Module 4: General Reading and Video Questions

Module 4: General Reading and Video Questions

1. Andrea del Verrocchio, popularly known as Verrocchio, was an Italian goldsmith, painter, and sculptor who was renown in Florence during the High Renaissance. He was born in 1435 in Florence, never married, was a member of the Guild of St. Luke, and had a workshop in Florence. He trained several painters in his workshop, and there are few paintings accredited to him. His last artistic work was a sculpture that is considered to be his masterpiece, the Equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni in Venice. He is renowned for using bronze in his sculptures (Butterfield, 2001, p. 80). Among paintings attributed to him include Madonna with seated Child and Tobias and the Angel in Berlin and London, respectively. His famous sculptures include Cosimo de’ Medici monument. Verrocchio was related to Leonardo da Vinci through being the young artist’s teacher. Verrocchio influenced Leonardo by educating him in his workshop in Florence.
2. Leonardo was among the most celebrated artists during the High Renaissance and is considered to be ahead of his time. His painting of Mona Lisa remains the most famous painting five centuries after its completion, which makes him be deemed to have been ahead of his time (Zucker¹ and Harris). Among other factors that make scholars assume that he was ahead of his time is his understanding and imagination of new engineering and science principles. This was evident through concepts of parachutes, gliders, cranes, and diving suits. He also designed many military weapons and was mainly employed as an army engineer. His innovations were attractive to kings and warring dukes between the late 15^th century and early 16^th century. Although some of his ideas were never tested during his time, he is considered to be ahead of time because some, such as the concept of a military tank, have been proven viable in recent times. In regards to mathematics, he is considered to be ahead of time through his application of proportion, geometry, and symmetry in his paintings and drawings.
3. Among the experiments that Leonardo did was the painting the Last Supper, which was tempera and oil on the plaster of 1498. He embraced the experimental technique that revealed a high level of precision and chromatic brilliance. However, “because the painting is on a thin exterior wall, it amplified the effects of humidity, and the paint failed to adhere to the wall properly. Mold grew between the paint and the surface, and the presence of moisture caused constant peeling” (Zucker² & Harris, 2015). In the experiment, Leonardo intended to display his brilliance and greater detail that could be realized through the traditional fresco; the wall was covered with a dried plaster twice. He also added lead-white undercoat to improve the brightness of the oil and tempera, which was applied on top. This experiment failed since by 1550, the painting was ruined, and its initial restoration began in 1726.
4. The High Renaissance took place primarily in Rome and was fueled by several factors. Among the factors was the ability of the Rome artists to use oil paints. Through the use of oil paints, the artists created pieces of art that were considered as soft forms. Another factor for High Renaissance taking place in Rome is attributed to the rise in diversity and number of patrons. Among the renowned patron during the High Renaissance in Rome was Pope Julius II. The pope sponsored many artists, among them was Raphael and Michelangelo. Besides, the artists in Rome were able to use fresco, which as a philosophical subject that was applied by Raphael in The School of Athens painting that was done between 1509 and 1511. Thus, the High Renaissance in Rome was mainly attributed to the presence of many talented artists and many wealthy patrons.
5. Pope Julius II headed the Catholic Church between 1503 and 1513 in a period when he was considered the most powerful person on earth due to his influence on European and Italian politics. His liking for war made him be referred to as the Warrior pope. He was a capable politician, as well as diplomatic. During his reign, his policies changed Italy’s history because he was the most powerful individual on earth, and greatly influenced the High Renaissance. He greatly influenced High Renaissance through commissioning and collecting great arts; hence was identified as a patron who intended to leave a legacy (Brandolin, 1981, p. 78). Scholars agree that Pope Julius II used patronage to earn power and wealth for the church. This was important since his era was characterized by increased warfare among the European princes. Through sponsoring valuable paintings, statues, and architecture, he displayed the church as being wealthy and powerful.
6. During the High Renaissance, the status of the artists changed due to increased mercantilism. Hence, the artists with excellent skills were hired by powerful patrons who included politicians and rich business people; consequently, the artists became wealthy too. Through the wealthy patrons commissioning valuable arts, the artists became famous and joined the high-class members of the society. Hence, the artists’ social status also changed through increased earnings. The artists also enhanced their skills by joining philosophy schools that sharpened their knowledge. Artists increased their social class by integrating additional expertise in their arts to make them more superior than those produced during the New Renaissance. Consequently, these artists were considered as more educated individuals, which was an integral part of the Humanist Society and the liberal arts.
7. Bramante’s Tempietto is considered a perfect High Renaissance building due to its design and the architectural principles applied. Tempietto refers to a small church that was composed of a classical design coupled with ribbed dome and perfect symmetry, which is mostly associated with Roman Catholics. Since a building value is attached to its details and size, then the perfection of Bramante’s cannot be ignored. Tempietto. According to Zucker³ and Harris (2015), the Tempietto is flawless and detailed in regards to characteristics such as ranking cornice, columns, and triglyph.  More so, besides the artists display a monumental crucifixion of peter, he perfectly shows a central theme of the Roman Catholics (Brandolini, 1981, p. 77).
8. High Renaissance art differs from the Early Renaissance in diverse ways. The Early Renaissance mostly used religious figures to express their talent, while the High Renaissance used less religious and failed to use halo around the head of Jesus. The Early Renaissance artists were interested in nature and naturalism, while those in High Renaissance arts focused on reality and has an immense interest in reality and nature (Smarthistory, 2001). The High Renaissance ignored triangular compositions and were creating pyramidal ones like the Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, The Virgin of the Rocks, unlike Sandro Botticelli’s painting, Primavera, which is triangular composition. A critical look at Botticelli painting indicates the presence of Venus is located at the center. In contrast, other people are located at the right and left, which represents a triangular composition. In Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, there appear to be some people forging out of the painting that creates the pyramidal composition.
9. Zucker³ and Harris (2015), notes that Mona Lisa is an oil on panel painting by Leonardo done between 1503 and 1505, which is the most famous painting in the world. The painting is likely to be that of a wife of Florence patron but was not delivered as Leonardo went to France to work for the King, Francis I. There is speculation that it is the painting of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a Florentine merchant. The painting is important through its smile that has inspired many painters, writers, and singers. They used sfumato in softening the outlines and for creation of an atmospheric effect. It is also crucial as it reveals Leonardo’s artistic genius through sfumato that entails light and shadow gradations in the creation of form along with his comprehension of skin and skull. The painting shows Leonardo was not only an inventor and a scientist, but also a great painter.
10. Zucker⁴ & Harris (2015) acknowledges that Bramante’s design for St. Peter’s reflects the basic ideas of the Christian faith. The centrally planned church has the figure of the Greek cross that is enclosed in a square along with a large dome at the center. There are smaller domes along with half domes, which are forging out. This design reflects the basics of Christians faith since the circle at the center of the Greek cross has no beginning or end. Hence, it shows the perfection of God and His eternal nature. The design High Renaissance design places the burial site of St. Peter at the high altar with a strong belief among the Roman Catholics that Peter was the last principle disciple to Jesus. This design differs from other religions’ designs, such as a Muslim’s Mosque, which does not believe in Jesus being Son of God as Roman Catholics do and lack cross. The Muslims believe Muhammad was the Messenger to Allah, while Jesus was like any other disciple. As such, the design of the church through the cross displaying the holy trinity,  God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, display through the Roman cross differs from the design of Mosque, who only believe in One God, Allah.

References

Brandolini, S. (1981). Bramante’s Tempietto: Concept and Representation. AA Files, (1), 77-83.

Butterfield, A. (2001). Verrocchio and the Bronze Statuette. Studies in the History of Art, 62, 70-81.

Smarthistory. (2011). Toward the high Renaissance: Verrocchio and Leonardo. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YMEIjHl9og&feature=youtu.be.

Zucker¹, S. & Harris, B. (2015). Leonardo, Mona Lisa. Smarthistory. Retrieved from https://smarthistory.org/leonardo-mona-lisa/.

Zucker², S. & Harris, B. (2015). Leonardo, Last Supper. Smarthistory. Retrieved from https://smarthistory.org/leonardo-last-supper/.

Zucker³, S. & Harris, B. (2015).Donato Bramante, Tempietto, Rome. Smarthistory. Retrieved from https://smarthistory.org/donato-bramante-tempietto-rome/.

Zucker⁴, S. & Harris, B. (2015). Saint Peter’s Basilica. Smarthistory. Retrieved from  https://smarthistory.org/st-peters-basilica/.