Change in Medieval and Renaissance Paintings

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Change in Medieval and Renaissance Paintings

Medieval and Renaissance paintings of the 15th and 16th centuries are a great example of how art gradually changes over time. Although the paintings and artists will reiterate certain aspects in later art, they also change many aspects of the same styling. One can notice differences in the hues of color, tone, layout or arrangement of the design & subject matter, perspective, and even the concept and symbolism in the paintings will also change over time.

During the medieval times, paintings were not drawn as realistic as they began to be painted in the renaissance times. As such, they were out of proportion and they did not show the distance view in perspective. Also the medieval style of painting was a much more simplistic style of painting since it didn't show much depth or shadowing with in the objects of the paintings to create any perspective for each object either. The paintings during the older times also focused not only on the religious meaning behind the paintings but would demonstrate the religious aspect by drawing halos of gold rings or bowls on the subject matter instead of just allowing them to look holy in their normal features like that of the renaissance paintings of a later date.

However, they did have similar characteristics even though the actual styles of the paintings were starting to grow further and further apart with time. Both the renaissance and the medieval paintings were normally drawn for a religious reason. The artists would portray the subject matters in various biblical scenes and/or religious connotations since during that time the answer to all things was the Bible. But with the dawning of the humanistic culture and the renaissance times...

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...e others look very real and shaded. The landscape goes back in the distance and is done with great perspective but some areas aren't so deeply painted as others which if looked closely upon can throw a viewer on what type of painting it should be considered. One of the Magi has such detail and depth in one view of his wardrobe that it looks like a picture but then you look at the front surface and it's almost perfectly flat.

One must remember when looking at these paintings all of the religious connotations that are represented in these paintings. This is an aspect that has not changed over these times as so many other elements have. Renaissance paintings bring art into a whole new world with the explorations they are achieving. They will bring you into the modern world, but for now we must remember the beauty and underlying meaning in these wonderful pieces.

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