Symbolism in the Renaissance
(From “The Secret Language of the Renaissance”)
Among the notions of the Renaissance was the concept of the uomo universale, or the “Universal
Man.” The modern notion of a “Renaissance Man”, someone who has achievements in many
different fields, was derived from this. “Men can do all things if they will.” The most famous
example of this concept is probably Leonardo da Vinci, who is well known as a painter, an engineer,
and for his tireless investigation of the natural world and of the human body, but perhaps less so as
a musician, sculptor and prankster, and as a designer of fancy dress costumes and bizarre animated
models. But any well educated man of the time was expected to excel in any number of disciplines.
Not only should these include knowledge of wide variety of subjects, and the ability to discuss them,
but he should also be skilled in practical matters such as music, sports, warfare, painting and
writing. Above all, he should be able to do this with apparent ease, a lightness of touch that implies
that such accomplishments come naturally.
This lightness of touch was to be the essence of the Renaissance. Europe exploded with literature,
architecture, sculpture and art, that reflected the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. It also
used symbols, in art that were understood by a population that was deeply involved and
knowledgeable of Christianity. Our understanding of the meaning of these symbols will ease the
interpreting of the era known as the “Rebirth,” the Renaissance.
In art of the Renaissance, swallows often appear, especially near the Virgin Mary. Whereas today
we know that swallows migrate, and we can track their movements with sophisticated technology,
previously it was not known where they went in the winter. Because they went away and then came
back again, they were seen as a reminder of Jesus, who was buried, and then rose again from the
dead: the swallow is therefore a symbol of Christ’s resurrection.
The apple that is often in the hands of Baby Jesus refers to the forbidden fruit of the garden of
Eden: Adam and Eve, having done wrong, were ejected from paradise, and it is only through
Christ’s sacrifice that Christians believe they can return to a state of grace.
Grapes appearing in pictures symbolize Jesus’ giving wine to his apostles, saying “This is my
blood.” They represent Jesus’ suffering on the cross. Often they are painted next to a pear, the
rounded shape of which refers to Mary’s fruitfulness and hence to the incarnation – God made
flesh.
The apostle to the apostles, Mary Magdalene, often appears at the feet of Christ, as she often cleans
his feet with her tears. Mary will also be in the guise of a prostitute with her red hair uncovered,
dressed in red cloth, a symbol of carnal (sexual) knowledge of man. She may also have letters on
her dress, XP, the Greek letters symbolizing what Constantine saw in the sky before the battle of
Milvian Bridge.
Another way in which color communicates meaning is related to the value of the materials
themselves. By far the most expensive pigment was ultramarine blue derived from a semi-precious
stone, lapis lazuli, which was only found in Afghanistan and shipped to Italy over the sea,
(ultramarine-meaning blue). Because there was only one distant source and because it was difficult
to extract the pigment from the stone, the richest, darkest ultramarine was more expensive to use
on paintings than gold. It was therefore used on the important areas of the painting, as a sign of
status or respect. Hence, the most important figure in Renaissance paintings is often dressed in
blue; and the darker the blue the more important he/she is. Often Mary the Virgin is cloaked in
blue as is Jesus.
Mary can also be dressed in white as a sign of purity and innocence. Jesus is often seen in white,
lined with crimson (white to represent his burial shroud and red to represent the blood of the
martyr). He can also wear a cloak of blue. Peter is often identified with the colors yellow and blue
and carrying the keys to the gates of heaven. John, the Evangelist, is generally dressed in red and
greens and is beardless. A white dove in a picture is usually symbolic of the “Holy Spirit.”
Peter
John
These and many more are part of the code of the Renaissance. It would be reasonable to believe
that most people, including the illiterate, were aware of these symbols as these pictures told visual
stories to the masses.
Assignment- You are to identify and explain a minimum of twelve symbols
from the above article (24 points)