The wealth of the Medici Bank in Florence also contributed to a strong appreciation for the arts. This grand level of wealth allowed for the funding of the arts in a way that had never existed before. What is relevant about this tidbit is that it allowed wealthy families to fund little-known artists who would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Art suddenly became a commodity instead of something that was commissioned only by the church. Of course, what people think of most when the Renaissance comes to mind is an expansion of thought and a breaking of barriers. This was a time of questioning when it came to one's identity and role in the universe. The overreaching theme that most people take away from the Renaissance is a desire among artists to express mankind's placement in regards to nature, the cosmos and God. While most art of the Renaissance retained the religious themes of the previous era, it treated the subject differently. The role of art in Europe suddenly shifted from merely praising God to pondering his motives and methods. Exploring the themes of the Renaissance is a satisfying endeavor that can help people in modern times appreciate the beauty and complexity of the era. You are invited to explore the Renaissance to discover a rich world that celebrated the body and soul through art, sculpture and literature.
Renaissance Paintings
Something spectacular happened that allowed the painters of the Renaissance to bring images to life with a new level of vividness. Improvements in the quality of oil paint meant that paintings could really express movement on the canvas. Dutch painters like Jan van Eyck, Hans Memling, Rogier van der Weyden, Robert Campin and Hugo van der Goes made early innovations that helped to usher in what would become one of the most colorful and splendid eras of art in history. Italy was another place that served as a backdrop for the rise of Renaissance artists. Florentine painters were somewhat obsessed with the idea of how elements of perspective and light should be dealt with in paintings. Artist Piero della Francesca was one of the first painters to transform the way other artists depicted light in their works. In other parts of Italy, artists like Antonello da Messina and Andrea Mantegna were developing techniques that would influence artists from Naples to Venice. The Renaissance developed in France slightly differently than it did in other parts of Europe. Cutting-edge artists there tirelessly worked on ways to bring heavenly inspiration to illuminated manuscripts, devotional paintings, altarpieces and portraits for the nobility. The Limbourg brothers and Jean Fouquet stand out as iconic figures of the Renaissance in France. The Renaissance of Northern Europe is accurately represented by the way the movement took shape in Germany. Most historians consider Michael Pacher to be the first painter to bring elements of the Italian Renaissance to Germany. The paintings of Hieronymus Bosch introduced a whimsical and grotesquely beautiful style that revolutionized the art world in Northern Europe. Of course, it is impossible to talk about the art of the Renaissance without discussing the genius of Leonardo da Vinci. Many people consider Leonardo's da Vinci's entrance into the era as the start of the High Renaissance. No name better seems to symbolize that age than Leonardo da Vinci. Other painters of the High Renaissance include Giovanni Bellini, Raphael and Michelangelo. Michelangelo's famous painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is the perfect embodiment of the Renaissance's ambitiousness and dramatic styling.
Renaissance Sculptures
The defiant expressions, stark poses and elegant details that are seen in some of the most iconic Renaissance sculptures can awaken the senses and ignite the spirit. Unlike the stiff, angled bodies of the Byzantine period, Renaissance sculptures embraced the softness of the human body. Mortality was suddenly favored above piety or perfection when it came to representing both saints and sinners. No other sculptor managed to capture the realism and beauty of the Renaissance quite like Michelangelo. The work of Michelangelo represented the power and vulnerability of the human form in a way that still fascinates the world today. Most historians cite the famous competition for the doors of the Florence Baptistery in 1403 as the beginning of the era of Renaissance sculpture. The doors created by Lorenzo Ghiberti are still standing today. Something interesting that happened during this period was that it became popular for sculptures to be commissioned for use in both public spaces and the homes of the wealthy. Both busts and full bodies were in favor during the Renaissance.
