Renaissance Art in the Explanation of History

The use of Renaissance art and literature to understand the history of Europe is essential. Painters, sculptors, architects, musicians and writers mirror in their works the spirit of their time and change this spirit. Through art, men of later times are able to see events captured in historical novels or paintings. Somehow, art could be comparable to the history of mentalities because it helps history to go further than the explanation of a chain of events. Art contributes to visualize the meaning of history.

The Renaissance art is especially significant because during the Renaissance period a new conception of reality and life was born. Art itself was the result of this new way of thinking in which the individual started to be more important than the community and attention was paid not just to God but also to men. As stated by Conway, “The increased attention to human achievement in the world marked a new stage in the development of Western Culture” (XIV). Portraits, self portraits, personal letters and even the place in society given to the artist are just a few examples of how men changed their idea about their identity in relation to the idea existing in the Middle Ages. To demonstrate how art illustrates history and the specific features of the Renaissance period reflected in art, some of the most significant works and artists of this period will be briefly presented.

One of the earliest and most important literary works of the Renaissance period is The Decameron by Bocaccio. In the introduction, the author narrates how the Black Death first appeared in Florence. Boccacio gives details about the symptoms and the development of the pest. In addition, he tells how people behaved as a consequence of the Black Death. The Decameron depicts the different reactions people had. The reader discovers how families were separated and how the most noble and the most dastardly of human beings came to light. Later, throughout the stories told in the book, the reader also sees the values of the earlier Renaissance society. Conaway (1987) states the important themes in Bocaccio’s work:“The concern with the dialectic between appearance and reality; the place of religion in society and a critique of the church’s human failings; the acceptance of a hearty sensuality; the admiration for wit and intelligence; and the role of women in Renaissance culture.”

Another important writer was Petrarch. His work deserves special attention because his letters and his poetry impacted the history of humanity. As said by Conaway, Petrarch’s life and works had made a heroic figure of the scholar and the intellectual (XV). Trough his literary art, he fed the concept of “individualism” and humanism. He rescued the discovering and philosophical concepts of Antiquity and added the idea of “imitation and originality.” By doing that, he planted the seed for the development of the ideas, beliefs and values originated in the Renaissance, many of which are still present in our life.

As Conaway adds, “In the plastics arts, this enthusiasm for the lessons learned from the Roman past and the renewed value of the individual were embodied in the new geometric forms of Giotto’s frescos, the light and sprightly sculpture of Donatello, and the studies of perspective typical of Piero della Francesca” (XVII).

Giotto was recognized as the first genius of art in the Italian Renaissance.. He dealt largely in the traditional religious subjects and distinguished for giving these subjects an earthly, full-blooded life and force. He had a grasp of human emotion and of what was significant in human life. In concentrating on these essentials he created compelling pictures of people under stress, of people caught up in crises and soul-searching decisions.

Considered by many scholars, the most important Renaissance artist, Michelangelo, was as well as Leonardo DaVinci a multifaceted man. He was architect, sculptor, painter and poet. Zophy explains that immersed in Neo-platonic idealism from his time with the Medici he was interested in the life of the human soul as expressed in the structure and movement of the human body. For him, the body was the ‘mortal veil’ of divine intention (113). Some of his most important works are The Pietá, David and The Last Judgment on the Sistine Chapel. Giorgio Vasari (1558) commented that The Pietá was the most outstanding sculptured ever created.

Another artist very worthy to mention is Giovanni Bellini. . He brought to painting a new degree of realism, a new wealth of subject-matter, and a new sensuousness in form and color. His work Portrait of Doge Leonardo Loredan (1501) demonstrates how painting is useful to explain history. Jardine presents this work in her book Wordly Goods (1996) to demonstrate the relationship between art and commercial matters. The thesis of her own work is to prove how the great cultural achievement of the Renaissance was mainly the result of commercial factors. Jardine says about this Bellini´s work : “The painting is itself a luxury commodity […] A portrait object of considerable magnificence, testifying to the wealth and absolute power of the sitter […] Bellini has captured the texture and intricate patterning of the damask of Loreda’s official doge´s robes […] (18).

As a result of her affirmation, one can realize that the profusion of artistic works was part of the novelty of rich people owning paintings as luxury commodities. Artists were committed to work for a patron. Then, they were not as modern artists who create and after sell their work. A deeper observation helps to understand that the flourishing in art was due to the richness of merchants and politicians and the influence they had had from the humanists. (The influence of humanism is shown in many works where classical myths are depicted. Some prominent examples are The Birth of Venus and the Spring by Boticcelli).

One more work that coincides with Bellini´s Portrait of Doge Leonardo Loredan is the one made by Jan van Eyc, Arnolfini Marriage. As said by Jardine it is not simply a record of a couple but a celebration of ownership. This work is also important because demonstrates that Renaissance was flourishing in different countries at the same time. As pointed out by Zophy, The Northern Renaissance also witnessed impressive displays of creativity in architecture, the fine arts and music. Jan van Eyck was born about 1390 and is considered to be a founder of the Early Renaissance style in the Northern Renaissance. Zophy adds that he was most famous for using a form of oil painting and a technique which gave his work and unprecedented atmospheric depth and luminosity. He painted religious subjects and sometimes placed his contemporaries in scenes with biblical figures, usually portraits feature motionless figures set against architectural and scenic backgrounds (166).

Other paintings including Voyage d’Outremer by Bertand de la Broquiere; (which shows the Turks taking Constantinople); The Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, entering Granada in triumph in 1492 by Felipe de Bigarny; St. Thomas presiding over the burning of Heretics by Pedro Berruguete; depicts historical events. In those cases, painting has the value that documentary photography currently possesses: to visually register or file historical events and sometimes, to criticize this events. For example, St. Thomas presiding over the burning of Heretics shows Ferdinand and Isabella presiding an Inquisition act. Some other paintings show daily life scenes that allow to see what people did, how they dressed or how a city used to be.

In conclusion, it can be said that one of the first manifestations of the Renaissance features were presented in literature, specifically in the works of Bocaccio and Petrarch. The latter fed humanism, which at the same time or later, fed other kinds of art. The works of artists such as Giotto, Donatello and Michelangelo showed religious themes but presented original ways to depict them as well as new techniques. In addition, the work of every artist possesses unique features that make evident the value of individuality. The artist’s point of view was original. However, they all distinguished for giving a more humane tone to their work. On the other hand, the production of art in the Renaissance is closely related to wealth and commercial factors. This fact makes evident that without the patronage, the great cultural achievement of the Renaissance could not have be possible. Understanding this point is important to interpret art as well as art is important to understand history. Many works of the Renaissance must be understood not just as the result of the artist’s inspiration but as a “job” that artists were committed to do. Nonetheless, this doesn’t make their art less worthy. Throughout this essay some of the most important innovations in art have been discussed. Innovation is related to individuality and originality, both essential during the Renaissance.

It has been also explained how art depicts beliefs and values from the society to which artists belong. For example, religion is still a very important theme during Renaissance. Giotto, Michelangelo, Bellini and Jan van Eyck painted religious motives; however, they also treated secular themes. The portraits by Bellini and Van Eyck shows the profusion of goods discussed by Jardine and explain works of art as luxury objects. Finally it has been said that art is also a way to register history.

Bibliography

Conaway, Julia and Mark Musa. (Ed). The Italian Renaissance Reader. New York:

Penguin Books, 1987.

Jardine, Lisa. Worldly Goods. A New History of the Renaissance. London: Bantam

Double Dell Publishing Group. Inc., 1996.

Zophy, Jonathan. A Short History of Renaissance Europe. USA: Prentice Hall, 1997.

~ por nohemundi en Septiembre 23, 2008.