Renaissance Art Notes
I usually introduce the painting, tell them the name and who it’s by, and then I let them turn and talk for
a minute or two to a neighbor about the painting. Then, we analyze it together as a class.
Mona Lisa
-Painted by Leonardo da Vinci
-Most recognized painting in the world
-Why is it so famous?
-Who is it?
-Her smile is mysterious
-Her eyes follow you
-Popular theories of who it is:
-Wife of a merchant/minor nobleman-shows secularism because she really isn’t anyone special
-Could be a self-portrait of da Vinci himself
-He shows his skill/virtuosity through her eyes, the folds of her dress, and her hands
-Housed in the Louvre in France-behind bulletproof glass and a rope because it stolen by an Italian
nationalist in the 1900s
Last Supper by da Vinci
-Fresco
-More religious theme, but still shows secular aspects
-Biblical story has been westernized-Jesus and his apostles look European, European style room
and table
-Da Vinci includes a self-portrait in the painting-shows the importance of the artist/secularism
-Da Vinci Code has made this work famous
-Theory that the feminine apostle (John) is actually Mary Magdalene and that they have living
descendants
David by Donatello
-First unsupported standing work in bronze
-First nude sculpture since antiquity-showed the glorification of human ability and potential through
glorification of the human form
-This David is somewhat feminine-needs a sword, more feminine posture, and wreath around helmet
**Have them look at this one and then compare to Michelangelo’s David
David by Michelangelo
-Marble
-16 feet tall
-Most recognized sculpture in the world
-Major classical influence-stoic face, perfect body (again, shows secularism because it glorifies the
human form to show human potential)
-Much stronger posture-no sword, no wreath, no ornamentation
-Based on Greek sculptures
Pieta by Michelangelo
-Marble
-Mary would be 10 feet tall is she stood up
-carved from one solid block of marble-impressive
-Michelangelo shows skill through the fabric of her dress
-Fairly religious work, but shows some secularism because Mary is westernized
Lady with an Ermine
-Ermine-symbol of purity/loyalty but also of pregnancy
-Subject is wearing simple dress, she is not noble (secularism)
-16 year old mistress of the Duke of Milan-what does it suggest since she’s holding an ermine?
-Detailed hand, detailed muscles in the ermine-shows artists’ skill
School of Athens
-Close up 1- Plato and Aristotle
-Close up 2- Euclid/Archimedes with students
-Close up 3- Michelangelo
-Close up 4- Raphael (self-portrait)
-Very influenced by classical culture of Greece
Sistine Chapel
-Adam and God portrait
-Adam is lazy, doesn’t seem to care while God is reaching out for Adam-commentary on growing
secularism in Renaissance
-Hands show skill of Michelangelo
-Last Judgment Mural
-Shows some people descending into hell while others go to heaven
-Michelangelo included the faces of people he hated-the pope of the time is descending into hell
while one of hell’s gatekeepers has the face of a priest he hated
Birth of Venus by Boticelli
-Roman goddess of sex/love
-Commissioned by Lorenzo d’Medici
-Flatters patron by portraying his mistress as Venus
-Classical themes of Greece and Rome
Arnolfini Wedding Portrait
-Commissioned by a wealthy cloth merchant-showing secularism
-She is NOT pregnant-she’s holding up the rich cloth of her dress to show the success of her husband,
the cloth merchant
-Cloth is a way for artist to show skill
-Dog symbolizes loyalty
-Mirror shows artists skill-he actually includes himself in the reflection!
-Many secular/worldly riches in the room
-Writing above mirror reads “Jan van Eyck was here”-shows importance of the artists (secularism)
The Ambassadors
-Painted by Hans Holbein
-Secular-ambassadors are involved in politics
-Very rich and worldly scene-mathematical and scientific instruments, books, music, etc.
-Amorphous skull on the floor
-If seen in person, looks like a real skull-shows artist’s talent
-Warning-you can amass all the riches in the world, but death will eventually take us all (warning
against secularism)