FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS, METHODS, & MODES IN THE HUMANITIES – Task 1

A1 - Renaissance
The Renaissance period began in Italy around 1300 and spread throughout Europe during the 1400 and 1500’s. This period signified the beginning path to incredible change in customs, ways of life and institutions that had existed in Europe for almost a thousand years. Many of the new ideas of this period still influence our lives today.
The beginning of this period the European countryside was broken up into large estates owned by the wealthy nobles. Most people were peasants, who worked the land for the noble owners. All parts of life centered around religion mainly the Catholic Church which was very powerful. Throughout the Renaissance, the large estates were taken over by royalties like kings and princes and built strong kingdoms and national governments. The people began to move from the farm to the cities. The Protestant reformation weakened the Catholic Church and divided Christians into many different groups. (Renaissance Art. 2013).
I believe the greatest milestones that came out of the Renaissance are was that of Art and Education. This was a period of rebirth of the classic ideas of ancient Greece and Rome, and at this time, there was a great deal of energy placed on man rather than God.
Art of this time used new forms and techniques to show the ideas of this new age. The Art was focused on glorifying man. Renaissance artist were sought-after and gained fame during this period. Unlike the unknown artists of the Middle Ages, Renaissance artists were admired by emperors and popes.
Painting was more realistic and favored portraits, landscapes and everyday scenes. In religious paintings of this time, the artists made the holy beings look like real people.
Sculpting showed a new knowledge of the human body and its anatomy. Statues of this period were focal not just part of a scene. They were displayed free standing, able to be view from all sides.
Music at this time existed in both religious and secular forms, each using qualities of each. Music was becoming more instrumental than vocal. Musical style diversity grew during this time genres included: masses, monets, chansons, instrumental dances. The guitar, violin and keyboard instruments were created during this period. The music itself was influence as the other art forms by the cultural changes and the freeing of the medieval ages.
During the 1500’s, a period called High Renaissance, some of the greatest works of art began to appear. Works from Michelangelo, creating frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and his sculpture of David. Leonardo da Vinci, who was Michelangelo’s rival, created the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. Da Vinci was also known for as an architect, musician, mathematician and astronomer.
A2 – Baroque
The Baroque style first showed up in Rome in the late 1500’s. Baroque art style is very large in scale and very dramatic. This style came out of the Renaissance art that were viewed as restrained. This period took the Renaissance style and put it in motion. Later in the Baroque period, around the 1700’s, the style became more relaxed and became considered the Rococo style.
A few ideals created a cultural drive that formed the Baroque style. One ideal was that Renaissance art was again, too restrained and orderly. The Baroque style was to achieve balance and beauty in exciting and dramatic ways. Another ideal was that the rulers and wealthy nobles wanted an art style that glorified them and their lives. Great examples of this are the palaces of Zwinger in Germany and Versailles in France. The Third ideal that helped create the Baroque style was a counter reformation of religion. Baroque churches were dramatic creations for this movement.
Baroque painting contained dramatic details, large in scale and was full of energy. This style was intentionally non-symmetrical. The painters of this time were looking to capture the real feelings of their subjects along with the movement or action taking place.
Sculpture of this period again was to create a sense of movement. The sculptures took into consideration the spaces created by the sculpture not just the piece itself.
Music of the baroque period was considered very complex and similar to the other forms of art of this time. Additional brass, woodwind and string instruments had been created to add additional depth to the works of this time. Composers of this time attempted to give voices to their works and invoke emotions. The works were created to tell a story.
Baroque painters included Caravaggio, Rubens and Rembrandt. Rembrandt’s self-portraits exemplified this style with the emotions created in the depth and emotion of his eyes. Bernini was a famous sculptor re-creating David. Composers of this period included – Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi. Handel’s Messiah is a wonderful example of the music of this time. It is still popular today at Christmas. (The Basics of Art: The Baroque Period. 2010)
A3- Relationship between Renaissance and Baroque
The differences in Renaissance and Baroque painting and sculpture is clearly the change from structure to real life. Renaissance paintings were mainly religious due to the church, which caused art to become more and more popular. The use of color in the Baroque time was more vibrant and again bringing out emotion. Renaissance art was almost staged and ridged where Baroque art was real life.
The artists of the Baroque period deviated from the style of the Renaissance because they wanted to create their art in a more real and vivid way. They wanted to show their subjects as they would be in real life.
The two paintings below are from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Jacobzs – Crossbowmen Rembrandt – Night Watch
I wanted to show two style differences between them. Both paintings were a group portrait signifying real people. The first painting from the artist Jacobzs – Amsterdam Shooting Corporation shows a group shot where the entire group is posing for the painting, it almost looks like the painting was photo-shopped. The second portrait is another group painting by Rembrandt – Night Watch, but this time the subjects are moving, they are involved in the scene. This is a wonderful example of the use of movement and emotion in Baroque art. While looking at the painting take note of the color usage and how the element of light is used in each. This is a second style difference that helps show the realness of the scene.
The two sculptures below are from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Michelangelo’s – David Bernini’s - David

The first sculpture is of Michelangelo’s –David of the Renaissance period and although this is a wonderful piece of work and is beloved by many. The only activity Davis is doing, in my subjective opinion is contemplating. We do not know what is taking place. Is he thinking about Goliath or is Goliath already slain? There is no physical movement. The second sculpture is of Bernini’s - David although not as well know, this David is immersed in energy, focus and determination, the sculpture shows the movement of David and his sling, loaded with a rock and ready to be let loose. This energy and three-dimensional movement shows an element that is a clear difference between Renaissance and Baroque styles.
The Baroque period offered perceptual experiences through vivid realism and symbolism that lives on. I believe the realism and movement presented in Baroque art influenced Neoclassicism paintings like Jacques-Louis David’s – Oath of the Horatii , Modern art paintings like Manet’s – The Luncheon on the Grass and Post-impressionist Cezanne’s – The Card Players. Baroque’s extravagant concepts, exuberant spirit and overwhelming passion have stood the test of time and are even very commercial in modern-times. These commercial influences include art styles and body art as well as current design elements in fashion art and even home design and decor.

Reference Page
Renaissance Art. (2013). The History Channel website. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/renaissance-art.
The Basics of Art: The Baroque Period. (2010) the Art of Manliness. Retrieved from http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/10/18/the-basics-of-art-the-baroque-period
Michelangelo's "David," Image retrieved from http://maryckhayes.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/giacometti-existenitialism/
Bernini’s “David,” Image retrieved form http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/1623
Jacobsz’s “Amsterdam Shooting Corporation” Image retrieved from http://www.flickriver.com/photos/32357038@N08/4273922049/
Rembrandt’s “Night Watch”. Image retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Nightwatch_by_Rembrandt.jpg