He visited Constantinople in 1611 to 1612 before moving to Italy, where he lived from 1613 to 1627. He was mostly in Rome where the Baroque style was emerging during these years. The use of dramatic contrasts of light and shade seen in such early works as his 'Two Lovers' indicates that he began in Rome as a follower of Caravaggio. Even though he was successful in Rome he returned to France in 1627. His new style was without any doubt Italian, it showed an individual talent and a profound study of Italian painters.
476, para. 1) Bramante’s Tempietto kicked off the move towards the High Renaissance era. With Michelangelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel, it has been noted that Bramante suggested that he use scaffolding that could be suspended from the ceiling to properly paint the roof of the Chapel. Michelangelo later decided to create his own scaffold because he did not want anything marking the area that would be painted. (Nickerson, 2008) Bramante then used Michelangelo’s style when he needed a scaffold for St. Peter’s.
Italian Renaissance art was heavy on symmetry and balance and giving the subjects a sense of mass and volume by using knowledge of the underlying anatomy of the human figure. This allowed for more realistic art with shadows and motion in sharp contrast to the flat art of the Middle Ages. A fine example of this is another work of Michelangelo’s from the Sistine Chapel, titled the Creation of Adam. Northern Renaissance art, while also more realistic than previous movements, focused heavily on the minute surface details and naturalism. A kind of documentary nature takes hold in this kind of art, as if the painters are capturing a moment in time, much the way a photograph would.
As referred to in the introductory paragraph, society in the Medieval Ages was focused on religion, and the Great Schism divided their sacred Roman Catholic Church. The Church provided the citizen’s with a sense of leadership, especially considering the hardships they were facing at the time. The Black Plague was running rampant, and citizens needed something to keep them spiritually sane. It is evident that the Church, during this time, was unable to provide its usual function of spiritual and moral support, so the Church steadily lost its power and prestige. In turn, this affected all elements of society and their functions, as citizens were now confused and scared since the Church was no longer a support figure to them.
How did the architect incorporate the classical elements into this façade? Located in Florence, Italy, the façade of the Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella was created by Leon Battista Alberti. It was premeditated during the mid 15th century. The reason why it’s one of the most well known examples of early Renaissance architecture in Italy is enormously due to the façade’s architectural style. Holding its original 13th century Gothic base, the church’s interior and the bottom half of the façade was built long before Alberti came and completed it.
Some parts, particularly Northern France where much of the fighting was taking place, suffered terribly from war however in other regions escape the worst of the fighting. Despite this, after 1584, most of France was affected; trade was disrupted and the Dutch seized this opportunity to take advantage of France’s vulnerable position, thus leaving France in a dire financial position, not helped by the crippling costs of wars and the royal expenses. With the rising food prices and economic growth at a standstill there was widespread adversity. Along with the destruction left behind by passing soldiers, who confiscated crops and raided villages and pressed their young men into military service, it is little wonder that the peasants suffered so much. The people of France had had enough.
While Da Vinci, in his painting Lady with the Ermine, kept to a chaste scene and while it does have its hidden references, this painting is more acceptable and less of a shock to the viewer’s sight as that of Michelangelo’s. The next set of works that could be compared would be that of Da Vinci’s The Baptism of Christ and Michelangelo’s The Conversion of Saul. Both of these paintings depict a religious theme as the subject and lend to the viewer a deep feeling of emotion, passion
THE DECLINE OF ROME How did Rome fall? Rome had many problems within its borders and was not a well-organized empire. Rome was destroyed because of different problems that led to the empire's downfall. One of the problems of the Roman Empire, was its size. It was very hard for them to defend themselves with Goths, Ostrigoths, Visigoths, Huns and Vandals trying to conquer a part of Rome.
Not only he was a good painter, he was also very good and creative when it came to expressing his thoughts and emotions. Like the altarpiece which was one of the first examples of naturalism. It was covered in precise, religious paintings, representing the recovery of man and Adam. Jan’s ideas and unique thoughts made an impact and influenced others. His paintings made people and things come to life and look like living creatures, from how the skin appears tanned, to how the bodies created shadows.
The sale of vast amounts of materials from Italy caused Northern Europeans to like Italian artistry and humanistic ways which they cultivated into their own culture. The Italian Renaissance and Northern Europe Renaissance stood on the same principles of “rebirth” but took many different paths in implementing their ideals. However, there was one very important social and cultural similarity. The Italians and the English were people who believed in Christianity, which both Michelangelo and Albrecht Durer stressed through their earlier Renaissance paintings and sculptures of religious characters. (Italian Renaissance vs. Northern European Renaissance, 2010) The Italians and the English both draw and painted though linear point of views, which later developed a drawing and painting practice called, “chiaroscuro” using light and dark colors to give a three-dimensional illusions.