FROM THE MIDDLE AGES THROUGH THE RENAISSANCE IP
Abstract
Renaissance is referred to the rebirth of new areas of interest. During this period, people embraced new ways of doing things. The artists were not an exceptional. They emulated and fabricated new ideas based on the Rome and Greece classical art. It is believed that early renaissance took place at Florence in Italy. This was the place where various artworks were taken and displayed. Masaccio and Sandro were some of the artists who reigned during this period. They were Italian painters. This paper has focused on Masaccio with his painting artwork called the expulsion from the Garden of Eden and Sandro Botticelli art work on the birth of Venus.
These two artists had some similarities as well as differences in their artwork. Some of the similarities are that both were experienced painters and most of their work was in three-dimensional. They also focused their artwork on biblical stories. Therefore, most of their paintings were on how they interpreted and perceived biblical stories hence their works were representational. Other techniques and processes were also involved in their work. For instance, they used color, balance, symbolism, texture to make their work more appealing. Therefore, the two artists are a successful story of artist in renaissance period, since their work was creative and skillful.
Introduction
Renaissance is a term which means rebirth and is used to mark an era of certain cultural achievement, which resulted from the renewal of people’s interest in ideas of the ancient Rome, Greece and classical art. It is also the period of the European history at the end of the middle ages and the beginning or rise of the modern world (Early Renaissance, 2012). Early renaissance art developed first in the city of Florence in Italy in the 14th century (Early Renaissance Art, 2012). Therefore, the art of the renaissance period range from 14th century to the middle of the 17th century. This paper outlines the early painting artwork during the renaissance period. These two works are of the Italian painters named Masaccio- the Expulsion from the Garden of Eden and Sandro Botticelli, the birth of Venus.
The two kinds of artwork have some similarities as well as differences. The form of both the artwork is three-dimensional. Both pieces of work can be viewed from all directions. The faces and other features of the pictures are visible and convey information to the third parties. The birth of Venus was paintings done by Sandro in c.1481, was found at Castello, and was believed to have been commissioned by someone to a different site (Mack, 2001). On the other hand, Expulsion from the Garden of Eden done by Masaccio was done between 1426 and1427. It depicted the anguish and distress that Adam and Eve went through in the Garden of Eden after eating the forbidden fruit. Both the pieces of art were made from pieces of stone and papers. The pictures were painted on shard materials to ensure longevity and to ensure that pictures were relay and beautiful.
In coming up with these artwork, various processes and techniques came into play. Some of the techniques that the artists adopted in painting their pictures include use of colors, shape, value, lines, balance, texture and symbolism. For instance, in the expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the artists used different combination of colors, texture and balance. The colors used included brown and blue. The brown color was used to paint Adam and Eve and the angels of God holding sword. The choice of these colors aimed to make the pictures look real and depict the reality as written in the Bible. The colors chosen also help to make the pictures brighter and beautiful. Shape and balance are yet other artistic traits that are demonstrated in the pictures. The shapes of the pictures resemble that of a human being and specifically Adam and Eve. This is depicted from the way they behaved. By covering his face, Adam was shameful. Likewise, by Eve seeming to cover her body parts shows that she was ashamed of the states she was in. On the other hand, the birth of Venus artwork incorporated various artistic features such as color, balance, texture and even value. Sandro used various colors in his paintings of the birth of Venus. The colors included brown representing the people, sky blue representing the color of sky and green representing the color of trees. This composition of colors helped in making the pictures real and in beautifying the scene. The colors also helped to appreciate the tone and the mood during the birth of Venus.
In most cases, the pieces of work that were done by various artists carried or conveyed certain message to the third party. Even though the art work by Sandro about the birth of Venus spur differ opinions from people, the pictures represented the birth of Venus. This was an imagination of the artists, which was borrowed after reading various pieces of texture. The artists formed the imagination from what was contained in the books and painted the picture as a demonstration. Therefore, the subject matter in this artwork is about the coming into existence of Venus. It shows the jubilation and the celebration that marred the coming into existence of Venus. On the other hand, the artwork by Masaccio-the expulsion from the Garden of Eden has a subject matter that comes out clearly upon being exposed to the picture (Ronald, 1989). The subject matter is about the shame and the anguish that Adam and Eve went through upon eating a forbidden fruit. This is clearly depicted on how the two are covered with leaves as they try to hide their nakedness. They also try to cover their face and other body parts to avoid the shame.
Masaccio artwork is representational and is not abstract. This is because it is easy to understand since it represents the biblical story of Adam and Eve. The paintings show the story from the bible. An individual who sees the paintings will automatically switch his mind to the Bible on the story of Adam and Eve. Therefore, it represents what happened in the ancient times before our ancestors (Art in Tuscany, 2012). On the other hand, Sandro paintings are a bit abstract and hard to understand. This is because it is not easy to understand what the picture and the subject matter is just at looking at the paintings.
Content in any piece of artwork is found in the pictures, paintings or sculptures. Behind every artist, there is an idea and a pushing factor that leads him/her to come up with certain piece of art. The two kinds of artwork have their contents summarized through the paintings. For instance, the painting on the expulsion from the Garden of Eden is about the biblical story of Adam and Eve after defying the order of God not to eat a forbidden fruit (Michael, 1996). On the other hand, the work of Sandro is about the creation of Venus. Therefore, the message of artists in both painting is communicated through the pictures.
Symbolism is yet another aspect that most artists use in advancing or conveying their message to the other people. Both artists used symbolism in conveying their message to the third party. In the Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, Masaccio used the paintings of angels holding swords to represent the anger of God after Adam and Eve disobeyed him. He also used the leaves and efforts portrayed by them to cover their body parts to show how they were ashamed of the acts that they had been involved in. Likewise, Sandro uses symbolism in his artistic work.
The context of Masaccio artwork is the biblical perspectives on the shame that Adam and Eve got into after feasting on a forbidden tree (Murphy, 2004). On the other hand, the context of Sandro art is based on mixed imagination and knowledge from wide reading on the likely coming into existence of Venus.
Every artwork is produced with an intention of sending out a given message. For instance, the art by Masaccio plays a function of educating the people, mainly Christians about the punishment that God gave Adam and Eve after defying His orders. Likewise, the artist of Sandro plays a function of explaining the possible birth of Venus.
The two pieces of arts exemplify traditional roles. They both illustrate that from time immemorial, human beings believed that things happened under the direction of a super human being, which is God. The two pieces of art fits in the renaissance period. This is because the artists existed during the period that they were painted.
References
Art in Tuscany. (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.casasantapia.com/art/masaccio.htm
Early Renaissance Art. (2012). Italian Renaissance Art. Retrieved from: http://www.finearttouch.com/Early_Renaissance_Art.html
Early Renaissance. Oil painting. Retrieved from: http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/renaissance/earlyrenaiss.htm
Mack, R.E. (2001). Bazaar to Piazza: Islamic Trade and Italian Art, 1300-1600, University of California Press,
Masaccio. New Advent. Retrieved from: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09768a.htm
Michael, R. (1996). Forbidden Friendships: Homosexuality and Male culture in Renaissance Florence, Oxford University Press.
Murphy, M, (2004). “Return of a forgotten master”. time.com.
New York Times, Life of Botticelli, November 19, 1904, Page BR783
Ronald, L. (1989). Sandro Botticelli: Life and Work, New York.
The National Gallery. (2001). Sandro Botticelli Paintings. Retrieved from: http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/sandro-botticelli
The New Encyclopedia Britannica, Macropaedia, Volume 2, 1991, Page 413-14.
The birth of Venus by Sandro
The expulsion from the Garden of Eden– by Masaccio
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