The Humanistic ideas that underpinned the Renaissance had many different and widespread
effects. In the fields of education and scholasticism, for example, humanism encouraged a much
broader curriculum, including history, poetry and moral philosophy. The aim was to produce
citizens able to speak and write clearly, reason cogently and perform civic duties efficiently –
indeed it was expected that this curriculum would provide rulers and civic leaders who would
govern prudently and persuade others of the benefits of moral and upright behaviour.
Although such an education was the preserve of the well-to-do or wealthy, these ideas were
pervasive, eventually giving people across society a feeling that they had more ability to control
their own destinies. Medieval scholasticism had stressed that all was ordained by God and that
each person’s life was running on a fixed track. Humanism made the idea of the individual – with
power over their own fate and the option to change that fate through their own efforts – a
highly influential and powerful force.
With this sense of individuality came much more interest in the lives and appearance of others.
Portraits became more popular and realistic, being used by powerful figures to promote their
status, bolster allegiances or further diplomatic projects. The fashion for collecting coins, cameos
and other classical portrait sculptures added to this interest in physiognomy, with painters
exploring different facial types and the way in which different emotions could be depicted.
The study of ancient texts also provided a wealth of stories that could be illustrated in paintings.
Many more tales from the classical world began to appear in paintings, on furniture and in
tapestries. The tales of change and transformation in Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’, for example,
provided artists with a whole host of stories involving the power and duplicity of Gods and
Goddesses, the trials of lovers and nymphs, the exploits of heroes and the turmoil of change.
Indeed, writers, poets, dramatists and artists across the centuries have mined these tales for
inspiration – from Chaucer and Shakespeare, Titian and Bernini to Ted Hughes and Anish
Kapoor.
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1. Anon, The Wilton Diptych, 1395 – 99. National Gallery, London 2. Simone Martini; Altarpiece of St Louis of Toulouse. 1317. Capodimonte Museum, Naples |
3. Piero della Francesca, Portraits of Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza, c.
1465 – 72.
4. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
5. Leon Battista Alberti, Self-portrait Medal, c. 1435. National Gallery of Art,
Washington D.C.
In de Renaissance werden portretmedailles op grote schaal uitgewisseld als diplomatieke geschenken, bij de hoven en in de humanistische cirkels. Ze werden bewonderd en bediscussieerd, en net zo gewaardeerd als de antieke munten waarop ze waren geïnspireerd. Zo worden de personen op de medailles vaak afgebeeld in een klassieke pose en zijn de inscripties en afbeeldingen veelal klassiek geïnspireerd. (De wolf van Rimini)
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6. Piero della Francesca, Portrait of Sigismondo Malatesta, 1451. 7. Matteo di’ Pasti, Portrait medal of Sigismondo Malatesta, 1446. 8. Matteo de’Pasti, Portrait Medal of Isotta degli Atti, 1449 – 52. |
9. Donatello, Portrait bust of Niccolo da Uzzano, 1430s. Museo del Bargello, Florence
10. Anon, Bust of Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, 1st c. AD, Spurlock Museum, University of
Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
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11. Pisanello, Portrait of a Princess of the House of Este, 1436 – 38. Musée du Louvre, Paris 12. Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Portrait of a Lady, 1460 – 65. Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan |
The Pollaioulo workshop produced a group of profile portraits of ladies. The present painting is one of the last profile portraits of a woman, for the type would soon give way to the three-quarter of full face view already common for male portraits. But Antonio delights in the profile, which comes to vibrant life in his hands.The painting portrays a rich Florentine woman, probably close to her wedding. At that time, for a young woman, this was the moment of the highest public visibility. Actually, the sumptuary laws allowed women to wear precious clothes and jewels only for their marriage and the following three years. The profile was a classical reminiscence, but also prevented the sitter from meeting the gaze of the viewer, as decency required. The woman stands against a clear blue sky with some clouds that seem to move gently behind her, as on a screen.
De vrouwen van Antonio en Piero del Pollaiuolo
De broers Antonio en Piero Pollaiuolo hadden eind vijftiende eeuw een goedlopend atelier in Florence. Ze vervaardigden sculpturen, schilderijen en een aanzienlijke hoeveelheid grafiek. De Pollaioulo broers vervaardigden echter ook een serie portretten van jonge dames, en profil afgebeeld, stuk voor stuk hoogtepunten uit de schilderkunst van de Italiaanse Renaissance.
13. Jean Fouquet, The Melun Diptych, (Estienne Chevalier with St Stephen and Agnes Sorel as the Virgin Mary) c. 1450. Staatliche Museen, Berlin and Koninklijk
Museum voor Schone Kunst, Antwerp
14. Sandro Botticelli, Portrait of a Young Man holding a Medal of Cosimo de’Medici,
1475. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
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15. Benozzo Gozzoli, The Journey of the Magi, 1459 – 61. Cosimo il Vecchio (by donkey left) and Piero di Cosimo de’ Medici (right) |
In fact, in an effort to convey the family as humbly as possible (despite literally comparing themselves to the wealthy kings that brought expensive and exotic gifts to the Holy Family) the family had most of their own portraits incorporated at the end of the procession..........................
22. Gentile Bellini, A Seated Scribe, 1479 – 81. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
A drawing made by the Italian artist Gentile Bellini (1429-1507). Gentile Bellini was a Venetian artist who served as state painter to the Republic of Venice.
16. Andrea Mantegna, The Adoration of the Magi, 1460-64. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
17. Sandro Botticelli, The Adoration of the Magi, 1475. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Detail → → → →
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| 18. Domenico Ghirladaio, The Confirmation of the Franciscan Rule, 1483 – 85. Uitsnede van Lorenzo il Magnifico Sassetti Chapel, Church of Santa Trinità, Florence |
Art and Power, Camera degli Sposi or Camera Picta
19. Andrea Mantegna,
The Camera degli Sposi, 1465 – 72. Palazzo Ducale, Mantua
Mantegna’s portraits of the Gonzaga family in their palace at Mantua (1474) glorified living subjects by conferring upon them the over-life-size stature, sculptural volume, and studied gravity of movement and gesture normally reserved for saints and heroes of myth and history.
20. Giovanni Bellini, Portrait of Doge Leonard Loredan, 1500-02. National Gallery,
London
21. Attributed to Giovanni Bellini, Portrait drawing of a Man, c. 1495. Christ Church
Picture Gallery, Oxford.
As part of the peace settlement between Venice and the Ottoman empire, Bellini was sent to Istanbul as sultan Mehmed II was very interested in the art and culture of Italy. Bellini produced several paintings and sketches there, including a portrait of Mehmed II.
This piece shows a scribe at work. As the sheet is finished with colours and gold, this one was probably intended for the collection of the sultan himself. Painting from 1479-1481.
28. Jan van Eyck, Portrait of a Man (Self-portrait?), 1433. National Gallery, London
36. Albrecht Durer, Self Portrait at 13, 1484. Albertina Sammlung, Vienna
Possibly one of the most eccentric painters of his time, Piero di Cosimo (1462 – 1521) was an Italian Renaissance artist that frequently depicted elaborated mythological scenes and was often commissioned to do the portraits of the noblemen and women of Rome and Florence. Also known as Piero di Lorenzo, he borrowed the Cosimo name from his master, Cosimo Rosselli, whom he regarded as a father.
De muren van de enorme kamer waren verdeeld in twaalf verticale secties , overeenkomend met de maanden van het jaar , afgewisseld met afbeeldingen van het stadsleven. Elke sectie was op zijn beurt horizontaal verdeeld in drie registers : bovenaan de triomf van de patroongod vergezeld van de menselijke activiteiten die plaatsvinden in de maand, in het midden het sterrenbeeld en de voorstellingen van de drie decennia (mythologische figuren gekoppeld aan de Arabische traditie van waarzeggerij), hieronder de viering van de patroonheilige , Borso d'Este, vertegenwoordigd in de uitoefening van de regering en onder de geneugten van het hofleven. De markies verschijnt drie keer in elke scène: een ware portretobsessie, die zich ontvouwt in de verschillende panelen met behulp van voorbereidende cartoons.
23. Gentile Bellini, Portrait of Sultan Mehmet II, 1480. National Gallery, London
24. Gentile and Giovanni Bellini, St Mark Preaching in Alexandria, 1504 – 07. Pinacoteca
di Brera, Milan
25. Sandro Botticelli, Portrait of a young Man, 1480 -85. National Gallery, London
26. Antonello da Messina, Portrait of a Man, 1475-76. National Gallery, London
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| 27. Robert Campin, A Man and a Woman c. 1435. National Gallery, London |
28. Jan van Eyck, Portrait of a Man (Self-portrait?), 1433. National Gallery, London
29. Jan van Eyck, Margaret van Eyck, 1439. Groeningen Museum. Bruges
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30. Jan van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait, 1434. National Gallery, London 31. Jan van Eyck, Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini, 1435. Staatliche Museen, Berlin |
32. Jan van Eyck, Portraits of Cardinal Albergati, c. 1431 – 35 Silverpoint –
Kupfesrtickabinett, Dresden Painting – Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna
33. Swabian Artist, A Woman of the Hofer Family, 1470s. National Gallery, London
34. Albrecht Durer, A Portrait Machine (woodcut), 1525. The British Museum, London
35. After Albrecht Durer, The Painter’s Father, 1497. National Gallery, London
Albrecht Durer, Self Portraits
36. Albrecht Durer, Self Portrait at 13, 1484. Albertina Sammlung, Vienna
37. Albrecht Durer, Self Portrait at 22, 1493. Musée du Louvre, Paris
38. Albrecht Durer, Self Portrait at 26, 1497. Museo del Prado, Madrid
39. Albrecht Durer, Head of an African Man, 1508. Graphische Sammlung Albertina,
Vienna
40. Albrecht Durer, Portrait of Katherina, 1521. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Possibly one of the most eccentric painters of his time, Piero di Cosimo (1462 – 1521) was an Italian Renaissance artist that frequently depicted elaborated mythological scenes and was often commissioned to do the portraits of the noblemen and women of Rome and Florence. Also known as Piero di Lorenzo, he borrowed the Cosimo name from his master, Cosimo Rosselli, whom he regarded as a father.
Di Cosimo’s “Portrait of a Woman, said to be of Simonetta Vespucci” was completed around the year 1480, when the artist himself was only 18 years old. In this case, the myth is just as powerful as the artwork and whether di Cosimo portrayed Simonetta Vespucci or not, the mystery only increases its value. All we can say for sure is that unlike other Italian aristocrats, Vespucci never got the chance to pose for Piero di Cosimo. ...............................
41. Piero di Cosimo, Simonetta Vespucci as Cleopatra, c. 1480. Musée Conde, Chantilly
Palazzo Schifanoia, Salone dei Mesi: parete est, mesi di Marzo, Aprile e Maggio, Francesco del Cossa 1469-70.
Het resultaat is een unieke synthese tussen politieke propaganda, mythologie en astrologie van Arabische oorsprong.
This is a modern looking painting from over five hundred years ago. It is more surrealist than Renaissance in style, by an artist that had the dubious misfortune of having Vasari, the Florentine art biographer and gossip columnist, record his lurid life story from anecdotes. It’s a painting that has attracted all sorts of interpretations, from medical practioners to historians of alchemy, and art historians................
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| 43. Francesco Cossa, April – The Triumph of Venus, 1476–84 Palazzo Schifanoia, Ferrara |
44. R Piero del Pollaiuolo, Apollo and Daphne, 1470-80. National Gallery, London
45. Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Hercules and Antaeus (painting), 1478. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
46. Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Hercules and Antaeus (sculpture), 1470s. Museo del Bargello, Florence
47. Sandro Botticelli, Primavera, 1482. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
48. Sandro Botticelli, Birth of Venus, c. 1485. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
49. Sandro Botticelli, Venus and Mars, 1485. National Gallery, London
A Satyr Mourning Over a Nymph
by Piero di Cosimo
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| 50. Piero di Cosimo, A Satyr Mourning over a Nymph, c 1495. National Gallery, London |
This is a modern looking painting from over five hundred years ago. It is more surrealist than Renaissance in style, by an artist that had the dubious misfortune of having Vasari, the Florentine art biographer and gossip columnist, record his lurid life story from anecdotes. It’s a painting that has attracted all sorts of interpretations, from medical practioners to historians of alchemy, and art historians................
51. Sandro Botticelli, The Story of Nastagio degli Onesti (Parts 1 – 1V). c. 1483 Museo
del Prado, Madrid
52. Andrea Mantegna, Parnassus, 1497. Musée du Louvre, Paris
detail → → → →
