MODULE 4: 16th c.- Renaissance art in 16th c. europe: NORTHERN RENAISSANCE & Mannerism, Chapter 18

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 Modules: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

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How the northern European territories were able to sustain against the pagan pressures of tribal warfare owes much to the character of the aristocracy of the Germanic tribes. Charlemange a 26-year-old tribal chief of the 9th century was perhaps the most charismatic of leaders. As Holy Roman Emperor and protector of the Roman Pope, he managed to cobble together a union of tribes and petty fiefdoms into an organized cultural entity.

By the time of the Renaissance Holy Roman Emperor Charles V ruled from the North Sea to the Mediterranean.

In 1520 priest Martin Luther wrote a letter of protest about what he saw was the Catholic Church’s failure of ethics. Luther presumed he would be fired and excommunicated, but had no idea the wider effect of his protest. His protests touched a common feeling among some Catholics. This feeling would achieve a fervid pitch, resulting in a major schism called the Protestant Reformation.

The Protestant Reformation can be seen as merely more ecclesiastical bindings on the dogmatic yoke of religion or as a dramatic expansion of humanity.

Mannerism is kind of a 'catch-all' term used to describe the 16th century period of dramatic stylistic change in art.


Northern Renaissance-

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SLIDE:
Grunewald “Isenheim Altarpiece” (1515) Pl. 18-32

The many paneled, complex altarpiece, when read as linear story, presents the crucified Christ whose body is racked with scabs and abscesses much like the patients in the hospital who prayed to it for relief of their suffering, and ends with a mystical Resurrection and atomic-like ball of fire aura surrounding the ascending Christ.

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SLIDE:
Durer “Self-Portrait” (1500) Pl. 18-35

Durer’s, the first major artist to sign his work (the A over the D in the upper left hand corner), self portrait shows the intensity of detail found in Northern European art tradition.

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SLIDE:
Durer “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” (1498) Pl. 18-36

This woodcut print again shows the preoccupation with detail in Northern art and the mystical pagan imagery from the past.

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SLIDE:
Bosch “Garden of Earthly Delights” (1515) Pl. 18-72

The original intent of this triptych was as a condemnation of sin and excess. The ‘art’ was so popular that he began making more copies (as did other artists) for this expanded market. The ‘forbidden fruit’ of the subject matter was obviously the kind of titillation that would become more an important element of art.

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SLIDE:
Bruegel “Return of the Hunters” (1565) Pl. 18-75

I find Bruegal fascinating because he chose to describe the existence of ‘common’ people. He gives us the first intimate view of life as it was lived. He preferred festivals, weddings, street parties and farming scenes as sources for his themes.

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Mannerism-

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SLIDE:
Parmigianino “Madonna with the Long Neck” (1540) Pl. 18-52

Mannerism may be the first European art done purely for its reflection of beauty and the pleasures of aesthetics. It also represented complex, highly skilled technique. But perhaps more important, its character of heightened visual drama reflected the religious fervor and political upheaval of the Protestant Reformation.

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SLIDE:
Bronzino “Allegory with Venus and Cupid” (1545) Pl. 18-54

Here another aspect of Mannerism is presented, that is a refined and courtly hedonism. Bronzino’s painting is purely for the customer and the customer wanted a sexual puzzle with a lot of intricate symbolism.

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SLIDE:
Veronese “Feast in the House of Levi” (1573) Pl. 18-59

The written record of Veronese’s trial for heresy related to this work is unique in that it describes his justification, “…I paint pictures as I see fit and as well as my talent permits.” This would become the precedent for artists from that point to today.

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SLIDE:
Tintoretto “The Last Supper” (1594) Pl. 18-60

Comparing this ‘last supper’ to da Vinci’s austere work of the same subject, Tintoretto’s work is a dramatically mystical, ‘psychedelic’ vision.

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SLIDE:
El Greco “Burial of Count Orgaz” (1586) Pl. 18-70

The elongation and other distortions have led some to say El Greco had vision problems. A better view of his work is that it reflects the religious and political turmoil of the times and the Mannerist impulse.

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