ARTH Midterm Overall - PDF

E.g. processional paintings for venetian context for lightning round For last section; look visually; ornamentation, subject, material, style–deduce hybridity, what it’s getting at, perhaps where its from generally or when if really possible–-perhaps even draw comparisons to works that look similar...

E.g. processional paintings for venetian context for lightning round For last section; look visually; ornamentation, subject, material, style–deduce hybridity, what it’s getting at, perhaps where its from generally or when if really possible–-perhaps even draw comparisons to works that look similar that I do know to ground in concrete Look for ones that match both lecture and readings: -​ Michelangelo, Vestibule of the Biblioteca Laurenziana, Florence, 1523–4 -​ Humanist/Mannerism/Elastic Style/Classicism -​ Nahuan maker, The Mass of St. Gregory, 1539 [Mexico City] -​ Hybrid/technique/origins -​ Lorenzo Lotto (Italian), The Charity of Saint Antoninus, 1542 [SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Venice] -​ Venetian style mixed with Ottoman carpet and Christian iconography/influence/mobility/misfit to canon -​ Hagesandros, Antenodoros, and Polydoros of Rhodes, Laocoön, c. 175–150 B.C. [discovered 1506] -​ Antiquity / bodily relationship to past / authenticity / revival -​ Gentile Bellini, St. Mark Preaching in Alexandria, 1507 [Basilica di San Marco, Venice] -​ Spolia/attention to how the Ottoman court appears/Venetian maritime power and trade networks with Ottomans -​ Carlo Crivelli, Madonna and Child, ca. 1480 -​ Periphery/experiment with proportions and naturalism/allowed to experiment with location in venice and dalmatian — not traditional renaissance but not regression -​ Carlo Crivelli, Annunciation, 1486 -​ Same idea as above with Periphery/soft architecture and Ottoman rug with Christian religious scene/mobility and gain of knowledge -​ Lorenzo Lotto, St. Jerome in the Wilderness, 1506 [painted in Treviso] -​ Regional artistic style incorporated to original home Venetian style/artistic influence/mobility/evolution in style with knowledge and travel -​ Jacopo Sansovino, Biblioteca Marciana, c. 1537 [Venice] -​ Propaganda image of the republic/humanist statement/classical instead of Gothic or Byzantine style/influence + identity -​ Nahua maker, Christ as Salvator Mundi, c. 1550 -​ Hybrid again/invisible vs. visible mixture -​ Vittore Carpaccio, Lion of Saint Mark, 1516 [Palazzo Ducale, Piazzetta, Venice] -​ One foot land/water = Venice maritime dominance/propaganda for the Republic/Christian image in colonial context/St. Mark is a stolen or translated icon -​ Gentile Bellini, Procession in Piazza San Marco, 1496  -​ Orderly, clean, religious Venetian republic set in front of Basilica of gold/Spectatorship/confraternity/commeerates fragment of True Cross relic they obtained/reinforce the Doge and confraternity image of orderly and religious and pure/detailed artistic ornamentation represents Venice superiority -​ Nicolò Nelli, Turkish Pride, 1572 -​ Cultural other/trade interactions with Ottoman/propaganda/political + cultural rivalries -​ Albrecht Dürer, The Turkish Family, c. 1496 -​ Print/cultural other/fasle/viral -​ Gentile Bellini, Seated Scribe, 1479–81 -​ Change over time/artist as a gift/cultural + religious exchange and collaboration/mobility of items + viral on paper -​ Giovanni Mansueti, Miracle of the Relic of the Holy Cross in Campo San Lio, c. 1494 -​ Spectatorship/Venice as the chosen city/soft architecture/confraternity and purity as with other procession -​ Lorenzo Lotto, Portrait of Giovanni della Volta with His Wife and Children, 1547 -​ Table carpet/ornamentation and mixture/likely mercantile family, not religious or authority depiction/ candid/patron was a regular merchant and thus more freedom and difference than typical portrait for the Papacy, etc. -​ Sinan, Süleymaniye Mosque Complex, Istanbul, 1548-59 -​ Response to St. Peter’s Basilica/worked with Michaelangelo/shared past/cultural exchange/Hagia Sophia influence/domes/exceeding the past model with honeycomb and hemispherical domes -​ Vasco Fernandes, Adoration of the Magi, 1501-6 -​ Portuguese colonial geopolitics (abroad and tug o war with Habsburgs)/Detail oriented — middle Magi who is typically Moorish is depicted in Brazilian attire; also the heavily ornate objects they hold; focus on textile detail which shows Netherlandish tradition but also global silk trade/This painting shows how Portugal saw itself/cultural primitive other -​ Andrea Mantegna, Adoration of the Magi, c. 1496 -​ Pseudo-Kufic which serves as an illegible identifier of a far off or incomprehensible world/global objects and trade/cultural other/global connection between renaissance cultures/we see racial differences/the other DON'T FORGET TO TIE BACK TO GLOBAL RENAISSANCE SIGNIFICANCE The mobility of objects, ideas, and people (patrons, architects, artists) Borrowing across cultures/religions 1.​ New St. Peter’s Basilica, Donato Bramante, Begun 1506 a.​ New St. Peter's was designed around the same time as Bayezid II's mosque (1501–1505/06), suggesting the possibility of an exchange of ideas between Rome and Istanbul. This is especially likely given their mutual revival of the central-plan design and the fact that the Sultan invited Leonardo and Michelangelo during the construction of his mosque. b.​ The Pope's initial consideration to demolish Constantine’s old basilica to make room for New St. Peter's evokes the precedent set by Mehmed II's mosque-and-mausoleum complex, which required the demolition of another early Christian church associated with Constantine. The Sultan’s complex, designed as a grand center, projected the cultured image of the Muslim emperor of "New Rome." Similarly, the renovated St. Peter's would express the Papacy's magnificence under Julius II, who sought to emulate the imperial grandeur of ancient Rome. c.​ Bramante's design for New St. Peter's—with its hemispherical domes, half-domes, and minaret-like twin towers—bears a striking resemblance to Istanbul's three imperial mosques: Hagia Sophia, Mehmed II's mosque, and Bayezid II’s mosque. Italian interest in Hagia Sophia after the fall of Constantinople is exemplified by drawings in Giuliano da Sangallo’s (d. 1516) Barberini Sketchbook, copied from originals by Cyriacus of Ancona (probably from the 1440s), which Bramante could have seen in Rome (Figure 20.3a–b). d.​ It is not surprising, then, that Bramante’s design for New St. Peter’s, as shown in Caradosso’s medal, bears a striking resemblance to Hagia Sophia—and, by extension, to Istanbul’s imperial mosques. e.​ By merging the imperial iconographies of the Pantheon and Hagia Sophia in New St. Peter’s, the Pope may have aspired to reclaim the combined architectural heritage of Old Rome and Constantinople, founded as “New Rome” and “New Jerusalem.” f.​ Most domes were being built in Istanbul during this period, likely studied by Italians through contacts with Florentine merchants. g.​ The three "Temples of Solomon"—the Süleymaniye Mosque, St. Peter’s Basilica, and El Escorial—nonetheless spoke the same Mediterranean architectural language of universal sovereignty, with their flexible classicism shaped by regional influences. h.​ Shared Pasts in the Global Renaissance and Global Exchange of ideas and borrowing of designs, physical artists, religious/imperial iconography 2.​ a.​ Evangelist wall painting, Juan Gerson, 1562 (Mexico) b.​ Borrowing within the colonial context was complex and included exchanges of techniques, material, and iconography both ways between the colonizers and the colonized. This often led to misinterpretation and confusion about different art pieces during the period of the Global Renaissance. c.​ The classic example of misrecognition in colonial Spanish America is that of Juan Gerson, the indigenous painter responsible for a number of murals in the monastic complex of Tecamachalco. For years, scholars presumed that because of their stylistic and iconographic affinities with European models, these murals were created by a Flemish artist who had trained in Italy before arriving in New Spain. Only in 1962 did a group of Mexican scholars find documents that revealed Gerson was a baptized Nahua working with Franciscans. What had been a European image in New Spain became a visual hybrid. d.​ Moreover, Gerson is not an exceptional case. Basilio Santa Cruz, an artist who worked extensively in mid-seventeenth-century Cuzco, was identified as a Spanish friar, trained by European masters and proficient in the Baroque style of the period, until contracts revealing his Andean surname (Pumacallao or Pumaqallo) were uncovered by Jorge Cornejo Bouroncle 1952. The artist’s indigenous surname forced a revision of stereotypic assumptions about race, art styles, and abilities by pressing to the fore questions about what it means for an indigenous person to work in a “foreign” style. e.​ While the subject matter and stylistic elements were rooted in European traditions, the use of amate paper—a material significant in pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican cultures—infused the work with indigenous significance. f.​ As an indigenous Nahua artist, Gerson was commissioned to create a series of murals depicting scenes from the Old Testament and the Apocalypse.  g.​ This calls into question forced borrowing and perhaps acts of resistance from the colonized to retain their own artistic culture in any way they could during the Global Renaissance – the dangers of misinterpretation with colonial borrowing or exchange if we can call it that—Hybridity context Power, self-fashioning, and imperial identity 1.​ a.​ Domenico Rossi da Este, Cittá vecchia di Candia, 1573 b.​ The importance of cartography in imposing imperial power and defining colonies according to the metropole’s image—highlight the public squares, central roads, Latin churches, and fortifications built by the Venetians while hiding or omitting the original churches or Greek influences (in Crete) c.​ 1567 and 1573, Domenico da Este (Rossi) created two maps of Candia during the initial campaigns to fortify the city’s suburbs. As an engineer tasked with documenting the new fortifications, he produced plans that detailed the wall circuit, bastions, new gates, and several Latin churches within the city walls, all clearly labeled. The suburbs are distinctly marked to emphasize the new section of the town that had been fortified since 1540. Interestingly, despite the presence of over a hundred Greek churches, very few are depicted on the 1573 map. d.​ In contrast, most of the Latin churches are shown, even those that were relatively insignificant in terms of size and importance. The Jewish quarter is also prominently featured, which contrasts sharply with the actual political and social dynamics of the time. While Orthodox Greeks enjoyed considerable freedom to participate in the city’s political and economic life, the Jewish community’s position had deteriorated significantly by the sixteenth century. This selective representation of urban space clearly reflects the ideological intentions of both the cartographer and his commissioners. e.​ Furthermore, the city of Candia and its harbor are not just depicted for observation but are presented in a way that serves the interests of outsiders traveling to the island and its capital. Buondelmonti’s sketch highlights key features such as the fortified city walls with towers, the city gate, the central  square (referred to by its Greek name platea), the harbor, the ducal palace, and the churches. f.​ Meant for others Globally to see Venetian imperial power in Crete — presenting cartography highlighting cultural, military, and urban presence and superiority. What the map gives the world is their impression, what’s highlighted carries power. 2.​ a.​ Giulio Lasso and Mariano Smiriglio, Quattro Canti, 1608-20 (Palermo) The urban landscape of Palermo reflects the urban hegemony imposed by its imperial rulers, particularly through architectural and spatial organization. One of the most striking examples is the construction of the Quattro Canti (Four Corners) in the heart of the city, a highly orchestrated urban intervention that functions as both a practical evacuation space and a powerful statement of imperial authority. By designing a symmetrical intersection at the center of Palermo, the ruling powers imposed a sense of order that aligned with Baroque ideals, emphasizing control over both movement and perception within the city. Fountains within this space serve as subtle yet deliberate symbols of imperial generosity, providing water to the populace while simultaneously reinforcing the beneficence of the ruling power. Though these fountains incorporate nods to local saints—seemingly recognizing Palermo’s cultural identity—they ultimately serve as a reminder of imperial control, ensuring that even religious and civic elements remain under the influence of the governing authority. Secondhand Monuments: One of the most significant examples of Palermo’s urban transformation under imperial rule is the Cassaro, a long, straight street cutting through the entire city and extending to the sea. This thoroughfare was designed not just for ease of movement but also as an assertion of power. The straight-line urban planning reflects a ruler’s desire to oversee and dominate all the land they control, ensuring that the city’s layout itself reinforced imperial ideology. Palermo became a focal point for numerous Habsburg imperial markers, all of which signaled dominance over the urban landscape: (and the Quattro Canti was at the center of all of it) — Porta Nuova, initiated in 1569, served as a grand entrance to the city, celebrating Habsburg rule and visually marking the passage from the outside world into an imperial stronghold.​ — Porta Felice, begun in 1581, reinforced this symbolism, acting as a monumental gateway that further asserted control over the city's entry points.​ — Cassaro, the primary street, connected these landmarks and provided a direct visual and physical axis of control, ensuring that movement within the city adhered to the structured and surveilled imperial order. The construction of these monuments required significant urban restructuring, often at the expense of the city’s existing elite. Wealthy residents were forced to relocate in order to accommodate these grand projects, demonstrating the extent of imperial authority. This act of displacement itself became a further assertion of dominance, as the ruling power actively reshaped the city to fit its vision, regardless of local opposition. Baroque Order and Imperial Ideology: The urban interventions in Palermo adhered closely to Baroque principles of order, symmetry, and centralized perspective. The octagonal symmetry of the Quattro Canti exemplifies this, creating a structured, geometric environment that imposed a rigid sense of control over the city’s inhabitants. This architectural planning transformed Palermo into a microcosm of imperial ideology, where every aspect of urban design reflected the ruling power’s authority and aesthetic preferences. At the middle level of Palermo’s imperial iconography, statues of Spanish rulers—such as Charles V and Philip IV—served as omnipresent symbols of Habsburg dominance. These statues did not merely commemorate past rulers; they asserted the dynasty’s legitimacy, visually dominating the cityscape and reinforcing the doctrine of divine right. The presence of these royal figures in public spaces ensured that the Habsburgs remained an inescapable part of everyday life in Palermo, further embedding imperial rule into the fabric of the city. Negotiations with the past  1.​ a.​ Hagesandros, Antenodoros and Polydoros of Rhodes, Laocoön, c. 175-150 B.C., [discovered 1506] Catalyst for Artistic and Intellectual Revival (1506): ​ The unearthing of Laocoön and His Sons in Rome symbolized the Renaissance’s fascination with classical ideals of beauty, human anatomy, and emotional expression. ​ Artists like Michelangelo were profoundly influenced by its dynamic composition and intense musculature, shaping High Renaissance art in works like the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Antiquity as a Source of Political and Cultural Prestige: ​ Cities across Europe competed to align themselves with the grandeur of ancient civilizations, using antiquity to legitimize political power and cultural dominance. ​ Rome reclaimed its imperial past through classical architecture and art, reinforcing Papal authority as the spiritual heir to the Roman Empire. ​ Venice strategically used spolia—reclaimed materials from ancient sites—to display its wealth and imperial reach. The façade of St. Mark’s Basilica features columns and sculptures looted from Constantinople, symbolizing Venice’s dominance as both a maritime republic and a cultural capital. Ideological Justification for Colonialism and Enslavement: ​ The Renaissance revival of antiquity provided a framework to justify European colonial expansion. ​ The belief that societies without written histories or monumental architecture were “primitive” became a rationale for colonization. This echoed classical ideas of barbarism versus civilization from Greek and Roman texts. ​ Classical works, such as Aristotle’s Politics, were reinterpreted to legitimize systems of enslavement, reinforcing the notion of “natural” hierarchies among peoples. Alternative Antiquities Complicating Art Historical Narratives: ​ While the Renaissance emphasized Greco-Roman antiquity, alternative forms such as Byzantine, Islamic, and Gothic art persisted, challenging simplistic categorizations in art history.  ​ Venice’s architecture, for example, blended Gothic and Islamic influences alongside classical spolia, reflecting a more complex interaction with “antiquity” than traditional narratives suggest. Global Resonance of the Classical Revival: ​ The influence of antiquity extended beyond Italy to France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire, shaping artistic, political, and intellectual movements across Europe. ​ France’s King Francis I invited artists like Leonardo da Vinci to his court, blending Italian Renaissance ideals with French cultural identity. ​ In Spain, the integration of classical aesthetics with Christian iconography supported both imperial ambitions and religious authority, particularly during the Counter-Reformation. 2.​ a.​ Santa Maria della Catena, c.1502-40, Matteo Carnilivari ​ Norman Influences: ○​ The double-transept plan mirrors the architectural layout of Norman cathedrals such as Cefalù, though on a smaller, more intimate scale. This feature anchors the church within Sicily’s Norman heritage, reflecting the island’s medieval past and the legacy of Norman rule. ○​ The use of solid, fortress-like exteriors also echoes Norman defensive architecture, suggesting a blending of sacred and secular spatial design. ​ Mediterranean Gothic: ○​ The church incorporates elements of the “Mediterranean Gothic” style, introduced to Sicily by Catalan architects (p. 153). This includes: ​ Stereotomy: The precise art of stone-cutting, allowing for complex geometric forms and structural innovations, demonstrating advanced masonry techniques influenced by both Gothic and Islamic traditions prevalent in the Mediterranean. ​ Ribbed vaults: A hallmark of Gothic architecture, these vaults not only serve structural purposes but also add a sense of verticality and rhythm to the interior space. ​ Classicism: ○​ The façade features composite columns—a blend of Ionic and Corinthian orders—symbolizing a direct reference to classical antiquity (p. 152). This  reflects Renaissance ideals of harmony and proportion derived from ancient Roman architecture. ○​ The use of white Carrara marble detailing further enhances this classical aesthetic, signaling wealth, sophistication, and a deliberate connection to Rome’s imperial past. ​ Plural Relationship to the Past: ○​ The church’s combination of Norman, Gothic, and classical elements illustrates what can be described as a “plural relationship to the past.” It engages with multiple historical narratives simultaneously, resisting a linear or singular interpretation of history. ○​ This plurality reflects Sicily’s unique position as a cultural crossroads, influenced by Byzantine, Arab, Norman, and Spanish rule. ​ Anachronic Renaissance: ○​ Drawing on Nagel and Wood’s concept of the “anachronic Renaissance,” Santa Maria della Catena embodies a condition where objects and architectural forms engage with multiple temporalities at once. The church is not simply a product of its time but interacts with the past in layered, non-linear ways. ○​ This anachronism challenges traditional Renaissance ideals of temporal progression and stylistic purity, instead presenting antiquity as something elastic—capable of being stretched, reinterpreted, and integrated into new contexts. ​ Elastic Style and Multiplicity of Antiquity: ○​ The church demonstrates an elastic style, where the past is not fixed but malleable, allowing for reinterpretation across different historical moments. ○​ This multiplicity of antiquity represents a non-linear relationship with the past, where classical, medieval, and Gothic elements coexist without strict chronological boundaries, reflecting the layered history of Palermo as a Mediterranean hub of cultural exchange. 3.​ St Mark's Basilica spolia in Venice 4.​ Porphyry as a material 5.​ Tomb of Frederick II, Cathedral of Palermo a.​ Stolen antiquities and prestige Artistic influence 1.​  Artistic Influence ​ Dürer’s Impact: Lotto’s work reflects direct influence from Albrecht Dürer’s engraving of St. Jerome (1496), showcasing how Northern Renaissance styles permeated Venetian art. Lotto’s adaptation of Dürer’s “small-scale Düreresque landscape” includes jagged silhouettes, breaks in spatial recession, and sudden contrasts of scale, emphasizing cross-cultural artistic exchanges. ​ Venetian Roots: Despite Lotto’s mobility, he retains stylistic elements from his Venetian training, particularly in the compositional formulas set by artists like Giovanni Bellini and Cima da Conegliano. This adherence illustrates how foundational influences remain embedded even as an artist’s style evolves. ​ Roman Classicism: While in Rome, Lotto’s interpretation of St. Jerome shifts toward monumental forms, influenced by classical art and the expressive potential of the human nude, contrasting with his earlier Venetian sensibilities. Mobility ​ Geographical Shifts Shape Style: Lotto’s movements from Venice to Treviso, Rome, and Bergamo demonstrate how relocating influenced his artistic approach. For example, the Treviso panel reflects delicate tonal transitions and miniature-like details, while his Roman version showcases exaggerated, monumental figures. ​ “Off-Center” Influence: Treviso’s status as a peripheral city (described as a “limb” to Venice’s “body”) challenges the center-periphery dichotomy in Renaissance art. Lotto’s work there shows that influential art could emerge outside traditional hubs, reinforcing the importance of regional contexts. ​ Adapting to Local Expectations: In Bergamo, Lotto’s work reflects a dialogue with local patronage, suggesting that artists adapted their styles based on geographic and cultural demands, emphasizing the role of site-specific influences in shaping artistic production. The Importance of Influence in the Global Renaissance ​ Synthesis of Styles: Lotto’s evolving depictions of St. Jerome merge Northern European (Düreresque) precision, Venetian colorism, and Roman classicism. This synthesis exemplifies how Renaissance art was not isolated but rather a product of transregional exchanges. ​ Iconographic Adaptation: The portrayal of St. Jerome changes from an ascetic figure in earlier works to a more dynamic, muscular form in later versions, influenced by Lotto’s exposure to Roman art and possibly Michelangelo’s nudes. This transformation reflects how artists reinterpreted familiar subjects through the lens of new cultural experiences.  2.​ a.​ El Greco, Modena Triptych, 1568 in Venice → El Greco, Purification in the Temple, (version II), 1576 in Rome → El Greco, Burial of Count Orgaz, 1586-88 in Toledo (Spain) The Evolutionary Arc: El Greco’s trajectory from Venice to Rome to Toledo represents more than just a personal artistic journey—it mirrors the broader Renaissance phenomenon of cross-cultural exchange. Starting with the Modena Triptych, El Greco’s work reflects his grounding in Byzantine iconography, marked by spiritual symbolism, rigid forms, and a hierarchical structure. However, this piece also hints at an early openness to Western techniques, particularly Venetian colorism and spatial organization, signaling his initial engagement with Renaissance ideals. Moving to the Purification of the Temple, we see a pivotal transformation. Here, El Greco’s style shifts dramatically as he encounters the intellectual and artistic fervor of Rome. His figures become more dynamic, his compositions more dramatic, influenced by the Mannerist experimentation with form and expression. This work represents an artistic crossroads—a moment where El Greco absorbs classical Renaissance ideals but pushes against their constraints, embracing distortion, emotional intensity, and complex spatial arrangements. By the time he paints The Burial of Count Orgaz, El Greco has fully synthesized these diverse influences into a style that is unmistakably his own. This masterpiece fuses the spiritual abstraction of his Byzantine roots, the vibrant color and light learned in Venice, and the expressive dynamism of Roman Mannerism. The composition’s dual realms—earthly and divine—embody not just a religious narrative but also an artistic one: the merging of different worlds, traditions, and eras into a cohesive, transcendent vision. Artistic Influence and Global Renaissance Significance: This evolution reflects how artistic influence during the Global Renaissance was fluid and reciprocal. Rather than passively inheriting styles, El Greco actively engaged with them—absorbing, critiquing, and transforming them through the lens of his own experiences. His work illustrates how ideas moved along with artists, shaped by the cultural, religious, and political contexts of different regions. Moreover, El Greco’s development underscores the Renaissance as a truly global phenomenon. His art was not confined to the geographic or ideological borders of any single nation; instead, it was a product of the interconnectedness of the Mediterranean world—a space where Byzantine spirituality, Italian humanism, and Spanish mysticism could coexist and coalesce. For third section: look for concerns about colonization, different styles (Gothic mediterranean for example), look at the objects and ornamentation, do some visual analysis with foreground/space/subjects/lines, think perhaps about materials used to make it, maybe materials like textiles within the frame, religious concerns, regional vs. imperial concerns, concerns of defining an other, displays of wealth or culture, think about frontality, sexualization (gender differences) / objectification, think about race and dehumanization and depictions, location/objects/ownership/labor,