Humanities - Key Characteristics of the Renaissance - Essay Example

Humanities Art is a way of expressing the element of truth in a culture. Art is defined as the skill of doing anything as a result of knowledge and practice. Human species are generally accepted to be the inventors of art during the upper Paleolithic over two million years ago. The history of art begins with that of humanity since humans are artistic by nature. Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simon was born on 6th March 1475 (Creighton 25). He lived in the period of renaissance. He was best known for his master sculptor, the sculpture of David made of marble block. The statue of david is a sculpture of a nude man standing and represents the heroic David of the bible. The eyes of the sculpture are turned towards Rome in what looks like a stare of warning. On the other hand, the Pieta depicts the dead body of Jesus on the laps of his mother, Mary. The sculpture portrays a balance of classical beauty and renaissance ideals. Michelangelo’s works were entirely involved in the services of the Catholic Church (Creighton 25). He was a man of pessimism in his poetry and optimist in his artwork. He is considered to be one of the greatest artists and architect during the Renaissance period. His artwork consisted of paintings and sculptures that revealed humanity in its natural state. Key Characteristics of the Renaissance The renaissance was a period between 1500 and1700. During this period there was a rebirth of interest in the ideas of the classical period. In this period the ideas of Hippocrates and Galen were studied and the four humors become the focus of medical treatments and bloodletting became very popular (Lobenstine 78). Science began in this period (renaissance period) and it changed (got replaced) superstition into medicine. This period also saw the founding of the royal society, in the year 1660, a body of leading scientists. People in this period had to be educated and had to have knowledge in both science and arts like Leonardo da Vinci (Lobenstine 83). He was well known for his art works (like the Mona Lisa) and he was also a scientist and regularly attended dissections. The reformation happened during this period largely as people were thinking about the things around them and were not ready to accept what had always been. During the renaissance period (1517) Martin Luther brought out a list of things that he thought were wrong with the church to a door of a church in Wittenberg in Germany. These ideas threatened the Catholic Church as many people liked them and protested about the Catholic Church, these people came to be known as the Protestants (Spielvogel 67). Despite the efforts of the Catholic Church to preserve the existing orders, new ideas, discoveries and inventions took place. In 1527 a German physician and chemist (Paracelsus) started a lecture by burning one of Galen’s books (Spielvogel 67). He did not honor the four humors theory. He believed that diseases attack the body from outside and that the cures should help the body to defend itself from the diseases. The criticisms he made about Galen encouraged medical thinking towards scientific thought. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simon was a great representative in this period as he was an artist and a painter and was commissioned by the Pope Julius II to repaint the vault in the church. Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel is located in Rome and was constructed between 1473 and 1481 by Giovanni de Dolci under orders from Sixtus IV to a design by Baccio Pontelli (Michelangelo 16). The chapel is forty meters long and 13 meters wide, its long sided walls have six windows that illuminate the chapel. Under the reign of Sixtus IV the walls got painted by celebrated artist of that period. The artists included Ghirlandaio, Signorelli, Botticelli and Pinturicchio according to Michelangelo (15). Sistine chapel is reputed for its architecture which is the result of unique contribution from Renaissance artists like Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini. The chapel is named after Pope Sixtus IV, the first mass having been conducted on August 15th 1483 by Pope Sixtus IV. Ever since, the Sistine Chapel has served as a rostrum for religious and official activities. This Chapel is highlighted as the venue of the papal as the ceremony that results in the election of the pope is held here. This Chapel is thronged by clerics, officials and distinguished visitors and only holds important services within the papal calendar. It functions as the venue for the assimilation of College of Cardinals during the election of a new Pope as it has a chimney from which the smoke that rises acts as an indication of election (Michelangelo 34). The chapel is a meeting ground for important contribution to the well being and interests of Christianity around the world and it represents the spirit of renovation (Michelangelo 1). Impressionism Impressionism was an art movement that was developed in France (in the late 19th and 20th centuries) according to Rewald (10). It began as a loose association of Paris based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them together in the 1870s and 1880s. The name impressionism was derived from the title of a Claude Monet work. The impressionism is characterized by paintings that include relatively thin, small, yet visible brush strokes, the inclusion of movement, open compositions, unusual visual angles, and ordinary subject matter. Some of the painters in this era included Pierre Auguste Renoir, Berthe Morisot, Armand Guillaumin, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro, Claude Monet and Frederic Bazille Rewald (25). The impressions saw the development of new techniques that were specific to the movement only. The public which was hostile came to gradually agree that impressionists captured a fresh and original vision even though they did not receive the approval of art critics and establishment. Analysis of Renoir and van Gogh Pierre Auguste Renoir was born on February 25th 1841 in Limoges, France. Pierre Augustine Renoir has many paintings that are known by people all over the world. His unique paintings of groups and women are loved and recognized by millions of people. Renoir is among the world’s most renowned artists; he become famous after his death and was considered waste during his life time just as with many other artists. Vincent Van Gogh was born on March 30th 1853 in Groot Zundert, Holland. He is famous for his mental instability and his vivid paintings. His artistic style was fresh and astounding with rough brush strokes, impressionistic burst of colors and focus on nature and simple topics like flowers and hay stacks Pickvance (47). Pierre Augustine Renoir was the best of the two as he was well known all over the world. His paintings are still adored and cherished for their uniqueness. Evolution of Photography The basic principles of optics were developed by the Greek and the Chinese philosophers in the 4th and 5th century. Newton discovers the white light between 1664 and 1666. Between the year 1814 and 1826, Joseph Nicephore Niepce was credited for the invention of photography. The first permanent photograph was taken by him and it took an eight hour exposure. In 1934, color photography was created by Leopold Godowsky and Leopold Mannes. Works Cited Creighton, Gilbert. Michelangelo On and Off the Sistine Ceiling. New York: George Braziller. Print. 1994. Lobenstine Margaret. The Renaissance soul: life design for people with too many passions to pick just one. Broadway Books. Print. 2006. Michelangelo. Sistine Chapel Coloring Book. New York, NY: Courier Dove Publications, 2004. Print. Pickvance, Ronald. English Influences on Vincent van Gogh (exh. catalogue University of Nottingham & alt. 1974/75). London: Arts Council. Print. 1974. Rewald, John (1973). The History of Impressionism (4th, Revised Ed.). New York: The Museum of Modern Art. Print. Spielvogel Jackson. Western Civilization: A Brief History. Cengage Learning. Print. 2010. Read More