Western Art History and

Movements
[Renaissance]
RENAISSANCE
“rebirth” of the classical styles of Greece and Rome
developed in 14th century

Characteristics:
- highly symmetrical with a progression towards the
center
- carefully proportioned
- used linear perspective developed by Brunelleschi
- Themes in art: biblical, mythological, historical
M a s t e r s o f t h e R e na is s a nce

Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi

• a.k.a. Donatello
• Early Renaissance sculptor
• was known to accurately show suffering, joy and sorrow
in faces and body positions. Figures were powerfully
expressive.
• also known for the sculptural style “rilievo schiacciato”
– extremely low relief, incorporated perspective into
sculpture.
The Ascension with
Christ giving the Keys
to St Peter, marble,
Height 40.6 cm x
width 114.3 cm

rilievo schiacciato
Penitent Magdalene, wood, Museo
dell'Opera del Duomo, 188 cm
M a s t e r s o f t h e R e na is s a nce

Michelangelo Buonarotti

• often called the Divine One (Il Divino)

• Primarily a sculptor, but was also a painter

• Influenced the style called “mannerism”

• Painting style: cangiante – “to change”, the

technique of changing from the local hue to a
different hue in highlight areas or in shadow areas.
This is done when the local
hue (when it is dark) cannot
be made light enough for
highlight areas or when the
local hue (when it is light)
cannot be made dark
enough for shadow areas
without the resulting
color getting muddied or
dull.

This might have come

about because the pigments
available at that time
were severely limited (and
many artists even made their
own paints)
Sistine chapel ceiling
4 years to complete
Moses, marble, San Pietro in
Vincoli, Rome, 235 cm (92.5 in).
Created for the tomb of Pope Julius II
Pieta, marble, St.
Peter's Basilica,
Vatican City
174 cm × 195 cm
(68.5 in × 76.8 in)
David, Carrara marble, 5.17
meters, Accademia di Belle
Arti di Firenze
M a s t e r s o f t h e R e na is s a nce

Leonardo da Vinci

Epitome of the Renaissance man

painting style: sfumato – “gone up in smoke” no harsh

outlines or borders; giving the smokey effect ; mid
tones dominate the palette
Mona Lisa, Oil on poplar, 77 cm
× 53 cm (30 in × 21 in), Musée
du Louvre, Paris
M a s t e r s o f t h e R e na is s a nce

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino

• aka Rafael

• Was famous for his Madonnas

• Painting style: unione – A union of sfumato and

belleza di colore; it also has soft shadows but
retaining vibrancy of color
Sistine Madonna, oil on canvas, 265 cm
× 196 cm (104 in × 77 in),
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden
Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican City
Theology, Philosophy, Jurisprudence, Poetry
Cardinal and Theological Virtues
DISPUTATION OF THE
HOLY SACRAMENT
PARNASSUS
School of Athens, fresco, Stanza della Segnatura,
Vatican City
Pythagoras
 Group
Activity

Modern and Contemporary Art Movements

You’ll be assigned a movement and an artist.
Choose one artwork from the artist and do
the following:
1. Define the movement
2. Artist’s background
3. Title of artwork, date created, where
created/installed/displayed, description,
analysis.
4. To be presented to the class. (10mins max,
all members must have speaking parts)
1. IMPRESSIONISM – Claude Monet
2. POST-IMPRESSIONISM – Van Gogh
3. DADAISM – Marcel Duchamp
4. SURREALISM – Salvador Dali
5. POP ART – Andy Warhol

6. PHOTOREALISM – Chuck Close

7. CONCEPTUALISM – Ai Wei Wei
8. PERFORMANCE ART – Yoko Ono
9. INSTALLATION ART – Yayoi Kusama
10. STREET ART - Banksy