Bibliography

Bibliography - Kiera Goddu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_art
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/medieval-sculpture-at-westminster-abbey-daniel-hagerman.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maest%C3%A0_(Duccio)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter's_Basilica

http://hanson57.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/northern-renaissance-art/

http://theslideprojector.com/art6/art6lecturepresentations/art6lecture4.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnolfini_Portrait

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/37.80.4

http://www.3pipe.net/2012/02/enigma-of-authenticity-raphaels-lady.html
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Moses_San_Pietro_in_Vincoli.jpg
http://stumont.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/the-angel-with-the-lance-rome/
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4eb5FAE7D8M/T7AsLp8h5kI/AAAAAAAAHw0/K9fIIb90gPU/s1600/1205110315.jpg

http://uploads5.wikipaintings.org/images/raphael/school-of-athens-detail-from-right-hand-side-showing-diogenes-on-the-steps-and-euclid-1511.jpg

Moses vs. Westminster Abbey Sculpture

Westminster Abbey -Georgina Walmsley

England 

This is a sculpture from medieval times in Westminster Abbey. It depicts either the lord or someone equally as holy seated upon a throne holding a cross.  It doesn’t contain many elaborate details like in the time of the renaissance.  Also it contains the cross which shows how religion and the church was a major point of their lives and how it was referenced in almost anything including sculptures by artists.  

Moses

By: Michelangelo-Zach Troidle

This sculpture of Moses was chiseled in 1545 by none other than the great Michelangelo Buonarroti.  The work was commissioned by Pope Julius II in 1505 for his tomb. The pope died in 1513, but the sculpture was not finished until 32 years afterwards. The sculpture is of the biblical character Moses, sitting with a serious demeanor. Michelangelo constructed the piece by just using the description given in the Bible. His human characteristics are much exaggerated, noting his biceps and especially his beard. Overall, his figure gives him the look of Greek gods from classical sculpture.

Compare and Contrast -Kiera Goddu

The sculpture of Moses champions humans and is detailed to the enth degree. The realistic human body is a classic of the Renaissance style. The overly religious themes of the sculpture at Westminster Abbey shows a sad human bogged down by the chains of religion much like those in the Medieval times. These pieces very much fit the archetype of their time periods. Even though both of the sculptures highlight religious characters one is portrayed as a righteous human being and the other is a sad and depressed human.

The Arnolfini Wedding vs. Madonna and Child

The Arnolfini Wedding -Kiera Goddu

By: Jan van Eyck The Netherlands 1434

This painting by Jan van Eyck is a great example of Renaissance art because the detail in the painting is far beyond any previous paintings of the Middle Ages. The painting also illustrates a very precise portrayal of the human body which is very common in the Renaissance style. The artist enraptures such a real looking scene that the one looking at it almost feels engulfed in what is going on. The very humanist themes of the painting centered around two people who are getting married and focusing on their lives instead of a religious or natural landscape like most Medieval art had been before. The extreme detail in this painting includes the light coming from the window, the reflection of the painting in the mirror, the ornate chandelier, and the detail of the clothing of the subjects. The precision, the themes, and the perspective of the painting make this work the epitome of Renaissance Art.

Madonna and Child -Zach Troidle

By: Giotto di Bondone Florence, Italy 1310

This painting is called Madonna and Child, or Ognissanti Madonna, by Giotto di Bondone. It currently resides in the Ufizzi Gallery in Florence, Italy. It is dated around 1310. Sticking with medieval art themes, it contains very heavy religious influence, depicting the Virgin Mary and her child, Christ. The pieces also keeps with medieval patterns with the flat dimensions and haloed heads. The bodies are also not realistically proportioned in any way. However, this specific piece demonstrates interesting effects in the fabric of the clothing worn. It shows more environmental effects on the clothing than other medieval artwork, similar to renaissance.  Also, unlike Unicorn Defends Himself, it demonstrates real space and a single plane. Every person in the painting is on the same level except for Mary and Christ, who are elevated upon the throne.

Compare and Contrast-Kiera Goddu

These works are almost polar opposites. The detail and humanist themes of the Arnolfini Wedding and the overwhelmingly religious themes and two dimensional aspects of the Madonna and Child epitomizes the difference between the Renaissance and the Middle Ages. The differences are evident at face value with the correctly proportional and life like figures of the wedding piece and the disproportioned, blank, and colorless figures in the Madonna and Child. Madonna and Child also centers around religion which was a big part of life in the Middle Ages but as the church was being questioned in the Renaissance the themes also changed as evident in the new humanist themes of The Arnolfini Wedding.  

Coptic Icon of Jesus and an Abbot vs. Portrait of a Lady with Unicorn 

Coptic Icon of Jesus and an Abbot -Georgina Walmsley

6th or 7th century 

This a piece of medieval art found in a church.  It is thought to be created during either the 6th or 7th century.  The picture shows Jesus standing with an abbot.  They have the coins surrounding their heads saying that they are holy people.   The artist painted the people with semi-humanistic characters.  They don't have the lifelike look of renaissance pictures because they lack the shading caused by the contours of the body and chin. 

Portrait of a Lady and Unicorn -Georgina Walmsley

This portrait of a lady was painted by Raphael during the renaissance. It contains very great detail of her dress, belt and necklace.  Her hair contains curls surrounding her head which Raphael carefully painted in.  Also on the left side of her face there is a tear showing sadness which may be connected to the unicorn she is cradling.  During the renaissance, artists began to use shadowing on people which made them seem more lifelike and not as flat looking as before.  Visible in the picture are shadows along her neck and jaw as well as on the sleeves of her gown.  

Comparison -Georgina Walmsley

The first portrait is a medieval piece of art that depicts two people. Their qualities are near to human like but do not compare to portraits from the time of the Renaissance such as the Portrait of a Lady and Unicorn.  The difference between medieval art and art from the Renaissance is that during the Renaissance, artists began to use shadow to make their pictures have more depth and detail. 

Unicorn Defends Himself vs. The Elephant and the Obelisk

The Unicorn Defends Himself 1495 -Georgina Walmsley

This piece of artwork called, The Unicorn Defends Himself, was painted from 1495-1505.  It shows the dark colors of medieval times and the use of magic in lives.  In medieval artwork, the people depicted look flat and non humanistic as in this tapestry.  It was most likely hung in a castle or church to decorate the walls.  As time moved forward and the age of enlightenment began, artists started painting in shadows of peoples faces making them seem more realistic, unlike the very two dimensional people found in this tapestry.

The Elephant and the Obelisk- Zach Troidle

By: Bernini Piazza della Minerva 1667

This sculpture of the most famous pachyderm was crafted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Elephant and Obelisk was unveiled in the Piazza della Minerva in 1667. The statue was commissioned by pope Alexander VII. This piece was chosen for its change in topic. In general, most renaissance art has a religious relation, however this is just a sculpture of an elephant. Keeping with the other forms of the renaissance, the elephant shows extremely lifelike features, such as the ears and the trunk.

Compare and Contrast- Zach Troidle

There are many striking differences between the meanings and executions of these two works of art. The most obvious is the difference in realism between the pieces. In Elephant and Obelisk, the elephant demonstrates lifelike features such as his ears or his trunk. Overall, it demonstrates heavy use of realism. Meanwhile, the Unicorn Defends Himself is much less detailed, leaving the eye to wander about the piece before discovering the titular unicorn. However, there is much for that wandering eye to see. There is much more attention to background in the medieval piece, with the men, the dogs, the plants, and even the castle in the background. Both works show a slight deviation from the common trend of both eras, which is overwhelming allusion to religion.

Notre Dame vs. St. Peter's Basilica

Notre Dame de Paris - Georgina Walmsley

By: Maurice de Sully  Paris 1163-1345

Notre Dame de Paris is a gothic medieval style cathedral known for the legend about the hunchback man who rings the bell, Quasimodo. The cathedral itself has a dark eerie look about it that matches the dark period of the middle ages.  During the medieval time, gargoyles were used as a drainage system for rainwater for the roofs of many important buildings such as the cathedrals. Notre Dame is famous for these grotesque creatures, watching over Paris.  They’re appearance is sometimes considered as like the devil.  Some have horns and make revolting faces at the people below.  This can be tied into the center of religion in medieval times and how it can be tied into most everything including their architecture and means of draining water. 

St. Peter's Basilica -Kiera Goddu

By: Donato Bramante, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Michelangelo, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, Giacomo della Porta, Carlo Maderno, Gian Lorenzo Bernini  Vatican City 1506-1626

The architecture of St. Peter's Basilica is very reflective of the late Renaissance in Italy. Most of the architects on this project are also famous for other work such as sculpting or painting.The arches and dome are very common in this era of architecture. The interest in going back to classical types of architecture was a theme during the Renaissance and it is very visible in the style of the Basilica. The ornamentation of the interior and exterior reflect the transition to a baroque style with gilding and detail. The windows and vast columns of the church allows there to be natural lighting and bright feel.

Compare and Contrast- Georgina Walmsley

Architecture styles changed greatly from the medieval times to the renaissance in many different ways such as supporting roofs and use of light.  St. Peter’s Basilica, a cathedral built in the renaissance  contains a large dome for a roof, a concept not known about during the medieval times. It also contains large windows on the dome used to capture natural light to be let in to the main rooms.  Notre is a very dark building, not using a lot of natural light and relying on the light of candles and light coming through stained glass.  In the change between the Medieval times and the Renaissance, more light was incorporated into buildings making a happier atmosphere. 

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Maestà vs. The School of Athens

Maestà Enthroned Madonna and Child, angels, saints, and apostle figures in arcades

By: Duccio painted 1308-1311 in present day Germany- Georgina Walmsley
This painting was created by Duccio Di Buoninsenga from 1308 to 1311. It resided in the Siena Cathedral in Italy. Duccio painted the work beforehand and had it installed in the chapel. In 1711, the piece of art was dismantled but was partially restored in 1956.  It depicts the Madonna seated upon a throne of gold holding her child.  Surrounding her are dozens of angels and other religious figures such as John the Baptist, John the Evangelist, and other saints. Many of Duccio’s paintings follow this similar theme, each containing the Madonna and her child upon a throne, surrounded by angels. During the medieval times, religion was a big aspect of every person’s life. Religious figures and people to be respected in life were often painted with a gold circle around their head.  These circles are sometimes called gold coins and they represent halos similar to angels.  

The School of Athens- Kiera Goddu

By Rafael painted 1509-1510 in The Vatican

All of the greats of classical philosophy and logic are present in this fresco, including but not limited to Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Euclid, Pythagoras, and Ptolemy. There are figures debating and presenting ideas in the various groups in the scene. There writers, astrologists, mathematicians, and scientists present in the fresco. The architecture within the painting highlights a classical Greek style with arches, impressive statues, and mosaic style floors. The theme of knowledge and power are key to this piece of Renaissance art and the work epitomizes the new interest of learning and discovery of the Renaissance time period. The fresco is also done in a very realistic style portraying humans and architecture in a very three dimensional and layered style. The accuracy of the human form and the multiple layers of the fresco from far on the horizon to right in the foreground of the painting open up the perspective of the art and allow for more action and detail in the work of art. All of the aspects of this piece are very reflective of the new trends in art that came about during the Renaissance period.  

Compare and Contrast-Kiera Goddu

 The style, aesthetic, topic, and theme of these paintings are very different and really do demonstrate the differences between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The Medieval painting really highlights religious themes and the center of religion to life in the Middle Ages. The flat aesthetic and unrealistic portrayal of people is really different from the dynamic and realistic style of the School of Athens. The theme of religion vs. knowledge is obvious when comparing these two paintings and the change in priorities between the Middle Ages and Renaissance Era is evident when looking at these works side by side.