Monday, January 30, 2012

Fourteenth and Fifteenth Century Art

Most of the subject matter of the works covered in chapters seventeen (fourteenth-century art in Europe), eighteen (fifteenth-century art in northern Europe) and nineteen (Renaissance art in fifteenth-century Italy) in the text is based on religion; specifically the early Christian Church, often depicting the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ.  Whether the artists use sculpture, tapestry or canvas, it seemed to be a favored theme in this time period.  Other works depict everyday life, such as the calendar pages of Trés Riches Heures by Paul, Herman and Jean Limbourg.

I have noticed that many of the paintings display rich, vibrant colors, as in Mary at her Devotions, Hours of Mary of Burgundy.  Interestingly, this is a painting of a painting.



The examples of tapestry and embroidery, such as Cope of the Order of the Golden Fleece, shows an incredible attention to detail.

One of the more impressive, in my opinion, is the Studiolo of Frederico Montefeltro.  Despite the apparent cupboards, benches, shelves and window, the walls are, put simply, flat.  These are thin layers of wood, dyed to create value.  Something that stands out is that the items depicted in the cabinets are not organized or orderly; they appear to have been simply placed and/or dropped/tossed in.  This makes it all the more impressive as it is probably more difficult to show items randomly put there than orderly, organized items.  Overall, this piece is, in a word, breathtaking.
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2 comments:

  1. JoyceFebruary 2, 2012 at 5:43 AM

    The room from the ducal palace is one of my favorites. This intarsia is absolutely a masterpiece. I agree with your point wholeheartedly, that his way of arranging the objects in a perceived random order makes the entire piece even more believable.

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  2. Thomas C. ConnellFebruary 2, 2012 at 9:05 AM

    The painting "Mary at her Devotions,Mary at Burgundy" does have beautiful vibrant colors. It does reveal current thought back then of a desire for intimacy with the divine. The technical skill is amazing. Spatial recession with the photo-realism of the architecture combine for depth and beauty. The reflection of light in the sanctuary simply add luminosity to the symbolism of personal meditations with the Divine. It looks like a beautiful church during the day with the Virgin Mary and Jesus in conversation. What if you were granted audience with these spiritual icons? What questions would you ask? It's a remarkable feat of precise forms.
    I also thought the "Studiolo of Federico Da Montefeltro" was breathtaking. There are harmonious illusions of depth and value, and I look at it with a sense of wonder. Some artists have no limits or boundaries with some works. It does belong in a palace. There must have been a team of experts,artisans,and apprentices under master wood workers. Another beautiful precise piece.

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