Renaissance Art History Sculpture

Renaissance in Italy – Influences to led in

The main influence of art in Renaissance was classical period of ancient Greek and Roman Empire. Despite this, social, philosophic and cultural background was totally different. Great impact on how the renaissance art developed had humanism, which put its main concern on the human, his existence, development and his perfection. Innovation which describes relationship between artist and his employer was patronage as a consequence of this was contract based on commission between them. Patrons were rich and powerfully people, groups of people such us families, like Medici in Florence or organizations including religious. Position of artists in the society was adequate to their employers. Patronage allowed artists establish particular artistic, manufacturing unions called ‘workshop’. Especially in Italy where humanists’ ideas and richest patrons, with great aspirations, motivated expansion of art generally and decorative aspects of art, as never before. As the house was the greatest concern of wealthy citizens progress of interior decorations appeared in every aspect including wall treatment, textiles, sculpture, uncountable kinds of furniture and other decorative objects. In renaissance walls were generally smooth and simple, treated in few ways. First method, was painted in different patterns usually repeated to give impression of wallpapers. But first of all, identifying mark of Renaissance was fresco with classical ancestry used on large arrears of walls and ceilings as well. It was simple painting on wet plaster. On the beginning stones and cements walls were prepared by application of layer of plaster called arricio, next finished with wet plaster called intonaco which was laid on arriccio in sections, painted before dry with pigments mixed with water. Each of the section, painted from top to the bottom of intended pictures, was painted with great attention to avoid splash on ready parts. Very common themes of fresco was religious scenes, others were mythological or different. Minority to fresco, but also used were fresco secco or buon fresco. Beside fresco, ceilings, not only in private residential were beamed or coffers and commonly painted in rich colours. Totally different medium in painting were Tempera and Oil Painting. Tempera was a technique of paint wood panels for which selection of wood was very important to avoid any defects such as warp and cracks could do damage to planned picture. Dry and sanded, smooth surface of panels was covered many times with a layers of ground plaster called gesso based on the glue mixed with gypsum. After dry, gesso was scraped and polished to smooth finish, ready to paint. Despite that tempera was known from ancient times, most of artists had their own method to create it. Because it was consisted of egg yolk, water and pigments, main feature of this paint was quantity of paint prepared before as much as it was necessary to use on one time. Colours to gain were very bright just after varnishing. Oil painting to compare with tempera were dated on early 12th century, but just now in renaissance this technique reborn on great scale. Oil paint was mixed with dry oil, pigments and turpentine made it as very flexible medium to use on different surfaces such us polished marble, glass, wood and canvas of course. This flexibility very fast rendered oil painting on the whole Europe as the most common paint technique. Sculpture in renaissance was very popular in different types, from different materials, for example in Italy sculptors could choose to create their work from stone, wood, terracotta, stucco, plaster of Paris, wax, bronze, papier-mâché or silver. Types of sculpture appearances were free-standing, erotic, young nude male, with his art roots in ancient Greek, very common were statues as a part of tombs, reliefs and as a new ‘Pieta’ (also in painting) and the Biblical hero David, especially in Florence, where he was recognised as a symbol of independence of the town. Flagships example of renaissance sculpture of David was carved by Michelangelo. One of the strongest points of renaissance interiors were mantelpieces called also chimneypieces.

In fact they originated in medieval times but just in this period their evolution was such considerable. Mantelpieces were frameworks of fireplaces, which in contemporary times, were main source of heating. As a consequence it was the main place of house were family was sitting together, thus it was the most ornamental feature of renaissance room. Mantelpiece includes jambs, mantel shelf and external accessories of fireplace were always richly carved in stones or wood, but the most luxurious material was marble. Other elements of mantelpieces could be capitals, mouldings, brackets, figures, animals, fruits and vegetation which was demonstrate by individual mantel’s designers. The most known styles of mantelpiece art were introduced for e.g. by J.B Piranesi in France or Inigo Jones in Italy. Separate part of decorative art were furniture such as solid wood chests Cassone, cassone’s variation of Cassapanca, cabinets called Credenza, different kinds of chairs as Sedia, Savonarola, Sgabello or Dante, tables, beds and others.The most popular wood for furniture was walnut, but also oak, ash and maple was used (especially in German and Britain), carved, with intarsia and sometimes painted and gilded. Some of the furniture, besides usable attributes, had symbolic features as well, like a Cassone. It was traditional bridal chest and was treated as a symbol of power and wealth of the families. Other types of furniture were music instruments like Harpischord, Cembalino or Spinet. Last element of renaissance interiors I would like to mention were coverings. Typical for textiles was silk woven with large – scale motifs in strong colours, but brocades and brocatelles were also used, but rather in early renaissance. Textiles were display on the walls in a tapestry form, in which French town of Arras was leading (14th – 15th Cent), also Germany and Netherlands, less Italy, and as a loose pillows put on the chair seats and benches. Legacy of Renaissance left for next generations is so great and invaluable that most appropriate name of this period is beyond dispute ‘Golden Ages’.

About the Author

Christopher Adach

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