High Renaissance (1495-1527)
1495-1527: Popes created a papal state with Rome as it’s capital
The Pope invites artists from all over Italy to come to Rome where they
were given exciting commissions.
As a result, Rome became the art centre of Europe.
This period only lasted around 20 years but it was highly influential!
Belief:
Artists were viewed as geniuses instead of crafts persons.
Artwork was believed to have been created under divine
inspiration.
Difference from Early Renaissance
 Artists do not rely as heavily on formulas, scientific perspective, and
proportions to structure their work.
 Artwork is more expressive.
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Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)
Da Vinci was the “Renaissance man”- he was an expert in painting,
sculpture, architecture, engineering, military science, botany, anatomy,
geology, aerodynamics and optics…
He left 10, 000 pages of drawings, ideas, sketches and notes all written
left-handed and in reverse.
Artwork
Da Vinci, Virgin of the Rocks, ca 1485. Oil on panel
Characteristics that would influence High Renaissance
Triangular composition: The angel points to the infant John the Baptist,
who is blessed by baby Jesus, who is sheltered by the
Virgin’s loving hand. The viewer’s eye moves around
the triangle and stops on the Virgin’s face.
Chiaroscuro: Light forms emerge from the dark background to create
dramatic contrast of values.
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Artwork
Da Vinci, Mona Lisa, 1503-1506
World’s most famous portrait
Characteristics that would influence High Renaissance
 She sits in a relaxed pose in front of a landscape.
 Sfumato: an effect where edges of objects are slightly blurred to
create a hazy feeling and a feeling of enormous depth.
Who is Mona Lisa?
Multiple theories:
1. Signora Lisa Giaconda, wife of a wealthy Florentine (Based on the
mid-sixteenth century biography of Leonardo da Vinci by Giorgio
Vasari, who was a contemporary)
BUT… if it had been commissioned, why did he not deliver it
to the family and instead carry it around with him until his
death and then give it to his friend?
The panel is unsigned, undated and has no clues as to her
identity (most portraits of the time included an indication of
the family name or social status).
2. Mona Lisa is not a portrait of one woman, but an artful composite of
many, Leonardo’s idealization of all womanhood.
3. May have been on of Da Vinci’s young male models in drag.
4. The Mona Lisa is not a portrait at all, but a “finzione”, an invention of
Leonardo’s extraordinary imagination.
Artwork
Da Vinci. Last Supper, 1495-1498
 Da Vinci experimented with oil mixed with tempera (the result of its
deterioration. Over the years people have tried to restore it, but
have caused more damage through over painting)
 “Last Suppers” were common Renaissance paintings usually
located in the monastery dinning halls
So why is da Vinci’s Last Supper different?
1. The scene represents the moment when Jesus has just announced
the he will be betrayed, instead of depicting the moment of the
bread and wine as body and blood of Christ.
2. He chose this moment so that he could explore the theme of
isolation, which he may have felt, as well as betrayal. For the first
time ever, Jesus is completely isolated. (Usually John has his head
on Christ’s shoulder or lap)
3. Linear Perspective makes Jesus the Centre of Interest
4. All apostles are in groups of 3 to create compositional balance
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Michelangelo BuonaRroti (1452- 1519)
Michelangelo was considered the “greatest man ever known to the arts”
Michelangelo was born of a poor family.
At the age of 13, Michelangelo started to study art with the artist,
Ghirlandaio, from whom he learned to paint frescos.
Michelangelo was accepted into Lorenzo de Medici’s school for sculptors
and was treated as a son in the Medici household. At the Medici school,
he studied with Bertoldo, who was a student of Donatello.
He developed an interest in Greek and Roman culture.
Artwork (page 278)
Michelangelo, Pietà, 1499-1500. Marble (1.74 meters tall)
Very important Christian sculpture created and located in Rome.
 Mary holds the almost nude body of Christ on her lap
 She is not crying, but accepting of her son’s death as necessary for
humanity’s salvation.
 Her ideal beauty reflects her purity
Characteristics
 Folds of drapery
 Feeling of flesh
 The seated Madonna is overly large when compared to Jesus’
body. This is because Michelangelo wanted to create the pyramid
composition with exact proportions.
 He signed his name across the band on Mary’s chest.
 Carved from a single block of marble.
 Polished in the style of the Early Renaissance. (Later works, parts are
left roughly chiseled to contrast with the polish.)
Artwork (page 279)
Michelangelo, David, 1501-1504. Marble (4.09 meters tall)
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David is huge in size
A symbol of human perfection
God-like (Hercules and Apollo) and superhuman in his muscular
perfection
He stands in a contrapposto pose.
His hands are the most expressive part of David’s body.
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Comparison between Michelangelo’s and Donatello’s David
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Michelangelo
Manly body
Angry and defiant expression
His sling rests over his left
shoulder with a round stone
held in his oversized right
hand about to slay Goliath
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Donatello
Young body
David has already killed
Goliath and has his foot on
Goliath’s head
Artwork
Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel, 1508-1512 Fresco
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Commissioned by Pope Julius II in 1508
The fresco took 4 years to complete
Depicts tales from the Old Testament, foretelling the coming of
Jesus
Michelangelo did over 200 preliminary sketches in preparation and
painted over 400 figures
He painted standing with much discomfort and disallowed anyone
from entering the Chapel as he worked
Artwork (page 280)
Michelangelo, St. Peter’s Dome, 1546-1564
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At 71 years of age Michelangelo was commissioned to finish the
construction of St. Peter’s Dome
Its original architect, Bramante, had died before the project finished
Michelangelo modified it by adding a pointed, double shelled
dome (like Brunelleschi’s); it is the largest dome in the world.
Michelangelo died before St. Peter’s dome was complete
The Church was planned in the shape of a Greek cross (equal arms)
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Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520)
Raphael’s Characteristics
 Balance and harmony
 Sculptural quality of Michelangelo
 Grace and feeling of Leonardo
 Detail and light of Perugino (Raphael’s first teacher)
Raphael went to Rome in 1508 at the invitation of the Pop.
Court painter until his early death at 37.
Artwork (page 282)
Raphael. School of Athens, 1509-1511
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His masterpiece
One of four large frescoes in the Stanza della Segnatura (Room of
Signatures)
Perfectly Renaissance: balances Pagan Classicism and
Renaissance Christianity.
Depicted heroes from both Classical and Christian time
Poses based on Classical Figures (also influenced by Sistine Chapel
ceiling)
Included poets, artists, and lawmakers.
o Aristotle and Plato (modeled on Leonardo) are in deep
conversation in the centre of the doorway.
 Leonardo influenced his handling of balance and
composition (like Last Supper)
o Michelangelo is sitting and thinking (hugely influential for
Raphael).
 Can be seen in the sculptural quality, individual poses
and the manner in which he grouped his figures)
o Raphael includes himself on the right side looking directly at
the viewer.
Architectural setting is the interior of the incomplete St. Peter’s
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Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) (1490-1576)
Artistic giant of Venice, comparable to Michelangelo in Rome.
Believed that colour and mood were more important in painting than line
and scientific accuracy.
Artwork (page 287)
Titian, Venus with the Mirror, 1555.
Innovative Painting technique
 Painted his figures in bright colour over a red-painted background,
which added warmth to the entire work
 After it was dry, the surface was painted with as many as 30-40
glazes.
o Glazes: transparent mixtures of colour and medium.
 Brushstrokes were visible which is called painterly
 No hard edges or outlines
Three subjects:
 Pagan mythology, esp. involving Venus
 Portraits of important people and rulers
 Emotional religious subjects
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