art history research paper

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Art History

For the paper, I chose to look at fifteenth-century paintings of Italian Origin. The Renaissance in this period sparked a lot of styles that influenced art for eternity. For this paper, I chose, Piero Della Francesca’s Portrait for Battista Sforza and Tommaso di Giovanni Masaccio’s The Tribute Money. The first painting, Portrait of Battista Sforza was a masterpiece that was completed by the artist between 1465 -1466. The second painting was an early fifteenth-century work by Masaccio painted between 1425 -1427.

Both paintings were signature pieces from the artist’s, they had been one of the most definitive pieces for each artist. The portrait of Batista Sforza was a clear testament to the skill of the artist that created the piece. It did not only look to define the works of the artist but also exposed the style of the artist. The historical relevance of the painting is another reason why I chose to look at this painting. It is a portrait of the wife of the Duke of Urbino, Federico da Montefeltro. The artist of this painting also painted a similar painting of the Duke.

The second selection is called The Tribute Money. It is considered one of Masaccio’s most definitive works. One of the most significant influences on this selection is the biblical allusion of the portrait. In this portrait, the artist painted the disciples and Jesus as they addressed the tax, collector. The contextual correctness of the painting is another point that drew me to this particular work. Also, the painting is considered one of the greatest paintings of all time in some circles. Both paintings are representations of power in different, though in different contexts; literally, and symbolically. This was another point that inspired examination of these two works.

Piero’s painting, the Portrait of Battista Sforza, was a painting of the wife of the Urbino duke, Montefeltro. Battista Sforza was part of the Montefeltro family. This family was characterized by their generosity during the time that they ruled over Urbino. In the portrait, the subject is dressed well. An indication of the wealth that she has. The jewels on her are very shiny. The picture presents a subtle sense of warmth and humanity from the subject. In the background of the picture, a vast land is drawn, perhaps an indication of the extent to which the subject, had power over(Wga.hu).

Masaccio’s Tribute the Money, was a picture of biblical origin the characters in the image are Jesus, the twelve disciples, and the tax collector. In this particular scene, Peter is approached by a tax collector and asked if their teacher, Jesus, pays tax. Peter answers this question and upon consultation with Jesus, he was instructed to pay the tax, collectors. In this piece, the subject of the work is one of the money. The picture contains three different scenes from the Bible. One where the tax collector inquires of the tribute (tax); another where Jesus directs Peter to look into the mouth of a fish for the coin and one where Peter kneels and takes a coin from the mouth of the fish(Visual-arts-cork.com).

Piero’s portrait is a literal representation of a prosperous people. In the picture, the wife of the Duke is dressed well in shiny jewelry, depicting thewealth of the Montefeltro family. The background of the photo shows the land that the subject is from. There is a peaceful ambiance that the portrait sets. The land backgroundis also implied that the land that the Montefeltro family was preceding over was a prosperous place.

Masaccio’sportrait was a perfect indication of the churches responsibility to pay tax. At the time, the church was taxed by the secular authorities. This painting was uniquely suited to delimit the political obligation of the Florentine church. The church at the time was dependent on the maritime trade, to ensure that its affairs were in order. The painting was politically correct in the Italian context. The church at the timewas, in fact, a reflection on the life that Saint Peter. The Pope is the head of the church. He, therefore, was reflecting on the actions of Saint Peter, by observing the obligations of Tax in Italy(Visual-arts-cork.com).

In the first portrait, the Portrait of Battista Sforza, the use of color is able to inspire calm in an observer's mind. The colors that are used are subtle and dull. The image that is presented does not imply that there is uncertainty. The jewelry that the subject has on implies that their land is not only prosperous but secure. A sense of security is also represented in the photo. The look on the face of the subject gives a sense of pride and entitlement to the audience of the portrait(Wga.hu).

Masaccio’s painting is a much more intricate piece. It exists in three different contexts. The first is the meeting of Saint Peter with the Tax Collector. They are placed to the far right of the painting. Dull colors are used which inspires curiosity on the cause of their meeting in a secluded place. In the second context, the disciples, and the tax collector, with Jesus, the artist uses vibrant colors. In addition to this, the characters in this part of the painting seem to be in disagreement. In the third sphere of the portrait, Saint Peter is kneeling, on the shore. In this context, there is a sense of service that the artist brings. The portrait explores extreme emotions which range from, the joys of association to conflict and resolution.

The first painting is a representation of absolute authority. As defined, the subject of the photo is given a vast presence in the piece. She is well dressed but relaxed. Her eyes seem to be staring into the near distance. At the background a vast land. The subject of the painting and the background is an indication of the authority that the subject has over their people. The jewels were the artist’s representation of the prosperity of the subject and their state(Poderesantapia.com).

Masaccio was referencing the Bible as he spoke of the political situation that Italy was in by the time he drew the painting. The first was the role of the pope in ensuring that the wishes of all the churches in Italy were at peace. The second was to delimit the responsibility of the church to the secular world, by the observation of tax. Peter, is in all three contexts and is the key character in the painting that reconciles all other entities. For this reason, the artist may have been delimiting the importance of the Pope, at the time, given the war between Florence and Milan(Visual-arts-cork.com).

When portraits are taken out of the context of their original production, for example, the Portrait of Battista Sforza, Duchess of Urbino, they seize to become part of the scene that they were, but an expression of society. Looking at the painting of Piero Del Francesco from Uffizi Gallery Museum, it is an expression of time that has passed, but a representation of authority over their juniors. The painting in the museum can be used to infer different meanings, depending on the context that the audience chooses as opposed to the intention of the artist. This is one of the most significant changes that placing a work of art in a museum(Poderesantapia.com).

Looking at Masaccio’s painting. It was painted in the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence Italy. The context of the painting has not changed since the artist worked on it. For this reason, the meaning of the painting has not changed. The artist’s intention in painting the piece is frozen in time. This is the difference of placing a portrait in a museum and leaving it in its original context.

Art is one of the few things whose value only appreciates as it gets older. Works that have as big a significance as the works of Piero Della Francesco demand to be persevered. The conditions that are provided in a museum do not only change the immediate response of its audience but offers a better environment for the work of art. This means that the work of the artist is not lost. In addition to preserving the piece, the public can also be given a chance to look at the work first hand. This ensures that the artist’s work influences a large number of people.

A visit to the museum teaches that art must be universal for the artist to inspire a lot of people. Each piece can be interpreted in different contexts. An open mind must, therefore, be maintained when one studies art. The history of the piece is as important as the piece itself as it brings the audience closer to the artist. The history of the Duchess and the Duke, for example, transforms the portrait to a representation of authority. Context is always significant and depending on the context, the perspective of the audience can change(Baniotopoulou). Art is universal, it is, therefore, important to look at the historical and cultural context of every piece to understand the artistt.

Work Cited

Baniotopoulou, Evdoxia. 'Art for Whose Sake? Modern Art Museums And Their Role In Transforming Societies: The Case Of Guggenheim Bilbao'. JCMS 7.0 (2001): n. page. Web. 22 Aug. 2015.

Poderesantapia.com,. 'Piero Della Francesca, And an Overview of His Work | Hidden Secrets of Tuscany | Podere Santa Pia'. N.P., 2015. Web. 22 Aug. 2015.

Visual-arts-cork.com, 'Tribute Money, By Masaccio: Analysis, Interpretation'. N.P., 2015. Web. 22 Aug. 2015.

Wga.hu,. 'Portrait of Battista Sforza by PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA'. N.P., 2015. Web. 22 Aug. 2015.