Late Gothic “Proto-Renaissance”

Some say the Renaissance began with Giotto (“The Era of Painting”), although he was effected by his direct past- The Renaissance was a rejection of all things Medieval Revival of Antiquity went along with a search for realism (think Greek Sculpture and Roman painting) Started with Flemish painters, whose work reached beyond the borders of the Netherlands and effected all of Europe (Italian art of the same time period did not spread) Flemish composers had the same revolutionary impact. This was the beginning of the search for realism and the rejection of the passionate expressionism of Medieval art. First use of Oil Paint!! In this way, these artists were the fathers of modern art.

The Master of Flemalle, Merode Altarpiece, c A new pictorial experience (compare with Medieval Annunciations)-search for realism Quality of looking through the painting at a pictorial world beyond Has aimed to tell the truth, although he has not grasped perspective How to transfer symbolic settings to everyday environments without making them look trivial- every detail in the painting has “disguised symbolism” (lily on the table symbolizes the Virgin)-this carried over from Medieval

Duccio

Hubert/ Jan Van Eyck, The Crucifixion: The Last Judgment Van Eyck was very well known and respected during his lifetime Devotion to the visual world People are less sculptural, less isolated Use the invention of Atmospheric Perspective- details get hazy as the vanish into the background- this was possible because of the invention of oil paint-glazing Right panel-symmetry v. chaos

Hubert and Jan Van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece, (open) (Hubert died in 1426) 11’3”x14’5” Total of 20 panels (Triptych form) Painted on both sides Nudes are almost life- sized Adam and Eve were designed specifically for their positions on the panel

Ghent Altarpiece (closed) Planned as one coherent unit Figures on the outside are his patrons (meant to be compared to Adam and Eve)-first attempt at portraiture since Rome Shows the shadows cast on the floor by the individual panels

Jan Van Eyke, Man in a Red Turban 1433 Intimate nature of the portrait is the first of its kind-might be a self- portrait (strain around eyes could be from gazing into a mirror) Personality is meant to be established

Jan Van Eyke, Wedding Portrait, 1434 (Arnolfini Family) One of the major masterpieces of the period Van Eyke serves as painter and witness Realism and disguised symbolism SHOES ARE OFF! World of the natural and world of the spirit become one

detail “ Jan Van Eyke Was Here ”

van der Weyden, Descent from the Cross, 1435 His goal was to capture the Pathos of the past (Gothic and Greek) So much emotion that it could be called “Lamentation” Placed in an architectural niche Heightened the tragic event

Little is known about his life Work is very difficult to interpret Heaven and Hell are recognizable, but Earth is very strange!! Shows carnal desire Suggests that EVERYONE is destined for Hell Some say that it is Bosch’s version of heaven (based on his membership in a secret heretical sect) Images seem to celebrate what he condemns Bosch, Garden of Earthly Delights,

(Heaven) Hell Eden

Quarton, Avignon Pieta c.1470 France- familiar with Flemish work-expressive qualities are direct descendents Design is simple, derived from Italian (Giotto) Also see Near East influence (color and background)

Michael Pacher, St. Wolfgang Altarpiece Most common sculpture is wood altar shrines Especially popular in Germanic regions Very intricate and detailed No sense of volume or space- more painterly than sculptural

Martin Schongauer, The temptation of St. Anthony, c The development of printing- books were printed in the modern sense in the Rhineland after 1450 and spread all over Europe Ushered in a new era of general literacy Printed pictures replaced the role of Medieval scribe and illuminator Engraving-grooves cut into metal plates with a steel tool called a burin Schongauer was the first painter to also be known as a printmaker Texture grows in importance Variation in surface

Master of Hausbuch, Holy Family By the Rosebush, Small, intimate details Technique was called drypoint (plates wore out more quickly) Permitted softer surfaces