DAY 53

ART THROUGH THE AGES

The Italian Renaissance

THE REBIRTH OF CLASSICAL VALUES

The word Renaissance doesn’t mean “rebirth” for nothing! After the Middle Ages, renewed interest in the Classical values of ancient Greece and Rome reinvigorated art and academics in Italy. A return to naturalism from direct observation of form broke the mold of flatness from the art of the Middle Ages.

Prior to the Renaissance, artists were considered craftspeople, most working namelessly in guilds. With new attention and privilege being paid to artists as individuals, they became celebrities. Titans like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael emerged. The “Renaissance man” concept came from this time when artists were recognized not only as painters or sculptors, but also as architects, scientists, inventors, and beyond. Knowledge was power and it was every artist’s obligation to live up to his god-given potential.⁵

Chiaroscuro and linear perspective were developed, opening up a world of possibility to create the illusion of volumetric, realistic space. Beauty and nobility were embodied in lifelike human figures existing in a space with accurate linear and atmospheric perspective. Oil paint usurped tempera, allowing for more depth and jewel-like color. Frescos decorated churches like full-body tattoos. Sculpture was reborn as artists imbued the craft with lifelike structure from studying anatomy and human emotion.

The Renaissance left an indelible mark on history with its heroic artistic, architectural, and inventive achievements and left a cherished imprint in the hearts of art lovers. —ARR

Selected artists: Botticelli, Brunelleschi, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, da Vinci