Renaissance means "rebirth."This is a special period in European civilization. In the Renaissance, many changes and discoveries occur. New continents are being explored, trade is developing, important things are invented, such as paper, a marine compass, gunpowder and many others. Changes in the painting were also of great importance. Paintings of the Renaissance gained immense popularity.
The main styles and directions in the works of masters
The period of the Italian Renaissance was one ofmost fruitful in the history of art. Masterpieces of a huge number of outstanding artists can be found today in various art centers. In Florence, innovators appeared in the first half of the fifteenth century. Their Renaissance paintings were marked by the beginning of a new era in the history of art.
At this time, science and art become veryclosely related. Artists scientists sought to master the physical world. Painters tried to use more accurate ideas about the human body. Many artists sought to be realistic. The High Renaissance style begins with Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, which he wrote for almost four years.
One of the most famous works
The Last Supper was written in 1490 forrefectory of the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. The canvas represents the last meal of Jesus with his disciples before he was captured and killed. Contemporaries observing the work of the artist during this period noted how he could draw from morning to evening, not stopping even to eat. And then I could throw my painting for a few days and not approach it at all.
The artist was very worried about the image of Christ himself andtraitor Judah. When the painting was finally completed, it was rightfully recognized as a masterpiece. "The Last Supper" to this day is one of the most popular. Reproductions of paintings by Renaissance artists have always been in great demand, but this masterpiece is marked by countless copies.
An acknowledged masterpiece, or the mysterious smile of a woman
Among the works created by Leonardo in the sixteenthcentury, means a portrait, which is called "Mona Lisa", or "Gioconda". In modern times, this is perhaps the most famous painting in the world. She became popular mainly because of the elusive smile on the face of a woman depicted on the canvas. What led to such mystery? Skillful work of the master, the ability to so skillfully shade the corners of the eyes and mouth? The exact nature of this smile can not be determined until now.
Outside the competition and other details of this picture.It is worth paying attention to the hands and eyes of a woman: how accurately the artist reacted to the smallest details of the canvas when writing it. No less interesting is the dramatic landscape in the background of the picture, a world in which everything seems to be in a state of flow.
Another famous painting representative
No less famous representative of the Renaissance -Sandro Botticelli. This is a great Italian painter. His Renaissance paintings are also very popular among a wide range of viewers. "The Adoration of the Magi", "Madonna and Child on the Throne", "Annunciation" - these works by Botticelli, devoted to religious themes, became the great achievements of the artist.
Another famous work of the master - "MadonnaMagnificat ". She became famous in the years of Sandro's life, as evidenced by numerous reproductions. Such canvases in the shape of a circle were quite in demand in Florence of the fifteenth century.
A new twist in the work of the painter
Since 1490, Sandro changes his style.It becomes more ascetic, the combination of colors is now much more restrained, dark colors often prevail. The new approach of the creator to the writing of his works is perfectly visible in the "Coronation of Mary", "Lamentation of Christ" and other canvases, which depict the Madonna and Child.
Masterpieces written by Sandro Botticelli at the timefor example, the portrait of Dante, devoid of landscape and interior backgrounds. One of the artist’s no less significant works is the Mystical Christmas. The picture was painted under the influence of unrest, which occurred at the end of 1500 in Italy. Many paintings of Renaissance artists not only gained popularity, they became an example for the next generation of painters.
The artist, whose canvases are surrounded by a halo of admiration
Rafael Santi da Urbino was not only Italianan artist, but also an architect. His paintings of the Renaissance arouse admiration for the clarity of their form, simplicity of composition and visual achievement of the ideal of human greatness. Along with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, he enters the traditional trinity of the greatest masters of this period.
He lived a relatively small life, only 37years old. But during this time he has created a huge number of his masterpieces. Some of his works are in the Vatican Palace in Rome. Not all viewers can see firsthand the paintings of Renaissance artists. Photos of these masterpieces are available to everyone (some of them are presented in this article).
The most famous works of Raphael
From 1504 to 1507 Raphael created a whole series"Madonna". The paintings are distinguished by charming beauty, wisdom and at the same time some kind of enlightened sadness. The most famous of his canvas was the Sistine Madonna. She is depicted hovering in the sky and gently descending towards people with the Baby in her arms. It is this movement that the artist was very skillfully able to portray.
This work was highly appreciated by many well-knowncritics, and they all came to the single conclusion that it is really rare and unusual. All paintings by Renaissance artists have a long history. But the Sistine Madonna became the most popular thanks to its endless wanderings, since its inception. After going through numerous tests, she finally took her rightful place among the expositions of the Dresden Museum.
Paintings of the Renaissance. Photos of famous paintings
И еще один известный итальянский живописец, the sculptor, as well as the architect, who had a great influence on the development of Western art, is Michelangelo di Simoni. Despite the fact that he is known mainly as a sculptor, there are also beautiful works of his painting. And the most significant of these is the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
This work was carried out for four years.The space occupies about five hundred square meters and contains more than three hundred figures. In the heart of the nine episodes from the book of Genesis, divided into several groups. The creation of the earth, the creation of man and his fall. Among the most famous paintings on the ceiling are the Creation of Adam and Adam and Eve.
His no less famous work is “The Last Judgment”.It is made on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. The mural depicts the second coming of Jesus Christ. Here Michelangelo ignores standard artistic conventions in the writing of Jesus. He portrayed him with a massive muscular structure of the body, young and beardless.
The Meaning of Religion, or the Art of the Renaissance
Italian paintings of the Renaissance steelbasis for the development of western art. Many popular works of this generation of creators have a huge impact on artists, which persists to this day. The great representatives of the art of that period focused their attention on religious themes, often working on the order of wealthy patrons, including the Pope himself.
Religion literally penetrated everyday life.people of this era, deeply stuck in the minds of artists. Almost all religious canvases are in museums and repositories of art, but reproductions of paintings of the Renaissance, associated not only with this theme, can be found in many institutions and even ordinary houses. People endlessly admire the works of famous masters of that period.
