Nishant Grover AP Art History 2/06/2012 The Renaissance was a time of cultural rebirth.

Art, literature, science and religion went through a very profound change that impacted society and the world for years to come. Many master painters achieved recognition and fame during this time. Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were three such artists that have constantly been studied by art historians since the creation of their works. While each man is unique and has his own style that differs from one another, they are all stylistically related. These similarities help us make generalizations about the High Renaissance while the differences relate to the personalities of the artists. Three typical compositions by the aforementioned artists are The School of Athens by Raphael, The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci and The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo. All three works were created within ten years of each other so technique, materials and themes are all connected to each other. Both School and Creation are frescoes while Supper is tempera but the visual effect of each piece is very much the same with earthy, muted tones telling a complex story. These scenes are also connected with both Leonardo and Michelangelos works conveying Biblical themes while Raphaels piece glorifies the Classical Greek era. There is a Christian influence on all three pieces as apparent in the style of the figures, postures and layout. Supper and School can be considered to be ensemble pieces because of the assortment of figures that span the length of the painting. Creations Christian influence is apparent because of the works central theme which is God giving life to the first man, Adam. The many similarities in these works lead the viewer to understand the emphasis that the High Renaissance and its style had on artwork of the time. Strong Christian influences are present while many artists tried to capture the glory of Ancient Greece and its characteristics.

This approach to art was followed by many, from apprentices to masters, which is why Raphael, Leonardo and Michelangelos works share many traits. While Renaissance art, especially that of these three masters, are similar in many ways, each individual piece also has a unique identity that resonates with the style and personality of the artist. The School of Athens has many figures, from Plato to Euclid, that are engaging in the sharing and acquisition of knowledge. Raphael based many of these figures on other artists and people that he knew. An example is Plato, which is a portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. This type of homage shows the amount of respect that Raphael had towards his contemporaries, especially those that were more experienced in the craft. The reverence in this work is different than the central idea of The Last Supper, where da Vinci aimed to tell a famous Christian story through a shroud of mystery. This work has been studied by many scholars, who have analyzed whether John could be Mary Magdalene or if the missing faces on the apostles could have a deeper meaning. These speculations have contributed to the rise in popularity of this work and da Vinci, leading to many films and books including the famous The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. All of these various claims go back to the artist himself, who was a secretive and quiet man that is believed by some to have been a closeted homosexual. The mystery of da Vinci is a trait that added a deep layer of personality to his works. This fame did not affect Michelangelo very much, who is known for his rich and detailed works but not for a scandalous or mysterious personal life. The Creation of Adam, a portion of the Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco, is very straight forward and shows the scene in Genesis when God created the first man. What this fresco is known for is the rich colors and detail as well as the rest of the ceiling, which is equally magnificent and

beautiful. This work shows how Michelangelo had a simple approach when it came to art and that he executed without any ostentatious techniques. Raphael, Leonardo and Michelangelo are three of the greatest masters of Renaissance artwork. Their careers are illustrious and their works have been seen and admired by many viewers. Three such works, The School of Athens, The Last Supper and Creation of Adam, are the most well known of these artists. Each piece has elements that are shared by the others whereas there are some that are unique only to the style of each painter. Overall, these pieces have come together to define the Renaissance and its main traits: the renewal of classical ideals and the emphasis of a changing society and culture.

Works Cited Day, Fergus & Williams, David (ed.) (1998). Art: A World History Janson, Horst: History of Art: The Western Tradition