Ancient Greek Art

Ancient Greek Art (610-31 BC)

• Divided into three periods: Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic
• Archaic Period (610-480 BC):
  • Inspired by Egyptian and Mesopotamian art
  • Free-standing figures with solid and frontal stance
  • Introduced the "archaic smile" (no specific appropriateness to the person or situation)
  • Three types of figures: standing nude male youth (kouros), standing draped girl (kore), and seated woman
• Classical Era (480-323 BC):
  • Regarded as the highest point in the development of sculptural art in Ancient Greece
  • Started with the Canon, a treatise on human body proportions written by Polykleitos
  • Ended with the death of Alexander the Great
  • Characterized as idealized and perfected
  • Famous artists: Iktinos (architect of the Parthenon) and Phidias (sculptor of the Athena Parthenos)
• Late Classical Art (400-323 BC):
  • Transition from high classical to Hellenistic era
  • Famous artists: Lysippos and Praxiteles
  • Characterized by leaner figures, smaller heads, and attention to details like eyelids and toenails

Hellenistic Era (323-30 BC)

• Covers the time after Classical Greece and before the Roman Empire
• Started with the death of Alexander the Great and ended with the death of Cleopatra VII
• Characterized by the development of new techniques, refinement of human anatomy, and emotional expression
• Famous works: The Altar of Pergamon, Barberini Faun, and Laocoön and His Sons
• The Alexander Mosaic (c. 120-100 BC) is a combination of different artistic traditions

Roman Sculpture (30 BC-476 AD)

• Early Empire (27 BCE-96 CE):
  • Blend of Greek influences and Roman innovation
  • Portraiture became increasingly realistic
  • Augustan art revived classical ideals
• High Empire (98-192 CE):
  • Sculptures became more dynamic and idealized
  • Explored themes of heroism, piety, and philosophical contemplation
  • Portraits became more refined
• Late Antiquity (193-476 CE):
  • Sculptures became more stylized and symbolic
  • Reflected Eastern influences and religious themes
  • Portraiture persisted but became less naturalistic

Early and High Imperial Sculpture (30 BC-192 AD)

• Characterized by a blend of Greek influences and Roman innovation
• Portraiture became increasingly realistic
• Famous works: Augustus of Primaporta, Ara Pacis, and Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius

Late Antiquity Art (193-476 AD)

• Characterized by stylized and symbolic sculptures
• Reflected Eastern influences and religious themes
• Famous works: Ludovisi Sarcophagus, Arch of Constantine, and The Four Tetrarchs
• The Colossus of Constantine (315 AD) is an example of the Constantinian style

Early Medieval Ages (476-1000 AD)

• Characterized by population decline, counterurbanisation, and the collapse of centralised authority
• Saw the rise of new kingdoms and the blending of Roman civilization and invaders' traditions
• The Eastern Roman Empire (or Byzantine Empire) survived but lost the Middle East and North Africa to Muslim conquerors
• The Carolingian dynasty of the Franks reunited much of the Western Roman lands but the empire quickly fell apart

Romanesque Art (1000-1200 AD)

• Emerged in the 11th century as a response to the Carolingian Renaissance
• Characterized by round-headed arches, barrel vaults, and apses
• Influenced by Roman and Byzantine architectural traditions
• Famous works: Wiligelmo's sculptures on the west facade of Modena Cathedral and Antelami's doorways and allegorical figures on the Parma Baptistery

Proto-Renaissance and Florence & Siena Schools of Painting (1300-1425)

• Marked a shift towards naturalism and the revival of classical artistic principles
• Artists began to explore perspective, anatomy, and composition with greater realism
• Famous artists: Cimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini, and the Lorenzetti brothers
• The Siena school emphasized graceful figures, elegant drapery, and luminous colors
• The Florence school favored a more naturalistic and empirical approach to painting
• Famous works: Cimabue's Santa Trinita Maestà and Giotto's decoration of the Scrovegni Chapel### Giotto
• Painted frescoes in St Francis of Assisi Basilica, depicting the Legend of St Francis
• Painted frescoes in Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, depicting the Life of Jesus Christ
• Painted frescoes in Peruzzi and Bardi Chapels, Santa Croce Basilica, Florence
• Painted a crucifix in Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Duccio di Buoninsegna

• Italian painter active in Siena, Tuscany, in the late 13th and early 14th century
• Created the painting style of Trecento and the Sienese school
• Contributed to the Sienese Gothic style
• Noted for his work, Maestà, and Rucellai Madonna

Pietro Lorenzetti

• Italian painter active between 1306 and 1345
• Introduced naturalism into Sienese art alongside his brother Ambrogio
• Painted "The Birth of the Virgin", "Deposition from the Cross", and "The Capture of Christ"

Ambrogio Lorenzetti

• Italian painter of the Sienese school
• Painted "The Allegory of Good and Bad Government" in the Sala dei Nove, Palazzo Pubblico, Siena
• Series consists of six different scenes, including "Allegory of Good Government" and "Effects of Good Government in the City"

Simone Martini

• Italian painter born in Siena
• Major figure in the development of early Italian painting
• Influenced the development of the International Gothic style
• Noted for his work, "The Annunciation with St. Margaret and St. Ansanus", and "Guidoriccio da Fogliano at the siege of Montemassi"

Nicola and Giovanni Pisano

• Nicola Pisano was an Italian sculptor known for his classical Roman sculptural style
• Pisano's work is noted for its fusion of classical motifs with Christian themes
• Noted for his work, the pulpit of the Pisa Baptistery, and the Siena Cathedral Pulpit

Renaissance Art

• Emerged in Italy between 1400 and 1495
• Characterized by the use of bronze, perspective, and humanism
• Influenced by classical Roman and Greek art
• Noted for its naturalism, solidity of form, and use of light and shadow

Lorenzo Ghiberti

• Italian Renaissance sculptor from Florence
• Created the bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery, known as the Gates of Paradise
• Trained as a goldsmith and sculptor
• Established an important workshop for sculpture in metal

Masaccio

• Italian painter born in Florence
• Regarded as the first great Italian painter of the Quattrocento period
• Introduced humanism and naturalism into painting
• Noted for his work, "The Holy Trinity", and "The Expulsion"

Donatello

• Italian sculptor of the Renaissance period
• Developed an Early Renaissance style of sculpture
• Created the first freestanding nude male sculpture since antiquity, "David"
• Noted for his work, "St. George", and "Equestrian Monument of Gattamelata"

Fra Angelico

• Dominican friar and Italian painter of the Early Renaissance
• Described by Vasari as having "a rare and perfect talent"
• Noted for his series of frescoes in the San Marco convent, Florence
• Painted works such as "San Marco Altarpiece", and "Annunciation"

Paolo Uccello

• Italian painter and mathematician
• Pioneered the use of visual perspective in art
• Noted for his work, "The Battle of San Romano", and "The Hunt in the Forest"

Piero della Francesca

• Italian painter of the Renaissance
• Renowned for his innovative contributions to painting
• Noted for his work, "The Flagellation of Christ", and "The Legend of the True Cross"
• Painted the "Baptism of Christ", and "Diptych of the Count and Countess of Urbino"

Sandro Botticelli

• Italian painter of the Renaissance
• Celebrated for his ethereal beauty, mythological themes, and intricate symbolism
• Noted for his work, "The Birth of Venus", and "Primavera"
• Painted "Venus and Mars", and "Adoration of the Magi"

Andrea Mantegna

• Italian painter and printmaker
• Experimented with perspective and led a workshop that produced prints
• Noted for his work, "The Agony in the Garden", and "The Lamentation over the Dead Christ"
• Painted the "San Zeno Altarpiece", and "Ceiling of Camera degli Sposi"

Andrea del Verrocchio

• Italian sculptor, painter, and goldsmith
• Trained famous pupils, including Leonardo da Vinci
• Noted for his work, "The Baptism of Christ", and "David"
• Created the Equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni in Venice

Pietro Perugino

• Italian Renaissance painter of the Umbrian school
• Developed classic expression in the High Renaissance
• Noted for his work, "The Delivery of the Keys", and "The Virgin appearing to St. Bernard"

Domenico Ghirlandaio

• Italian Renaissance painter born in Florence
• Part of the "third generation" of the Florentine Renaissance
• Trained famous pupils, including Michelangelo
• Noted for his work, "The Virgin and Child with St. John the Baptist", and "Portrait of Francesco delle Opere"### High Renaissance
• The High Renaissance was a period of exceptional artistic production in the Italian states, particularly in Rome and Florence, from 1495 to 1527.
• The period is characterized by the work of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bramante.
• The High Renaissance style is marked by the use of linear perspective, realistic depiction of physical and psychological features, and manipulation of light and darkness.

Leonardo da Vinci

• Born in 1452, died in 1519.
• An Italian polymath who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect.
• Famous for his notebooks, which contain drawings and notes on various subjects, including anatomy, astronomy, botany, and paleontology.
• Regarded as one of the greatest painters in the history of art and a founder of the High Renaissance.
• Notable works include the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and Vitruvian Man.

Raphael

• Born in 1483, died in 1520.
• An Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance.
• Known for his clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur.
• Worked in Rome, where he was given important commissions, including the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican.
• Notable works include The School of Athens, Parnassus, and Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione.

Michelangelo

• Born in 1475, died in 1564.
• An Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance.
• Inspired by classical models and had a lasting influence on Western art.
• Known for his mastery of numerous artistic fields, including sculpture, painting, and architecture.
• Notable works include the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Pietà, and David.

Venetian School

• A school of painting that emerged in Venice in the 16th century.
• Characterized by the use of color and light to create a sense of atmosphere and mood.
• Famous artists of the Venetian School include Giorgione, Titian, and Tintoretto.
• Notable works include Giorgione's The Three Philosophers, Titian's Bacchus and Ariadne, and Tintoretto's The Last Supper.

Northern European Renaissance

• A period of cultural and artistic transformation that occurred in Europe north of the Alps from the 15th to the 17th century.
• Characterized by the emergence of new artistic styles, including Early Netherlandish painting and the German Renaissance.
• Famous artists of the Northern European Renaissance include Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch, and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

Jan van Eyck

• A Flemish painter active in Bruges who was one of the early innovators of Early Netherlandish painting.
• Known for his highly realistic and detailed style, which was influenced by Gothic art.
• Notable works include the Ghent Altarpiece and The Arnolfini Portrait.

Hieronymus Bosch

• A Dutch painter from Brabant who was one of the most notable representatives of the Early Netherlandish painting school.
• Known for his fantastical and often disturbing illustrations of religious concepts and narratives.
• Notable works include The Garden of Earthly Delights and The Triptych of the Temptation of St. Anthony.

Pieter Bruegel the Elder

• A Dutch painter who was active in the Low Countries and is known for his landscapes and peasant scenes.
• A pioneer of the genre painting, which focused on everyday life and ordinary people.
• Notable works include The Peasant Wedding, The Hunters in the Snow, and The Fall of the Rebel Angels.

Albrecht Dürer

• A German painter, printmaker, and theorist who was active in Nuremberg and is known for his high-quality woodcut prints.
• Influenced by Gothic art and the Italian Renaissance.
• Notable works include the woodcuts series, including Knight, Death and the Devil, Saint Jerome in his Study, and Melencolia I.