Post #9

Throughout the quarter we have looked at a number of artistic periods. Of those periods the one that stood out the most to me was the Renaissance. This maybe be one of the most known and talked about periods in art, or even history,  but in this class I learned a number of new details about the the art created that reassured me it has deserved such fame.  The rise of humanism, an idea that celebrates all human achievement, lead to advancements in art as well as the social status of artists. They were able to separate themselves into the liberal arts and show that their profession had a theoretical background that had to be taught, learned and expanded on. Artists began to keep notes and form theories and methodologies in creating art. This also helped artists to gain recognition for their individual achievements and accomplishments, a big difference from the common anonymity of the past. This coupled with the writings of people like Georgio Vasari, said to be the father of art history, gave artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo the ability to reach the historical fame they have.

Through humanism and this new scholarly approach to creating art, various new and groundbreaking techniques were developed. During the Renaissance, a focus on naturalism, realism and illusionism really forced artists to further push the envelope in all areas. Things like human anatomy and proportion were revisited and reemployed from the classical period. To create a more realistic illusion of space however, Renaissance artists created a few new tricks. Sfumato was a way for a painter to create a smoky, haze that appears on details deep in the distance in real life. It gave them a new tool for creating a realistic atmospheric perspective. But no tool gave them more realism than the development of linear or calculated perspective. Before then, we had seen a number of artists try to capture the way objects are oriented as they fade in the distance, or implied perspective. Filipo Brunelleschi developed linear perspective, having all lines fade to a common vanishing point and it changed art and its ability to portray realism and depth in a two dimensional medium. Paintings like Delivery of the Keys to Saint Peter by Pietro Perugino and School of Athens by Raphael are examples of what was possible in Renaissance art after learning linear perspective.

The Renaissance was also very interested in composition and how it not only filled the piece but effected the viewer. Their goal was to create a peaceful and harmonious composition that put the viewer at ease. To do this they started with a popular triangle composition that would have the important objects or figures in a loosely triangular layout within the format. This created a strong and balanced shape that also lead the eye all throughout the piece. As the interest in illusion and depth began to grow the triangle became a pyramid that could also fill space, but still created such balance and harmony. Portraits also bean to grow in popularity and it was Leonardo da Vinci who popularized the three quarter turn pose that has been popular and used in portraits and photos since.