This blog will be used throughout the quarter for primary document analysis, reflection, and classroom discussions. Remember that your posts can be viewed by anyone with access to the Internet. Please maintain proper decorum and civil discourse.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
"The Artist" - Reflection
How does a study of Renaissance art help us to better understand the time period?
A study of Renaissance art helps us to better understand the time period by portraying political, social, and cultural influences- they are primary documents in their own right. The focus of paintings and the different experiments of art during the Renaissance reflect the changing themes and ideas. For example, there is a shift to a focus on the human form rather than just primarily religious themes. Artists were also constrained by their guilds and patrons and were forced to adhere to the tastes and wishes of those who would pay them. Another example of how Renaissance art reveals details about the time period, the many portraits of patrons/wealthy citizens shows how art was a social symbol of status and wealth. Renaissance art is essentially a primary document without words: through the images that the artists displayed, we can tell what ideas and themes ruled the time as well as ideas, thoughts, and actions that rebelled against the common strain of thought of the time period.
Studying the art during that time can be used like a primary document would. It shows how people felt during the time period about things going on around that time. Like how people viewed the church, or how people dealt with struggle in their lives. Knowing how hard it was to make money it shows what kind of people were artists. They were people who only cared about getting out their views. When change was needed they were the first ones to show it. This power the artists had showed the change in time period. Never before this period could regular people move society forward. Now with art even uneducated people could be entertained by these paintings.
We view the Renaissance as a period of change. The artists of the time period led this movement of change. In the early days of the Renaissance, the guilds and patrons were in charge. The trade guilds controlled art and most other aspects of the artists lives. Additionally, the patrons, who were buying the art, controlled everything about the artists' paintings, even going as far to determine which color goes where. But, during this period the art and the artists' attitude changed- helping us understand the period. The artists started to realize that they were the ones in charge. They started expressing their individualism and using their art to encourage the change they wanted to see in society by shedding light on the bad parts of society, violence for example. The confidence of the artists grew during the time period. They started to go against guilds, patrons, the church, and the rulers. Their creativity inspired the change that was the Renaissance.
Renaissance art expressed the era's ideas, struggles, economy, and culture. We see the beauty of art, but there are stories behind them, like the artists' struggle to freely express themselves while challenging authority. This power struggle is still evident in society today. Sometimes artists of all kinds from painters, to writers, to actors, defy society and do not censor what they feel should be expressed despite what the government and organized religion want. The same occurred during the Renaissance. Further, art connects all aspects of everyday life. There were guilds, patrons financially supported artists, and even some reacted to the market and adjusted his work for supple and demand, like Durer. We sometimes think of art as simply creative, when in fact even art ties in with the business world. Finally, the era's art expressed ideas such as humanism and individualism while portraying religion as well. The struggle between the two sides is evident, but artists embraced these disparities between freedom and obeying the law and religion, but through them we can learn of the time's issues and how the people responded and reacted. All in all during this time, art WAS the Renaissance because all issues, ideas and events were translated into beautiful art that now serve as artifacts for us to learn from and connect to our own time.
The study of art in the renaissance shows how it developed the culture of the people of the time. Also how we today can understand the history of the time period because of the art we still have today. Another reason why it is important to study the art is because the art lead to several events that created new ideals, personal goals and developed the belief that beauty is a necessity. Also because of the different beliefs of people the art world helped artists to convey their beliefs in their work. In relation to artists this showed how those in power abused their rights to obtain portraits from the greatest artists so they could gain increasing popularity. Also the desire to have their own creativity was not always seen as something that all should see because of this censorship was relevant even during this time period. Overall the art shaped the renaissance and those City-States that perfected it were seen as the most powerful in the land.
This video evaluated three artist in the renaissance Michelangelo,Albrecht Durer, and Da Vinci. Da Vinci would gladly paint the nobles that asked him to but he would not let them effect how he painted them or how painted the things that would come out of his own mind. Michelangelo would not let anyone effect his painting either but he did it in a very different way. He was ill tempered and refused many when they requested his service. He even would be rude to the pope and refused to come to the popes side every time the pope would called. This video also talks about Artemisia Gentileschi who was a female artist who forced people to come to grips with uncomfortable situation. She would also show the strength of woman and how they influenced society.
The study of Renaissance art helps better understand the time period because art can be used as a primary source. The paintings/sculptures of the Renaissance give insight to the ideals and social structure of the time. The portraits of the rich demonstrate the relationship between the patron and the artist; without the rich patron the artist would not have work, and without the famous artist the patron would not be known throughout history. The allegory and criticism shown in the paintings also provides the events and attitude during parts of the Renaissance. In the early Renaissance, the emphasis on humanity (beauty and emotion) shows the newly evolving humanitarian ideals that contradict the Church's control. Overall, the art of the time period allows historians to infer facts about the Renaissance based on the various depictions of art/sculptures.
The study of Renaissance art helps us bette understand the time period because its expressed through struggles, ideas and culture itself. We the magnificence of the art on the outside but there is always a story that follows to express the reasoning ofthe sculture or the painting. Many of the artist were held back by the guild and patrons and were forced into doing things they may haven't wanted to be forced into. All the very well detailed art was kept in safe keeping for us now to go back and learn about the Renaissance and compare it to us now.
Art, like primary source documents, helps historians understand life during that time period. It also gives us insight into how Europe changed from the medieval era to the Renaissance. Some include the emergence of art itself. Art gives us the ability to see any bias of the artists. Some biases can be fueled by their location. Art differs drastically between the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance. It finally, like primary documents, allows us to see the thoughts of intellects of the Renaissance era.
Art plays a central role in the Renaissance, as through the work of the artists the humanist ideals can be revealed. The focus on the ideals of beauty and the human condition was embraced by the artists during this time, in both ideal and harshly realistic forms. Artists such as Michelangelo depicted the perfection of the human form through his sculpture David and various paintings. On the other hand, the focus on raw human emotion and life also came to the forefront through artists such as Donatello, which was another central focus of the Renaissance. The independent spirit of the Renaissance was also embodied through the actions of those such as Brunelleschi in defying the traditional guilds that had remained from the Middle Ages. Conflict as the Renaissance ideals of independence and humanism clashed with the strict traditions of the church was also reflected and fueled by art during this time; though many artists depicted religious topics, their intense focus on the beauty of humans and human achievements caused tension with more conservative church leaders. Overall, Renaissance art helps to reflect the time period as the blossoming of art reflects the increased focus on the fine arts by society and the artwork itself depicts the humanism ideals with beauty and independence of humans.
Renaissance art has a huge impact on our take on the Renaissance period. The incredible stories shown throughout each work of art give us insight of their lives to historians today. Different paintings portray different things such as the economy or culture of the time. Also, artists used their paintings to explain their ideas and hopes for the future. Although being an artist was not a common or desired profession because of the low pay and uncertainty, their work serves as a very important aspect of the Renaissance era. The art is very important to the success of the Renaissance era.
A study of Renaissance art helps us to better understand the time period by portraying political, social, and cultural influences- they are primary documents in their own right. The focus of paintings and the different experiments of art during the Renaissance reflect the changing themes and ideas. For example, there is a shift to a focus on the human form rather than just primarily religious themes. Artists were also constrained by their guilds and patrons and were forced to adhere to the tastes and wishes of those who would pay them. Another example of how Renaissance art reveals details about the time period, the many portraits of patrons/wealthy citizens shows how art was a social symbol of status and wealth. Renaissance art is essentially a primary document without words: through the images that the artists displayed, we can tell what ideas and themes ruled the time as well as ideas, thoughts, and actions that rebelled against the common strain of thought of the time period.
ReplyDeleteStudying the art during that time can be used like a primary document would. It shows how people felt during the time period about things going on around that time. Like how people viewed the church, or how people dealt with struggle in their lives. Knowing how hard it was to make money it shows what kind of people were artists. They were people who only cared about getting out their views. When change was needed they were the first ones to show it. This power the artists had showed the change in time period. Never before this period could regular people move society forward. Now with art even uneducated people could be entertained by these paintings.
ReplyDeleteWe view the Renaissance as a period of change. The artists of the time period led this movement of change. In the early days of the Renaissance, the guilds and patrons were in charge. The trade guilds controlled art and most other aspects of the artists lives. Additionally, the patrons, who were buying the art, controlled everything about the artists' paintings, even going as far to determine which color goes where. But, during this period the art and the artists' attitude changed- helping us understand the period. The artists started to realize that they were the ones in charge. They started expressing their individualism and using their art to encourage the change they wanted to see in society by shedding light on the bad parts of society, violence for example. The confidence of the artists grew during the time period. They started to go against guilds, patrons, the church, and the rulers. Their creativity inspired the change that was the Renaissance.
ReplyDeleteRenaissance art expressed the era's ideas, struggles, economy, and culture. We see the beauty of art, but there are stories behind them, like the artists' struggle to freely express themselves while challenging authority. This power struggle is still evident in society today. Sometimes artists of all kinds from painters, to writers, to actors, defy society and do not censor what they feel should be expressed despite what the government and organized religion want. The same occurred during the Renaissance. Further, art connects all aspects of everyday life. There were guilds, patrons financially supported artists, and even some reacted to the market and adjusted his work for supple and demand, like Durer. We sometimes think of art as simply creative, when in fact even art ties in with the business world. Finally, the era's art expressed ideas such as humanism and individualism while portraying religion as well. The struggle between the two sides is evident, but artists embraced these disparities between freedom and obeying the law and religion, but through them we can learn of the time's issues and how the people responded and reacted. All in all during this time, art WAS the Renaissance because all issues, ideas and events were translated into beautiful art that now serve as artifacts for us to learn from and connect to our own time.
ReplyDeleteThe study of art in the renaissance shows how it developed the culture of the people of the time. Also how we today can understand the history of the time period because of the art we still have today. Another reason why it is important to study the art is because the art lead to several events that created new ideals, personal goals and developed the belief that beauty is a necessity. Also because of the different beliefs of people the art world helped artists to convey their beliefs in their work. In relation to artists this showed how those in power abused their rights to obtain portraits from the greatest artists so they could gain increasing popularity. Also the desire to have their own creativity was not always seen as something that all should see because of this censorship was relevant even during this time period. Overall the art shaped the renaissance and those City-States that perfected it were seen as the most powerful in the land.
ReplyDeleteThis video evaluated three artist in the renaissance Michelangelo,Albrecht Durer, and Da Vinci. Da Vinci would gladly paint the nobles that asked him to but he would not let them effect how he painted them or how painted the things that would come out of his own mind. Michelangelo would not let anyone effect his painting either but he did it in a very different way. He was ill tempered and refused many when they requested his service. He even would be rude to the pope and refused to come to the popes side every time the pope would called.
ReplyDeleteThis video also talks about Artemisia Gentileschi who was a female artist who forced people to come to grips with uncomfortable situation. She would also show the strength of woman and how they influenced society.
The study of Renaissance art helps better understand the time period because art can be used as a primary source. The paintings/sculptures of the Renaissance give insight to the ideals and social structure of the time. The portraits of the rich demonstrate the relationship between the patron and the artist; without the rich patron the artist would not have work, and without the famous artist the patron would not be known throughout history. The allegory and criticism shown in the paintings also provides the events and attitude during parts of the Renaissance. In the early Renaissance, the emphasis on humanity (beauty and emotion) shows the newly evolving humanitarian ideals that contradict the Church's control. Overall, the art of the time period allows historians to infer facts about the Renaissance based on the various depictions of art/sculptures.
ReplyDeleteThe study of Renaissance art helps us bette understand the time period because its expressed through struggles, ideas and culture itself. We the magnificence of the art on the outside but there is always a story that follows to express the reasoning ofthe sculture or the painting. Many of the artist were held back by the guild and patrons and were forced into doing things they may haven't wanted to be forced into. All the very well detailed art was kept in safe keeping for us now to go back and learn about the Renaissance and compare it to us now.
ReplyDeleteArt, like primary source documents, helps historians understand life during that time period. It also gives us insight into how Europe changed from the medieval era to the Renaissance. Some include the emergence of art itself. Art gives us the ability to see any bias of the artists. Some biases can be fueled by their location. Art differs drastically between the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance. It finally, like primary documents, allows us to see the thoughts of intellects of the Renaissance era.
ReplyDeleteArt plays a central role in the Renaissance, as through the work of the artists the humanist ideals can be revealed. The focus on the ideals of beauty and the human condition was embraced by the artists during this time, in both ideal and harshly realistic forms. Artists such as Michelangelo depicted the perfection of the human form through his sculpture David and various paintings. On the other hand, the focus on raw human emotion and life also came to the forefront through artists such as Donatello, which was another central focus of the Renaissance. The independent spirit of the Renaissance was also embodied through the actions of those such as Brunelleschi in defying the traditional guilds that had remained from the Middle Ages. Conflict as the Renaissance ideals of independence and humanism clashed with the strict traditions of the church was also reflected and fueled by art during this time; though many artists depicted religious topics, their intense focus on the beauty of humans and human achievements caused tension with more conservative church leaders. Overall, Renaissance art helps to reflect the time period as the blossoming of art reflects the increased focus on the fine arts by society and the artwork itself depicts the humanism ideals with beauty and independence of humans.
ReplyDeleteRenaissance art has a huge impact on our take on the Renaissance period. The incredible stories shown throughout each work of art give us insight of their lives to historians today. Different paintings portray different things such as the economy or culture of the time. Also, artists used their paintings to explain their ideas and hopes for the future. Although being an artist was not a common or desired profession because of the low pay and uncertainty, their work serves as a very important aspect of the Renaissance era. The art is very important to the success of the Renaissance era.
ReplyDelete