Medieval Art vs.

Renaissance
Art
• Renaissance 200 years
• Artists turned away from spiritual concerns
• Focused on living life to the fullest
• Learning and creating anything
Medieval Art

• Mostly religious themes

• Glory, power and importance of Roman
Catholic Church
• Didn’t show how life was really lived
• Little known about the artists who built
massive cathedrals
Medieval Art cont.

• Reflected Religious Order

• Hiearchy
• Largest paintings on important people ie
Pope
• The less important the smaller the
painting
Medieval Art cont.

• Natural surroundings and realistic

backgrounds were not important
• 2 D only flat and shallow with no depth
• Glory the most important part
• Main focus to tell God’s story
• Ordinary people really small
• Gold leaf used in painting to show wealth
The Renaissance Art

• Biggest achievement was illusion of depth

•3d
• Accredited to Masaccio
• Florentine architect Alberti “Dell Pittura”
the canvas should be a windowpane.
Looking through a window
Davinci’s Mona Lisa
Renaissance Art cont.

• Religious themes was still a major part

• Now in contemporary Renaissance settings
• Everyday life and ordinary people
Michaelangelo’s David
Sistine chapel
Renaissance Art cont.

• Great artists portrayed the human figure

• Classical themes from Rome and Greece
• Statues, busts
• Often nude and in marble
Renaissance Art cont..

• Followed Humanism (life to the fullest)

• The great artists used …..
• Math calculations
• Perspective
• Harmony
• Proportion
• Unity of subject
Renaissance Art cont..

• Art reflected real life

• Joy
• Sorrow
• It avoided
• Superstitions