, IL, 1979. Vasari, Gorgio. Lives of the Artists. Penguin Books Ltd. London, England, 1987
Larmann, R., & Shields, M. (2011). Art of Renaissance and Baroque Europe (1400–1750). Gateways to Art (pp. 376-97). New York: W.W. Norton.