Unit V Assignment Art Gallery: Critique
Mzjc
unitiv_example_1.ppsxHigh Renaissance Art Gallery Student Name Columbia Southern University 9/20/2015
High Renaissance Art: Introduction
I chose High Renaissance art because the artwork in this period shows real distinctive details and emotion.
I want to know why the human body was so inspirational to these artists.
I am interested in learning why this art period is called the “rebirth” of art .
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High Renaissance Art: Introduction
Renaissance Art was done in Europe from the late 1400’s to1600.
Separated into three main categories: Early Renaissance, High Renaissance, and Late Renaissance.
Marked by “logical thought and the new philosophical, literary, and artistic movement called humanism” (Frank, 2014, p. 279).
Artists studied anatomy and “applied geometry to the logical construction of implied space through linear perspective” (Frank, 2014, p. 281).
High Renaissance was peak of Italian art from 1490 to 1530 (Frank, 2014).
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La Primavera Sandro Botticelli 1482 Tempera on panel
(Botticelli, ca. 1482)
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La Primavera
Visual Elements:
Lines- vertical curved lines to create motion
Light- light to dark techniques with the use of heavy outlines
Color- light colors against a dark background; light colors are used for the bodies and the shell.
Motion- outstretched arms and legs indicate motion by the figures
Shape- female shapes are elongated to show their beauty
Texture –fabrics, some appear see-through, fruit and leaves on trees, and scattered flowers on the ground
Mass – light shading creates the illusion of the figures taking up space and mass
Time – blue sky, but dark forest make the painting seem like it’s taking place in early or late day
La Primavera
Design Principles:
Balance – the painting is well balanced with figures from left to right
Contrast – the light clothing and figures are a sharp contrast with the dark background
Directional forces – many of the arms appear to be reaching upward
Emphasis – the center figure is the focal point with the angel above her
Proportion/scale – the human proportions appear to be elongated vertically
Repetition/rhythm – figures are repeated and grouped into rhythmic clusters
Unity/variety - the figures create a unity, while their stance and motion creates variety
Mona Lisa Leonardo da Vinci 1503-1506 Oil on wood
(Da Vinci, ca. 1503)
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Mona Lisa
Visual elements:
Light- da Vinci uses light on the subject’s face
Lines- no lines or edges because colors and tones are merged together in the Mona Lisa
Colors- blended without borders in the Mona Lisa; use of dull yellows and red colors with contrasting color background
Shape- rounded shapes form the body and hands in the foreground
Mass- lower part of the person in his painting represents the majority of mass.
Texture- shows folds in the clothing for texture
Motion – no apparent motion
Time – clothing alludes to Renaissance, but time of day is not specific
Mona Lisa
Design Principles:
•Balance – places Mona Lisa in the center, creating symmetry between the two half of her face
•Contrast –low contrast between Mona Lisa and the background, which helps her figure fit into the space
•Directional forces –not strong directional forces since the viewer is stuck mostly looking at Mona Lisa’s eyes
•Emphasis – strong emphasis is placed on Mona Lisa’s eyes, since they are looking right at you
•Proportion/scale- Mona Lisa is in the foreground making her presence be in greater proportion to the background
•Repetition/rhythm –uses repetition in the folds of Mona Lisa’s clothes to create a visual rhythm along the sleeves of her shirts
•Unity/variety – overall low contrast and desaturated colors creates unity across the painting, and variety is found in the colors used to paint landscape in the background
The Last Supper Leonardo da Vinci 1495 Paint on plaster
(Da Vinci, ca. 1495)
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The Last Supper
Visual elements:
Light- da Vinci uses light on the right side wall, and in the distance
Lines- lines converge at a vanishing point in the center
Colors- much white for table and walls with blue and orange clothing
Shape- top half of human figures with rectangular table and walls
Mass- the gathering of figures in the foreground
Texture- shows folds in the clothing for texture
Motion –apostles are leaning toward each other as if talking
Time – the setting is just before the death of Christ
The Last Supper
Design Principles:
Balance – Christ perfect triangle in center of figures, equal on each side
Contrast – high contrast in shadows of background and on figures
Directional forces – turbulence in figures surrounding Christ, but bracketed by figures at ends of table to “hold” in the movement
Emphasis – emphasis on Christ, door way behind head creates halo
Proportion/scale – correct proportions for figures used
Repetition/rhythm – repeating doorways and windows in background
Unity/variety – figures create variety and symmetrical table and background unify scene
Adam and Eve Albrecht Dürer 1504 Engraving
(Dürer, 1504)
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Adam and Eve
Visual Elements:
Light- uses the 'chiaroscuro' technique to provide tone in his art pieces
Lines- uses a variety of line work to emphasize the vertical elements
Shape- vertical organic shapes to show forms found in nature
Mass- persons in his paintings represent three dimensional mass
Texture- uses hatching and cross-hatching to create the textured surfaces
Motion – figures reaching toward each other
Color – intaglio process uses black ink, grayscale is used throughout artwork
Time – image is bright and clear, making it seem like midday
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Adam and Eve
Unity: Adam and Eve have nearly identical, symmetrical poses. They are visually intertwined with each other in their positioning.
Variety: variety in size between Adam and Eve and animals. In treatment of their static poses and animals more animated ones ( snake) Variety in details. Also in positioning of animals in foreground and background. Lots of angles...
Compositional balance is achieved with parallel forms of Adam and Eve and trees.
Emphasis on Adam and Eve and the snake. Animals subordinated in background. Value contrast helps with this.
Directional force of Adam's gaze at Eve and continuation of that line through her hair curving back into picture plane. Pulls us back to center of image.
Contrast between light figures in foreground and darker shapes of animals and forest in background.
Repetition and Rhythm of parallel shapes of A and E and trees moving ( rippling) across composition.
Scale of Adam and Eve are much larger than animals as emphasis is on them
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Virgin and Child before an Archway Albrecht Dürer 1495 Oil on panel
(Dürer, ca. 1495)
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Virgin and Child before an Archway
Visual Elements:
Light- uses the 'chiaroscuro' technique to provide tone in his art pieces
Color – used dark warm colors for clothing to contrast with the baby
Lines- uses a variety of curved lines to outline clothing and shapes
Shape- rounded shapes for the body of the child and virgin
Mass- persons in his paintings represent three dimensional mass
Texture- uses folds in clothing and curled hair to create the textures
Motion – mother reaching to child’s hand and looking at child
Time – interior scene makes it hard to determine time of day, dress references time of Christ
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Virgin and Child before an Archway
Design Principles:
Balance – the figure of Mary in the center creates symmetrical balance
Contrast – there is strong contrast in the dark background against the light color of the skin
Directional forces – the sightline between the mother and child create a directional force
Emphasis – the focal point is the baby created by the light color
Proportion/scale – the scale of the baby to the mother looks accurate, emphasizing the difference in size
Repetition/rhythm – repetition shows in the curls of hair
Unity/variety – unity is evident in the facial features, variety is evident in the different elements of figure, clothing and archway.
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References
Botticelli, S. (1480). Birth of Venus [tempera on canvas]. Retrieved from http://www.uffizi.org/artworks/the-birth-of-venus-by-sandro-botticelli/
Botticelli, S. (1482). Primavera [tempera on panel]. Retrieved from http://www.uffizi.org/artworks/la-primavera-allegory-of-spring-by-sandro-botticelli/
Da Vinci, L. (1498). The Last Supper [oil on canvas]. Retrieved from http://www.abcgallery.com/L/leonardo/leonardo4.html#note
Da Vinci, L. (1503-1506). Mona Lisa [oil on wood]. Retrieved from http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/mona-lisa-portrait-lisa-gherardini-wife-francesco-del-giocondo
Dürer, A. (1495). Virgin and Child before an Archway [oil on panel]. Retrieved from http://www.wga.hu/html_m/d/durer/1/01/07virgin.html
Dürer, A. (1504). Adam and Eve [engraving]. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/19.73.1
Frank, P. (2014). Prebles' Artforms: An introduction to the visual arts. 11th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
The Teacher's Vanity. (2012). The Renaissance: a brief summary. Retrieved from https://theteachersvanity.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/the-renaissance-a-brief-summary
