Through the following post you will be able to know a little more about the history, characteristics and importance of some of the Renaissance painters most influential of the time, as well as what his most emblematic works were.
Renaissance painters
In our article today we will be getting to know some of the most outstanding and influential Renaissance painters of that time, in addition to learning about the history and characteristics of this period of cultural renewal that marked its mark and left important contributions to the world of the arts.
The Renaissance is considered a period of cultural, artistic, literary and scientific renewal, which took place between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries on the European continent. The emergence of this movement was not due to a specific event, although the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries witnessed great events, such as the fall of Constantinople, the conquest of southeastern Europe by the Turks and the discovery of new worlds. .
It could be said that the Renaissance is based on the development of naturalistic and scientific concepts, whose origins can be seen as early as the XNUMXth century and continue under Gothic naturalism.
Certainly there is no clearly defined beginning of the Renaissance, however most scholars agree that this period began to take effect from the very moment that people begin to realize that they no longer live in the middle ages.
His own interests are different and he is more aware of himself and his socio-cultural performance. Quite the contrary to what happened with people who lived in the Middle Ages who were not clear about their existence in a different time from the ancient classical era.
The past consisted for them in BC and AD: the era of the "law" that corresponds to the old testament and the era of "Grace" that is the one that corresponds to the time after the coming of Jesus Christ.
The importance of the Renaissance in many aspects of society cannot be doubted. It was a period characterized mainly by discovery and change. During this period great transformations took place: the Copernican system was replaced by the Ptolemaic in Astronomy, feudalism fell, trade increased and paper, printing, the marine compass and gunpowder were invented.
It should be noted that it was thanks to the printing press that some expressions such as art could be successfully disseminated during the Renaissance era, thus helping the emergence of this new cultural movement.
“Without a doubt, the great interest in human nature and the renewal of the dignity of man, allows the reconciliation of the human with the divine without hostile reactions, attacks or rivalry. It is a period characterized by its syncretism, reinforced by a primordial interest: the human being”.
Features
In order to synthesize the elements of art and painting in the Renaissance, it is important to begin to highlight some of the main characteristics that were part of this period:
The observation of the world and the representation of its details, three mathematical principles: balance, harmony and perspective. The immense variety of pictorial possibilities offered by the new oil painting technique, the integration of the arts, the representation of the nude, the portrait and the signature of the works.
It was during the Renaissance when each of the minimal details involved in the composition of a painting began to be taken into account with greater importance. In those years, all those details began to gain importance and to be highlighted in order to make them known either by themselves or as part of an integral symbolism.
The painting had an important change before and after the time of the Renaissance. In the years before the Renaissance, one of the most widely used techniques for painting was tempera painting, which basically involved using color pigments mixed with egg yolk, generating a fine, resistant, not very homogeneous and fast-drying mixture. .
It is believed that one of the first people to promote the oil painting technique was Jan Van Eyck, however it is important to note that oil painting had already been popular since the Middle Ages, especially on stone or metal surfaces. The painting on canvas was brilliant, being worked in a perfect way by the Flemish.
"The mixture obtained from the color pigments in a viscous medium allows a homogeneous mixture with greater possibilities of shades, translucent films and velvety shades unknown until then, thus achieving greater three-dimensional effects."
During this period, important masterful works were carried out on the handling of fabrics and clothing that had not been possible in previous stages. The artist was also given the opportunity to develop creativity without barriers to correction and refinement. Likewise, the depth in the atmosphere of the landscapes is achieved with greater precision.
The Renaissance came to mark an unprecedented milestone in the history of universal art. It was precisely during this time that the different types of arts such as painting, architecture and sculpture were integrated for the first time. A large number of artists managed to impeccably develop their skills in each of these artistic branches.
Until then, the representation of the human body was constituted as a sinful connotation, however since the arrival of the Renaissance, it acquired a new understanding, until it became the most notable manifestation of the artist. Contours, movement, strength, shapes, volume and all those qualities that allow a dynamic and natural representation are studied.
In this way, it is intended to return to the human being its legitimate importance, lost during the Middle Ages and Christianity, returning to the interest shown by the Greeks in the enhancement and appreciation of each of the details of the human figure. This is how the human being practically became the axis of artistic expressions.
With the human body being a clear target for artistic dissemination, the portrait also began to gain greater importance in the artist's career. Previously, only a face was painted without clarity, without expression, without interest, but now the reality was completely different and with greater freedom.
During the Renaissance, the resurgence of a new technique related to portraiture can be clearly seen. Now the paintings framed in this area were characterized, among other things, by highlighting major features in the model, their temperament, their environment and the transcendence of the social position of those high-ranking characters.
But not only the portrait had a greater importance after the Renaissance, but also the self-portrait also became a transcendental element in the life of the artist, given that the artist himself recognizes its value, which projects the society he represents. The importance acquired by the artist is so great that the works begin to be signed. Let us remember that in the Middle Ages the creators of the works were unknown.
Early Renaissance painters
As in other times, the Renaissance also evidenced a stage of "incubation", where the first painters with Renaissance tendencies began to play a leading role. In this specific case, the precursor of the Renaissance recognized by historians from the pictorial point of view is Giotto.
Then came the appearance of a new period known under two different names: the late Gothic and the early Renaissance. During that time the most famous artists of Flemish art emerged. The most influential of them was undoubtedly Jan Van Eyck, who managed to develop the best skill in handling oil. A clear example is his work “The Arnolfini Marriage”:
Roger Van Der Weyden
Another of the most renowned Renaissance painters of the time was Roger Van Der Weyden, who devoted himself more to the details of the emotional interpretation of Gothic drama in this new style and stands out for his skill in the details of the faces and greater character. in the expressions.
Hugo Van der Goes
He was also one of those characters of greatest importance at the time of the Renaissance. He was characterized by his turbulent and depressive personality, who ends up taking his own life and who can be compared in a certain way with Van Gogh. He made many works, one of the most important was the Portinari triptych.
Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516)
Without a doubt, he is another of the greatest figures of the Renaissance in Northern Europe. He stood out mainly for one of his most emblematic works made of him and that he placed under the title "The Garden of Earthly Delights". It is a work carried out in triptych format where it represents three different religious moments. on the right wing the Lord presents Adam to his newly created Eve, in the center paradise and on the left wing hell.
Conrad Witz
This German painter also had his moment of fame during the Renaissance, especially thanks to his impressive skill in handling fabrics, creating very clearly high-quality satin pieces.
Italian Renaissance
In the Italian Renaissance there were also many painters and artists who managed to stand out for their works:
Massaccio (1401-1428)
His career was not very long, but it was successful. Barely 21 years old he achieved fame, but six years later he passed away. One of the things that most characterized him was his great magnificence in the representation of frescoes, the most influential being that of the Holy Trinity that is in the Santa Maria Novella Church in Florence.
The priest Angelico (1400-1455)
It could be considered as one of the most important successors of Masaccio. During his career he was able to stand out for various aspects, especially humanizing the figures, attributing great importance to light, color and the smallest details.
Piero da Francesca (1420-1491)
Widely known for its frescoes. He stood out for his admirable perception of mathematical proportions.
Sandro Botticelli (144/5-1510)
It became one of the favorite artists of doctors and one of its members commissioned the work The Birth of Knm, where a low-relief effect can be seen due to the emphasis on the layout.
late renaissance
The late Renaissance was also represented by great renowned artists, among whom we can highlight the following:
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
One of the greatest artists of the time. His success was due, in part, to the great skill that he demonstrated in the different artistic branches where he worked. Among his most important works is the Adoration of the Magi, which was not finished, despite being one of his most ambitious works from an artistic point of view.
The Last Supper
Without a doubt, it is the most famous and important work of all those that were made during the late Renaissance. Currently the mural is located in Santa Maria da Gracia in Milan and is considered one of the greatest works of the time, although unfortunately the work showed deterioration shortly after being finished, due to the fact that this oil does not adhere well to the surface. Wall.
The Mona Lisa
Da Vinci also painted La Monalisa, one of his most famous and emblematic paintings. The fame of this painting is not directly due to the work, but rather to the mystery that surrounded this character for many years. Here you can see a great quality in the handling of psychology and personality.
Michelangelo (1475-1564)
Another of the greatest Renaissance painters. One of his most emblematic works is in the Sistine Chapel in Rome; work that took approximately four years to complete.
Giorgione (1478-1510)
One of the things that most characterized this artist was his interest in highlighting landscapes as the central theme of his paintings. Among his most emblematic works is "El Baranal", which deals with a definitively pagan theme, under warm and soft tones that contrast with bright tones and the defined forms of human figures.
Northern Renaissance artists
The Northern Renaissance also had its outstanding artists, among them we can name the following:
Albrecht Durer (1471-1518)
He is known as the most Renaissance artist of all Renaissance artists, since he was the first to show his fascination with his own image, representing it since he was just 13 years old.
Lucas Cranach (1472-1553)
This artist stands out for showing great fantasy in his work, while his human figures lack anatomical sensitivity. In this period other great artists also stood out, such as:
- Albrecht Altdorf (1480-1538)
- Baldung Grien (1484/5-1545)
It is also important to mention some of the best-known artists of Mannerism from Rome and Florence, including:
- Rosso Fiorentino (1495-1540)
- Pontormus (1494 -1556/7)
- Parmigianino (1503-1540)
- Agnolo Bronzino (1503-1572)
- Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574).
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