HIGH RENAISSANCE ART APP REPORTING SCRIPT (first 5 slides)

Introduction (1st slide)

⁃ The period of High Renaissance roughly spans 4 decades from 1490 to 1530 or more
specifically late 15th century or
⁃ High Renaissance refers to a thirty-year period exemplified by the groundbreaking, iconic
works of art being made in Italy during a thriving societal prime
⁃ A classical art combined with an investigation into humanities artists mastery created by
knowledge of science, anatomy and architecture. It was the period with the most realistic depiction
of man.
⁃ 3 Notable artists who largely dominated the high renaissance period includes da Vinci,
Michelangelo and Raphael as seen by order in the demonstrated picture
⁃ Michelangelo excelled as a painter, architect and sculptor. He demonstrated mastery on
human figures. Raphael was skilled in creating perspective and with the use of color. Da Vinci was a
generation older than the 2 other mentioned artists yet his work was consistent with the high
renaissance levels. He painted 2 of the most well-known works which is The Last Supper and Mona
Lisa.
⁃ High Renaissance is deemed “high” because it is seen as a period in which artistic aims and
goals of the Renaissance reached their greatest application
⁃ High Renaissance art is characterised by references to classical art and delicate application to
the early renaissance (or more specifically, art on an on-point perspective)
⁃ (Extra) it displayed restrained beauty where all of the parts are subordinate to the
composition of the whole
⁃ While Early Renaissance cantered in Florence and was paid by the Medici Family, High
Renaissance was centered in Rome and was paid for by the Popes.
⁃ High Renaissance was considered a period of harmony and balance in all the arts, possibly the
most definitive moment since the 5th century BC in Greece
⁃ Basically the term High Renaissance denotes a period of artistic production that is viewed by
art historians as the height go the renaissance period

INTRODUCTION - how is early renaissance different from high renaissance? (2nd slide)
⁃ When looking through art works of the early and high renaissance, there are characteristics
that are certainly the same yet others that differ. Both still created a sense of harmony and balance
although for Early renaissance, they more interested with idealism along with naturalism while high
renaissance focused on art that looked more real or in other words, they focused on realism and
humanism.
⁃ We will be comparing the works of Botticelli and da Vinci as stated in the 2 pictures, particular
differences can be spotted. Pyramidal compositions in the work of da Vinci depicts people coming
out of the painting creating a pyramid effect. The virgin’s hand is foreshortened creating an illusion
like they are coming out at you. Each specific gesture of the painting brings your eye around the
painting. In Botticelli painting depicting triangular compositions, Venus is in the centre while there
are other people on the left and right of her, thus creating a triangle giving eye contact with the
viewer.
⁃ Lastly, in Botticelli’s work, you can observe a sense of perfection wherein the paintings
attribute natural stances and natural features while in da Vinci’s painting, it exhibits the more natural
flaws on the skin and curves of the children.
INTRODUCTION - Rome: the centre of the high renaissance (3rd slide)

⁃ This is a panting named “The School of Arts” by Raphael and its importance is closely related
to the title Rome being the centre of the high renaissance.
⁃ We have two patrons namely Pope Julius II and Pope Leo X who supported the artists and
secured and retained the services of the 3 notable artists, all of whom created oils and mural paintings
+ architects like Donato Bramante, who redeveloped St. Peter’s Basilica.
⁃ These popes wished to use art to reinforce the glory of Rome as the high renaissance being
marked the zenith of the return to classical humanist values based on Ancient Greek art and culture.
⁃ The church was the major patron while christian art remained the major genre
⁃ The prime example of high renaissance painting is the School of Arts by Raphael. Raphael was
commissioned by Pope Julius II to redecorate the Pope’s living space in Rome. Raphael was tasked to
paint in the Pope’s library known as the Stanza della Segnatura and so the School of Athens is one of
the frescoes within the room. The fresco (art of painting freshly spread moist lime plaster with water-
based pigments) represents the subject of Philosophy and is pointed as the epitome of high
renaissance painting.

INTRODUCTION - Interesting Facts (4th slide)

1. Florence and Rome were rivals throughout the Renaissance period. The photo on the left-
most corner depicts the Florence Cathedral with its iconic dome by Filippo Brunelleschi. Both states
were very prosperous and were considered centers of culture. They became the key locations of the
European Grand Tour 3 centuries later. Rome succeeded Florence because of the Popes’ desire to
glorify the holy city. It almost went bankrupt due to so many commissions.
2. Artists illegally dissected bodies for the sake of accuracy. The photo on the side of the
descriptions depicts Anatomical Studies of the Shoulder, from the code of Leonardo da Vinci.
Accuracy had to become the cornerstone of high renaissance art due to the greco-roman philosophy
of humanism focusing on the importance of man and his intrinsic value. Leonardo and Michelangelo
studied anatomy this way. During this period, only physicians had permission to perform dissections.
3. High Renaissance aesthetic was contradictory to itself. The photo on the upper right-most
corner depicts “Anunciation” by da Vinci featuring his single-point perspective technique. There were
several techniques developed to make paintings as realistic as possible and this includes chiaroscuro,
foreshadowing, linear perspective, illusionistic devices and aerial perspective. These innovations
allowed artists to reach the pinnacle of realistic painting but instead of recreating human life,
humanism revived perfection as a standard of beauty.
4. Leonardo and his techniques raised the status of painters. His painting styles influenced many
other paintings of religious subjects in Florence. Many artists took up da Vinci’s process of conceptual
drawing and style of portrait.
5. Raphael was Leonardo’s greatest student. He changed his outdated techniques after arriving
in Florence and seeing the art/ His fresco “school of Athens” which we showed to you a slide before
is one of the greatest works of high renaissance art.
6. Lastly, Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel against his will. The photo on
the lower right-most corner depicts the Sistine Chapel, which is the most famous painted interior
space created by Michelangelo. Michelangelo was an excellent painter but he preferred sculpting. It
took him 4 years to finish painting roughly 1000 square meters of the ceiling. He began this project
working with other painters than later dismissing them.
Extra notes:
Michelangelo Buonarroti – an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, poet and engineer. Exerted an
unparalleled influence on the development of western art. Considered to be the greatest living artist
during his lifetime and one of the greatest artists of all time.
Leonardo da Vinci – father of paleontology, ichnology, and architecture. One of the greatest painters.
Raphael Sanzio – Italian painter and architect of the high renaissance. His work is admired for its
clarity of form ease of compassion and visual achievement of neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur.
Raphael was named the new architect of St. Peter’s Basilica after Bramante’s death. One of his
important works is Palazzo Branconio Dell’Aquila

ARCHITECTURES
1. Donato Bramante
- considered a key figure in roman architecture during the high renaissance, he first came to
prominence as an architect in Milan before traveling to Rome. In Rome, Bramante was commissioned
by Ferdinand and Isabella who were catholic monarchs of spain) to design the Tempietto. Tempietto
is a temple that marks the exact spot where saint peter was martyred. The temple is circular and
similar to early Christian martyriums, and its design was inspired by the remains of the ancient temple
vesta (an ancient edifice in rome containing the sacred fire and the palladium).
- the temple is considered by many scholars the premier example of high renaissance architecture.
With its perfect proportions and harmony in parts, and direct references to ancient architecture, it
embodies the renaissance
- This structure has been described as Bramante’s “calling card” to Pope Julius II, the important
renaissance patron who would then employ Bramante in the historic design of the new St. Peter’s
Basillica

2. St. Peter’s Basilica

- the design, construction and decoration involved the greatest old masters of the day namely Alberti,
Raphael, Bramante, Michelangelo, and Bernini
-It is called papal basilica rather than a cathedral, since it is not the seat of a bishop. The Arch Basilica
of St. John Lateran is the cathedral church of Rome.
- Admired for its renaissance sculpture as well as its fusion of renaissance and baroque architecture
- the Christian church was linked with the fine arts of architecture (for basilicas, cathedrals, churches,
abbeys), sculpture (both reliefs and statues), and paintings (altarpiece panels and monumental
works) for which it became the greatest sponsor and patron across europe
- it also commissioned many types of decorative art including stained glass (notably in gothic
cathedrals), tapestry art, huge range of mural painting (Sistine chapel), illuminated manuscripts and
miniature painting. It south-east Europe, it commissioned numerous items of mosaic arts and a
wealth of icon-painting
- all the beautiful designs and objects of religious art were created in order to inspire religious
congregations with the Christian message
During the mid-16th century, sculptors and painters were given detailed instructions about how
precise features of a new testament story should be presented
- It is the world centre of the roman church endowed with many different types of art

3. Pallazo Farnese
- considered the largest palace of the high renaissance at Rome
- it was designed and commenced by a follower of Bramante, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger
(nephew of older Sangallo).
- at Sangallo’s death, in 1546, Michelangelo carried the palace towards completion making important
changed in the 3rd story.
- on the exterior, Sangallo gave up the use of classical orders as means of dividing the façade into a
number of equal bays; he used instead a façade more like those of the Florentines but with quoins,
or rough-cut blocks of stone at the edges of the buliding to confine composition of high renaissance
fashion
- on the interior, the central square court is more classical, using superimposed orders
- on the third story, Michelangelo eliminated the arcade and used pilasters flanked by half pilasters,
which destroyed the high renaissance idea of the careful separation and definition of parts

4. Villa Farnesina
- one of the most charming buildings of the period at Rome by Baldassarre Peruzzi from Siena
- he designed it for the fabulously wealthy Sienese banker Agostino Chigi, the villa was a scene of
numerous elaborate banquets for the pope and cardinals
- A suburban villa of neat, reserved quality in present was originally lightened by painted fresco
decoration over all the exterior wall surfaces
- Raphael also designed another important building namely the Villa Madama

5. Villa Madama
- as mentioned, designed by Raphael which began in 1518, it is the first renaissance villa to be built
outside of Rome.
- It was conceived as a type of roman villa which Pliny the Younger (lawyer, author and magistrate of
ancient rome) described in his letters
- it had a backyard with a monumental flight of steps, a circular court around which formal gardens
were arranged
- open air theatre excavated from the hill, a hippodrome, and a terrace garden with views of the Tiber