Transcript Renaissance Art vs. Meideval Art

Renaissance Art vs. Medieval Art
Bell Ringer
Tell me about these paintings. Can you find similarities
and/or differences?
Medieval Art (things to notice)
• Look at the people, they all look the
same. Close to stick figures (i.e Their
proportions are not accurate.
• The idea of space, there is none. Some
of the people and objects look like the
are floating because of the lack of light
and shadow to make it look 3D.
• There is no Perspective. It looks like a
bunch of randomly placed objects that
are all equal in size.
• Religion, most medieval art has some
sort of religious aspect to it.
• The artists normally sign their work to
know who’s work it is. In this painting
we do not find this.
Renaissance Art (things to notice)
-Notice the people and their faces, they look like real people with real faces. They do not look
like stick figures and they all look different.
-You can defiantly see depth perception in these paintings. As people and objects are closer
they appear larger and as the fade to the distance they appear smaller.
-As you can see there is defiantly linear perspective, vanishing or focus point. When you look
at the painting your eyes are drawn to one point in the painting.
-The people in the painting seem to be free to do whatever they choose. There is no
reference to religion in this painting.
Why?
• Medieval art: Mostly religious; very focused on creating symbols of
Christian concepts/values; not concerned with realism. Statues were
shallow and flat. Bodies might be out of proportion.
• Renaissance art: Very focused on realism--on portraying things as
they look. Used linear perspective in painting. Not as focused on
religion. Often used to show the beauty in nature (including human
beings). Often depicted everyday life. Used light and shadow.
• Attention to detail is focused on more heavily during the
Renaissance.
• Times were very different as well. Medieval art was heavily focused
on religion and work whereas those in the Renaissance times were
more open and free. People wanted the truth and focused on
realism.
• Realism focuses on life and how it is truly, not imaginative at all.