Introduction to Art History

Art History: An Introduction

• Art history examines human-created visuals and tangible items.
• It strives to understand their contexts, purposes, and effects.
• Art history seeks the reasons behind artwork creation, contrasting with art appreciation's focus on aesthetic judgments.
• Unlike art appreciation art history seeks to understand an art pieces historic significance and legacy.

Approaches to Art History

• Formal analysis assesses the visuals of an artwork.
• It values techniques, expertise, materials, and artistic accomplishments without caring for background info.
• It uses connoisseurship to recognize an artist's style.
• Iconography interprets an image or time period using background images, symbols, and indications.
• Social art history examines how a piece of art reflects the social environment around it, including religion, political climate, etc.

Major Themes in Art History

• The patronage system gives way to the gallery/dealer system and "Art for Art's Sake."
• In the patronage system people would pay for work and have a lot of input.
• The system used now is where artists paint with no input and we buy.
• Artist identity and hand become valuable.
• Formation of academies occurs after art is institutionalized in Europe.
• Colonialism causes the substitution of indigenous artistic traditions with European traditions.
• The blending of artistic approaches is also common.
• Diverse viewpoints help determine an artwork's meaning more recently.

Core Art History Concepts

• Art serves as a "persisting event" which links the past to the present.
• Surviving ancient sculptures and paintings created millennia ago remain accessible today.
• Original context, namely circumstances, patrons, and cultural values are examined by art history.
• Knowing the history of the artwork is essential to interpret art.
• Social standards, cultural values, and historical events are often reflected or challenged in artworks.

Art History's Importance

• Cultural insights provide a singular viewpoint on historical contexts, social developments, and religious and political systems.
• Many pieces of art were created for specific patrons, reflecting artistic decisions.
• It interacts with archaeology, anthropology, and sociology, shedding light on human creativity.

Applications of Art History

• It helps to defend cultural heritage, and preserve artifacts.
• It informs modern day audiences about historical events.
• It inspires different thoughts.
• Visual and cultural elements are analyzed.

Late Medieval and Early Renaissance in Northern Europe: An Overview

• Art, culture, and technical developments are examined during the late medieval and early Renaissance in Northern Europe.

Historical Context

• 15th Century Europe:
• The Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) and the Great Schism in the Catholic Church define this time.
• Feudalism declined as centralized royal governments emerged.
• Early capitalism, a burgeoning merchant class, and an international banking system emerged.

Socio-Economic Changes

• The establishment of Antwerp's international Commercial Stock Exchange occurred.
• Wealth became centered in Flanders, driven by banking and wool trade.

Artistic Innovations

• Oil Painting:
• Rogier van der Weydan and Jan van Eyck pioneered the use of oil-based pigments.
• Advantages included vibrant colors, detailed textures, and longer drying times for reworking.

Printmaking

• The invention of the Gutenberg printing press in 1450 changed communication and art.
• Martin Schongauer and other artists excelled in engraving and woodcut techniques.

Regional Highlights

Flanders

• Large altar pieces, like Jan Van Ghent's, are well-known here.
• Religious themes blended with local culture.

France (Ducal Courts)

• Philip the Bold of Burgundy was a significant patron.
• The Well of Moses by Claus Sluter exemplifies the shift toward more naturalistic sculptures.

Holy Roman Empire

• Tilman Riemenschneider and Veit Stoss were notable artists who created elaborate wood altarpieces.

Manuscript Illumination

• Detailed, realistic images transformed manuscript art in books like Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry by the Limbourg Brothers.
• Blending artistry and luxury reflected their work.

Key Developments

• Portraiture's Rise:
• Flemish painters popularized portraits focused on a persons significant features.
• Symbolism in Art: Spiritual and cultural messages were conveyed through symbolic elements.

Key Figures

• Master of detail and realism, Jan Van Eyck.
• Rogier van der Weyden became known for displaying emotion.
• Claus Sluter sculpted the Well of Moses, mixing Gothic and realistic elements.
• Martin Schongauer created sophisticated engraving methods.

Setting the Stage

• Every thing that was produced in 19th shored rising interest in artists identity and Wealth.
• Through trade, industry, and banking, Flanders and Burgundy flourished.
• In their artist communes, new wealthy classes of bankers, artisans, and merchants, strengthened economic and social influence.

Video Lecture: Well of Moses

• Dijon's Chartreuse de Champmol, a Carthusian monastery, was established by the Dukes of Burgundy.
• It was designated as their family burial location.
• Klaus Slaughter was hired as a sculptor to create pieces to add to the Chartreuse.
• Slaughter made the stroll of Moses for this Charter house .
• Moses was often Seen around water and Seon with horas.
• The sculpture, made in relief and high relief, exemplifies new interest in naturalism (early).
• It is a prime example of early naturalism in Northern Euro during the late medieval era.

The Ghent Altarpiece

• One of the most important monuments from the late medieval early Renaissance is the Ghent Altarpiece in Flanders.

• Jan van Eyck began it.

• Johann Van Eyck continued it.

• It is a polyptych altarpiece.

• Donors are on the lower left and panels (textile merchant and wife).

• Biblical Scene Annunication and more biblicion Scammer in lunette spurs are on uppor four panel.

• The brothers's talent for creating all print details and oil painting made it Seon nedom.

• It is believed that shadow was used to make the rooms look like rooms.

• virign nory and angle yaberiol

• Icom across 5 panels adoration of the Lamp.

• Glaze layering involves thinning coating

• It is an example of the Flemish style, not Italy.

• Weyden commissioned tomases Portinari who was a broker in flowers from florence.

Jan Van Eyck

• Every thing stands for something in the flenish painting Aronolfini wedding Portrait, Mon in Ved turbon.
• He left his signature.
• "Jan van erek hade me"
• Les très Riches heures ducde berry
• Middle of france was ce Principlitų kuor as borry ruled by duke.
• The Limburg brothers, books of hours, religous text used Privity had prayer to read at vorias hours were authorized by him

Printmaking: Woodcut and Engraving

• Book production was centered in Central Europe as evidenced by Nurenberg and Bukhenim.
• Transfer designs to blocs using Chisel and woodcut processes.
• Wood cuting is relief printing.
• The design is printed by Cutting design into marrix which is engraving.
• Images get put on paper and use hood blocks.

Ch.20 Vocabulary

• Lines of an image are rasind in radios from the surface of matrix during Relief Printing (an ubrella tom printmakies).
• Images made in colors on vellum fill themed manuscript books.
• The trim Portaits needs to be placed next to each other as pendants .
• Polytech paintings are divided into Sections or panels.
• Relief remains attached to the Surface behind then but appears to be free standing.
• High Acliet looks to be detattaching.
• The patron pays for artist to produce individual art work or expolys on artist on a basis of continuation.
• The medium in which artist works includes pointers that Vechice carries the pigneer.
• Engraving uses a pointed tool called burin

Renaissance in Quattrocento Haly overview

• The Renaissance has spread out across europe and beyon Haly in lyth Century.
• There was an increase use of humanish which is intellectual monenent involving the Study of greel ancient world.
• Study included Roman that emphasized natur's dignity.
• The center for the development of the Renaisannce Style was florence.
• Like flexish Painters, italian artists and scuplters want to depictural representrations, but focuesd on rational Spaces and weignty three.

Important artistic Elements to observe

• There was focus on human form including both Classical and Roman Statues and classical nudity.
• Scientific principles like georanty and anatomy were important in creating art.

What are the mujor formal developments in Quattrocento sculpture?

• Sculptors created art with humanlike Cunatomy due to naturalism.
• Naturalism is evident in worics like David.
• The revival of the Classical Contrapposto Stance Created a movement and réacion.
• Linear prospective techniques that used Techniques like Low-relief.
• Artists used use-dimensional figures for engagement.

.What are the major formal developments in Quattrocento painting?

• Linear Perspetive was Created Spatial depth.
• Natural light and Shadow enhanced dimensional aspects of visual art
• Art produced accurate life like depiction.
• Included dynamic background Settings cand dynamic Compositions tha

formal and material Characteristics of Isth Century italian architecture?

Proportions math was Used.

• Classical order for architectur e
• Simplicity and Elegance were emphaisized.
• Builders used local materials.

principle of Linear perspective, in depth

• Linear Perspective System used horizon.
• Created three-dimensional Spaces

Contrast between the Renaissance in Northern and Southern art

• Attention
• Celebration
• Perspective with a more prominent source of light

impact of humanism on art in Florence

• Emphasize idividuals

• Revivial of greco-roman art

• Moved to portraits of secular figures