Renaissance is a French word for rebirth. This time period, from 1300 to 1527, was a time of great intellectual and cultural innovation. Italians became interested in the ancient works, both literary and artistic, of Rome and Greece. They copied these classics and then built on them. But what caused the Renaissance, and why did it take place first in Italy? The art of the Renaissance was built on the foundation of Gothic art. Gothic art was used to teach people about the Bible and God. Art was needed to do this because most of the people were illiterate. To compound the problem, common peolple were unable to understand the sermons because they were given in Latin and not the common language of the people. Gothic art was packed full with symbolism, because this was the easiest means of teaching the people. Manuscript illustrations are a good example of Gothic art. These manuscripts led to the International Gothic style which was a blend of Northern European and Italian art. It is important to realize that Gothic art and Renaissance art did overlap. It is also worth noting that Northern Europe did have their own separate Renaissance which occurred later than the Italian Renaissance. Durer and Grunewald are the transition artists from the Gothic and the Northern Renaissance. Giotto is the transition from the Gothic to the Italian Renaissance.
One of the major factors that led to the Renaissance in Italy was its system of government. Italy was divided into numerous city-states which were self-governing states. Unlike the current United States, the states of Italy were not unified in any way. There were five main city-states: Florence, Milan, Naples, Rome, and Venice. The economy was also a major factor in the decision of the location of the Renaissance in Italy. Unlike most of Europe, Italy depended more on trade than agriculture. The manorial system and feudal monarchies also existed although on a smaller scale. This led to greater freedom among the people and a larger percent of the population lived in the cities. All these people with all of these ideas were clustered together, and this led to some great achievements. Also, the weakening feudal system allowed for greater social mobility which meant that talented people, although not members of the elite, could still succeed. An example was Giotto. He was the son of a laborer and is sometimes referred to as the first Renaissance artist. He would not have been able to develop his talents if he had been born in Northern Europe during this time. Italy was also the banking center of Europe at this time. Thus, there were very wealthy families located in the area to spend money on art. Many more people knew how to read and write because it was necessary for business purposes. In general, the population also had more worldly values and was ready to move past Gothic art which was centered mainly on religion. Renaissance art did contain religious subjects along with mythological subjects, but its sole purpose was for more than religious teachings.
Italy is a peninsula, meaning it is surrounded by water on three sides. This allowed Italy to become a center of trade because of easy access to ports. Italy was a link between Europe and the Mediterranean States, as well as a link to India, China, and beyond. The Italians were exposed and influenced by the different cultures, especially the Byzantine and the Greek cultures. Also, the memory of the great Roman Empire was still strong in the peoples' minds.
Obviously, the influences of other cultures enthused the Italians and fed their creativity. Yet, there were other important factors contributing to the purpose of the creation of art. The rich wanted to show off their wealth. They also could gain favors from the church by commissioning works to ornament the cathedrals. During this period it also became important for wealthy families to feel as if they were giving back to the people. They did this by commissioning public artworks. This wasn't necessarily a painting or sculpture though. The work could be a public building as well.
A wealthy person, called a patron, would commission artwork from a specific person. That meant that the two, patron and artist, would meet and sign a legal document stating the materials to be used, set a date of completion, and a set payment to the artist. The patron usually controlled the subject matter as well, but this was not often included in the details of the contract. The artist would draw preliminary plans to be approved by the patron before beginning the actual work. However, artists often did not meet the terms of the contract by not completing the artwork in time. The patrons did have the right to take legal action when this occured, and they did so in many instances. A name well known as patrons to the arts is the Medici family
Although a great deal of artwork was located in private homes, much was still available for the public to admire. Cathedrals were filled with works. The sarcophagi of important clergy and men from the community were decorated with numerous sculptures. These sarcophagi were usually located in the cathedrals. The exterior of the churches also contained sculpted details. Monasteries and convents also displayed paintings and sculptures. Yet, these works were usually simpler in content and style. Religious works were often displayed along the road and on street corners in small tabernacles. Monuments containing shrines and fountains could be found in town squares also.
In some cities, such as Florence, artists had no choice but to belong to guilds. These guilds are comparable to our present day trade unions. These guilds were social groups as well as working units. The guilds also played prominent roles in politics and helped regulate the economy. The guilds controlled competition and prevented cheap imports into their city. The guild also regulated conditions to enter the profession, established standards for quality and work, and standards of assessing the works as well. However, the guilds did not set prices, wages, or negotiate with the patrons.
Painting:
The most common medium of painting was fresco paintings. This was the
technique of using a pigment similiar to water color and painting it directly onto wet
plaster. This was used for mural-like paintings on walls and ceilings. Because the
plaster absorbs the pigment, the painting becomes part of the wall or ceiling itself, not
just a layer on top. Another form of painting, used more often in the North, is oil.
Yet, it would become more popular throughout all of Europe towards the end of the
Renaissance. Oil was most often used on wooden panels, not canvas. Another medium is
tempera paints. This is pigment combined with egg yokes.
Sculpture:
The most common material used was marble or other forms of stone. These stones needed
to be quarried. Thus, problems arose because large stones were needed for works, and the
transportation of these heavy and bulky items was difficult. The best spot for the
quarries was around a river as access to waterways made transportation more convenient.
Another common material for sculpting was bronze. Bronze was sculpted using the lost-wax
technique. A wax model was created and then incased in clay. Heat was then applied, and
the wax ran out of spouts made for this purpose. Then, the spouts were closed and the hot
liquid brass was poured into the cast. After the brass cooled, the sculpture was perfected
using hand tools. Sculptures could also be created using wood and clay. An interesting
fact is that many sculptures were painted or gilded, even those done in marble.
Names were not given as they are today. Today everyone has an inherited last name from his\her father. In the renaissance, names usually consisted of a first name and then the place of birth or residence. For example, Leonardo was a given first name. Leonardo was born in Vinci. Thus, Leonardo da Vinci. Also, a child could be given the first name of his father as his own last name. For example, Giovanni di Paolo means Giovanni, son of Paolo. Also, many names we know of artist are actually nicknames. For example, Masaccio means Big Thomas. Masaccio's real name was Tomasso Cassai. In a few instances, artists were named after their own artwork (usually the work the artist was most known for).
Renaissance art was followed by Baroque art. The Baroque period was a product of the late 16th century and the Catholic Reformation. The Baroque appealed to the senses with its stress on grandeur, drama, vitality, movement, and emotion.
Apprenticeships: Many works of art attributed to a master were actually done at least in part sometimes mostly by their apprentices. Generally, the idea was the master's idea.
Sometimes more than one artist was commissioned to do a work. Each artist would complete separate parts of the commission. Perhaps one artist would sculpt a work, and another artist would paint or guild the sculpture. At times, artist also worked on artworks together.
Many Renaissance works of art were destroyed as a result of the Protestant Reformation. Some Protestants were upset with the opulence of Catholic art and destroyed statues and white-washed paintings.
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