Compare and Contrast: Renaissance vs. Baroque

1090 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Renaissance influence on art

Over the span of history, there have been a considerable number of times art has been redirected and executed differently. From these time periods, two that are prominent and had a lasting effect are the techniques during the Renaissance and the Baroque era. Between the two there are numerous commonalities, but a few contrasts as well.

To begin with, the Renaissance started around Florence in Italy during the 15th century. This “rebirth” time period marked a change in the way people thought about virtually every aspect of their lives, from politics to art. The art from this period illustrated newly discovered techniques that portrayed nature and figures more realistically. These techniques consisted of the usage of shadows and light, perspective, and realism and naturalism. In order to capture realism, artists studied the human anatomy, measured proportions and sought a way to give portraits of people more emotion. Many people attribute this time period as the beginning of the modernization of man. Along with every aspect the Renaissance modified, these innovations advanced art from how it once was illustrated to completely new heights.

Just as the other artists from this time, Giovanni Bellini portrayed these techniques through his work. Recognized by his oil paintings, Bellini utilized shadow and light in most of his landscapes and figures. One painting in particular that is an example of how he used this along with perspective is in the “Feast of Gods”. This painting displays a group of people enjoying a meal within a forested area. The viewer can distinctively tell where the shadows of the trees fall by the use of darkness on some of these people in the group who are further back. The way he painted with gives this image a t...

... middle of paper ...

...he realistic portrayal of nature and humans. Possibly the biggest difference found between these two styles is the emotion and choices of what was painted. The Renaissance was thoroughly dedicated to adding depth through the horizon, vanishing point and linear perspective. These methods helped in creating a three dimensional look. Due to this focus in depth, the emotional aspect was not translated as strongly as was in the Baroque period.

Through the dramatics that were increasingly popular of this era the emotion in paintings were grasped more easily by the viewer. Likewise, the Baroque technique created an overlapping of elements and figures which was the opposite of the Renaissance’s definitive planes and isolated figures. Overall, these time periods influenced the world of art to great lengths and gave foundation to techniques that have been since improved upon.

Show More
Related

  • Wayne White's 'Golden Surf Rossi: The Seventies'

    783 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the Florence and the early renaissance, we have the greatest master of art like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli and others. In this period of time the painters almost never show their emotions or feelings, they were more focused on indulging the churches and the wealthy people. In The renaissance period the art provides the work of art with ideal, intangible qualities, giving it a beauty and significance greater and more permanent than that actually found in the modern art. Florence and the early renaissance, the art become very valued where every artist was trying to create art forms consistent with the appearance of the beauty or elegance in a natural perspective. However, Renaissance art seems to focus more on the human as an individual, while Wayne White art takes a broader picture with no humans whatsoever; Wayne, modern three dimensional arts often utilizes a style of painting more abstract than Renaissance art. At this point in the semester these two aspects of abstract painting and the early renaissance artwork have significant roles in the paintings. Wayne White brings unrealistic concepts that provoke a new theme of art, but nevertheless the artistic creations of the piece of art during early renaissance still represent the highest of attainment in the history of

    Read More

  • Gentileschi’s Judith Slaying Holofernes: An Example of the Baroque Era and Its Art

    670 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gentileschi’s Judith Slaying Holofernes epitomizes the style of artwork during the Italian Baroque era. By using a Catholic subject and key elements and techniques essential to baroque art such as chiaroscuro and foreshortening, she was able to create a piece that gushes drama and realism. Without the use of all of these elements the effect would be lost, but instead the piece is one that moves the viewer with its direct and gritty realism of the religious subject, evoking emotion in a way that leaves the viewer in awe.

    Read More

  • Baroque

    525 Words  | 2 Pages

    Classicism of the Renaissance has been replenished during the Baroque period. During the Baroque artistic period, the exploration of the fundamental components of human nature and the realm of senses and emotions were very crucial. The Baroque era was a very dynamic time that showed an abundance of radiance and color. Artists of this time are passionate and sensual. Their works were many times considered to have an overpowering emotional effect.

    Read More

  • Analytical Essay on the Renaissance Art Movment

    1305 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the Renaissance artists changed the way they painted and sculpted, they learned how to paint in all three dimensions, which brought life and realism to their works. Also, getting away from the religious roots of art created an entirely new type of art that was rich in drama and emotion. This was also the time period when painting with oils was started.

    Read More

  • Lamentation and the Evolution of Technique

    920 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Renaissance was a time of rebirth, as its name entails. In Italy, more people were becoming literate and more books were being printed. More scientific discoveries were being made and therefore more theories were being published. In this time of intellectual prosperity, art also made a great leap. Perspective was the main change during this time period, and throughout the years, starting around 1400, it became more involved and more intricate. Eventually artists were so adept at using it, that it became the primary way to insert intimacy and feelings of emotion into a painting. This evolution of technique paved the way for later artists to play with new approaches to allow the viewer to experience an image in different ways.

    Read More

  • Dbq How Did Renaissance Change Man's View Of Man

    562 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Renaissance art had well defined landscapes, natural folds in drapery and three dimensional objects or people. The middle ages art was focused on religion and symbolic representations (Doc.A). At the same time the new artistic styles almost kind of mocked the the movements and interest of the new age. That is how the renaissance changed has man’s view of man on art.(doc.A)

    Read More

  • Baroque Vs Italian Baroque Art

    1519 Words  | 4 Pages

    Northern and Italian Baroque art were unique in their own ways but were also similar as well. While Northern Baroque Art aimed for excitement and move viewers in an emotional sense, Italian Baroque art was more detailed and captured the personality of the figure. The arts compared to one another by the use of self-portraits and the famous feature of light and dark as well. Art back in the 17th and 18th century was the center of everything and much more important back then compared to how it is now.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Perugino And Caravaggio

    1317 Words  | 3 Pages

    The artists of the Baroque had a remarkably different style than artists of the Renaissance due to their different approach to form, space, and composition. This extreme differentiation in style resulted in a very different treatment of narrative. Perhaps this drastic stylistic difference between the Renaissance and Baroque in their treatment of form, space, and composition and how these characteristics effect the narrative of a painting cannot be seen more than in comparing Perugino’s Christ Delivering the Keys of the Kingdom to St. Peter from the Early Renaissance to Caravaggio’s Conversion of St. Paul from the Baroque.Perugino was one of the greatest masters of the Early Renaissance whose style ischaracterized by the Renaissance ideals of purity, simplicity, and exceptional symmetry of composition. His approach to form in Christ Delivering the Keys of the Kingdom to St.Peter was very linear. He outlined all the figures with a black line giving them a sense of stability, permanence, and power in their environment, but restricting the figures’ sense of movement. In fact, the figures seem to not move at all, but rather are merely locked at a specific moment in time by their rigid outline. Perugino’s approach to the figures’themselves is extremely humanistic and classical. He shines light on the figures in a clear, even way, keeping with the rational and uncluttered meaning of the work. His figures are all locked in a contrapposto pose engaging in intellectual conversation with their neighbor, giving a strong sense of classical rationality. The figures are repeated over and over such as this to convey a rational response and to show the viewer clarity. Perugino’s approach to space was also very rational and simple. He organizes space along three simple planes: foreground, middle ground, and background. Christ and Saint Peter occupy the center foreground and solemn choruses of saints and citizens occupy the rest of the foreground. The middle distance is filled with miscellaneous figures, which complement the front group, emphasizing its density and order, by their scattered arrangement. Buildings from the Renaissance and triumphal arches from Roman antiquity occupy the background, reinforcing the overall classical message to the

    Read More

  • High Renaissance and Mannerism in Northern Europe and Spain

    1297 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the late sixteenth century a new style of art, known as Mannerist, emerged through out Italy as a result of the Protestant Reformation. Mannerist distorted art was justified because it served mid way between the ideal, natural, symmetrical and the real, artificial, and unbalanced. The religious and political upheaval lead to the distinct Mannerist style know for being stylish, cultured, and elegant. Mannerist art is thought provoking, asking the viewer to ponder and respond to the spatial challenges and meaning found in the painting, sculpture, and architectural work. Mannerist painting and sculpture are characterized by complicated compositions, distorted figure styles, and complex allegorical interpretations. Meanwhile Mannerist architecture often employs classical elements in a new and unusual way that defies traditional formulas.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Renaissance And Baroque Art

    1097 Words  | 3 Pages

    It reflected the Counter Reformation by the Catholic church against the Protestants. Much of Baroque art were stylized from Mannerism and what was going on at the time. “To counter the inroads made by the Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church after the Council of Trent adopted a propagandistic stance in which art was to serve as a means of extending and stimulating the public’s faith in the church. To this end the church adopted a conscious artistic program whose art products would make an overtly emotional and sensory appeal to the faithful” (Britannica). This led to a new interest in nature and the need for learning, encouraging the developments of science and exploring the world, where art was becoming more engaging and

    Read More

  • The Fall of Phaeton

    822 Words  | 2 Pages

    Peter Paul Ruben’s art is a combination of the traditional Flemish realism with the classicizing tendencies of the Italian Renaissance style. Peter Paul Rubens had the cunning ability to infuse his own incredible vigor into a potent and extravagant style that came to define Baroque art movement of the 17th century. “Baroque art characterized by violent movement, strong emotion, and dramatic lighting and coloring.” The figures in his paintings create a permeating sense of kinetic lifelike movement, while maintaining the appearance of being grand in stature yet composed.

    Read More

  • The Shift Between The Middle Ages And Renaissance

    1352 Words  | 3 Pages

    The shift between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance was characterized by great socio-economic, political, and religious changes. Politically, the feudal system of the Middle Ages was exchanged for a more stable centralized republic/monarchy system that gave the people more freedom and input. Religiously, secularism became more important as stability gave people a chance to concern themselves with the “here and now” rather than simply the “hereafter.” Socially, there was a shift from dogma and unshakeable belief to humanism and the ability to interpret things for oneself. The Middle Ages began around 400 CE and lasted until 1400 CE while the Renaissance began around 1200 and continued until 1600. The 200 years that overlap between these two periods contain many pieces of “transition” art in which it is obvious that the change is beginning to take place. These collective changes that took place in this period dictated change in art as well. There were changes in iconography, style, purpose, and patronage that facilitated the overall transformation of art from a sense of illustrating what you are told to believe is true to optical realism and conveying how you yourself interpret that “truth”.

    Read More

  • Italian Baroque Characteristics

    498 Words  | 1 Pages

    One of the characteristics of the Italian Baroque is the realistic depiction of human figures, vivid use of color and foreshadowing techniques, especially in the paintings. In addition, the figures of the paintings seem to emerge from the background, giving huge differences between light and dark. The Italian baroque structure has a sense of movement and that of energy when in static form. The sculptures make the observers to have multiple viewpoints. The Baroque architecture has characteristic domes, colonnades, giving an impression of volume and void.

    Read More

  • The French Revolution & Art

    2050 Words  | 5 Pages

    Additionally, the styles changed; from Rococo, which was meant to represent the aristocratic power and the “style that (…) and ignored the lower classes” (Cullen), to Neoclassicism, which had a special emphasis on the Roman civilization’s virtues, and also to Romanticism, which performs a celebration of the individual and of freedom. Obviously, also the subject matter that inspired the paintings has changed as wel...

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of The Baroque And Neoclassical Periods

    1167 Words  | 3 Pages

    The earlier period between the two, the Baroque era, took place roughly during the seventeenth century and lasted into the early eighteenth century. Characteristically, the Baroque period with respect to its style is widely known for its typical shape being more complex than compared to earlier times. A Baroque era building may have a shape that more so represents an oval or an ellipse, compared to the square, circle, or cross depicted in the Renaissance era, for example. (Visual-Arts-Cork.com, 2014) It is also known for being built more on a grandiose and dramatic appearance. Another characteristic that is known about the Baroque era buildings is that the planners of that era tended to build entire cities to fit a sort of preset arrangement around its most magnificent or important buildings and structures. The builders and architects would have the tendency to place grand parks and gardens around important city focal points. It really was a modern day equivalent of city or town planning. (Visual-Arts-Cork.com, 2014)

    Read More

More about Compare and Contrast: Renaissance vs. Baroque

Open Document