Renaissance Art Essay

What is it about art that gives it an important role in Europe’s history? Art is an ever-evolving subject, both in its theme and purpose. It is an artifact of the socio-cultural conditions of the time it was produced and an influential driving force to Europe’s existence and way of life. Oscar Wilde (1889) remarked, "life imitates art far more than art imitates life...the self-conscious aim of life is to find expression, and that art offers it certain beautiful forms through which it may realize that energy.” This statement cannot be more fitting for the history of Europe as it is often said that the best way to know the country’s history is by its art. After the devastating Black Death that wiped out half of Europe’s population during the 14th century, Florence became the dominant city-state in central Italy. There was growing innovation in art and literature which brought artistic and intellectual advancement that we now know as the Renaissance (1400–1550). For the first time in the history of art, in the spirit of the Early Renaissance, artists began to strive for techniques that give their work a lifelike quality. Pre-Renaissance paintings are two-dimensional, flat, and very unrealistic. Artists studied the human anatomy; they started using the correct proportions for the human form with more emotive expressions and gave them more realistic clothing that flows and creases. The artist that started the Renaissance movement is Giotto di Bondone. Prior to Bondone’s work, Franciscan churches were very popular throughout Florence as they were known as passionate preachers. However, the church decorations, the altarpieces, and religious paintings did not reflect this. Bondone studied nature closely so that its realness would influence his work. He was able to create a more realistic and emotional portrayal of religious figures. This was a significant departure from the Byzantine style that was popular at the time. The Renaissance period was also marked by the emergence of great artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. They created masterpieces that are still admired and studied today. The Baroque period (1600–1750) followed the Renaissance. It was characterized by grandeur, drama, and emotional intensity. The Baroque style was used to create works that were meant to inspire awe and wonder in the viewer. During the Enlightenment (1715–1789), art was seen as a tool for education and moral instruction. Art was expected to have an authentic use and virtuous content. This gave way to the Neoclassicism (1750–1850) movement, which focused on the purity of the classical form. During the Industrial Revolution, where art was regarded more like science, and artists were mere servants to political leaders in society, a new way of thinking emerged that rejected all conventions and unleashed the imagination of the artist. For the first time, artists painted what was in their minds and souls and did not care if they were understood or even admired by the public. Their images were filled with the dark, passionate, mysterious, and the introspective. They valued creativity and uniqueness above skill and talent. Rather than past methods that focus closely on conforming to conventions, these artists embarked