Italian Renaissance Art: From Bramante to Da Vinci
San Pietro in Montorio by Bramante
Style: High Renaissance Classicism (early 16th century)
Materials: Marble and Granite Stone
This temple, commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs to commemorate the martyrdom of St. Peter, is perched on the Janiculum Hill, believed to be the site of the saint’s crucifixion. It embodies the Platonic concept of a spherical God, with the dome symbolizing the transition from the earthly realm to the heavens. Bramante’s original design included a circular courtyard to frame the temple, but it remained unfinished, leaving the structure seemingly enclosed within the monastery of San Pietro.
The temple is centrally planned and circular. Its peristyle (colonnade surrounding the building) consists of 16 Tuscan columns, arranged on a staggered base, supporting an entablature comprised of an architrave, frieze, and cornice. The frieze is adorned with triglyphs and metopes, featuring bas-reliefs depicting images of St. Peter, instruments of martyrdom, and objects of Christian worship. A balustrade encircles the building, introducing the upper level. The cylindrical second floor is punctuated by open windows, blind windows, and niches shaped like semi-domes, culminating in shells. The temple is crowned by a ribbed half-sphere dome, with its ribs converging in a lantern topped by a cross.
The Annunciation by Fra Angelico
Chronology: 15th Century
Style: Italian Renaissance Quattrocento
Technique: Tempera on Panel
Location: Museo del Prado, Madrid
This religious altarpiece depicts the Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel informs the Virgin Mary of her impending motherhood. The central panel showcases the Annunciation scene. The two main figures are positioned beneath individual arches. The Archangel Gabriel occupies the center, while the Virgin Mary is situated on the right. The angel is slightly inclined towards Mary, who stands with her arms crossed over her chest, a book open on her right leg, and her gaze lowered. A ray of light illuminates the Virgin, and a dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, descends towards her through the beam.
In the background on the left, the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise is depicted. Three medallions adorn the pavilion: the central one displays the bust of Jesus, forming the Trinity with the Holy Spirit (dove) and God the Father (represented only by a powerful hand). The doorless doorway leading to Mary’s chamber adds depth to the scene.
Fra Angelico’s art exemplifies the innovations of early Quattrocento painters: the application of perspective, architectural backgrounds, and more realistic human figures.
The Birth of Venus by Botticelli
Chronology: 15th Century
Style: Italian Renaissance Quattrocento
Technique: Tempera on Panel
The Birth of Venus, though seemingly mythological, carries religious undertones. It portrays not the actual birth of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty, but her arrival on the island of Cythera. Venus is propelled towards the shore by Zephyr, the west wind, and Chloris, his companion and the lady of flowers, who fly intertwined. On the shore, Spring awaits to wrap Venus in a flower-embroidered robe.
The painting is rich in symbolism: roses showering the goddess represent love and joy but also the pain associated with its thorns; the shell signifies fertility; and the wreath held by Spring symbolizes eternal love. The painting exhibits a linear style, with black lines defining the contours of the figures. Soft colors and a nearly uniform light are employed. The pale skin of Venus and the other female characters contrasts with the darker complexion of the male figure.
The figures are slender, with less muscular definition compared to those painted by other Renaissance artists. The composition is centralized. The four figures, two of which are intertwined, create a dynamic interplay of forces that contribute to the harmony and balance of the scene. Venus stands on one leg, serving as a fulcrum, while the other leg is relaxed, reminiscent of Greek statuary. This balances the right side of the painting, where Spring eagerly prepares to cover Venus with her mantle. The idealized landscape serves as a backdrop.
This renowned painting was revolutionary for its time, as it was the first large-scale work to depict a mythological theme with a nude figure, showcasing new pictorial solutions.
The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
Chronology: 1500-1530
Style: Italian Renaissance High Renaissance
Technique: Oil on Panel
Location: Louvre Museum, Paris
This enigmatic portrait has sparked endless speculation about the identity and expression of the Mona Lisa. Theories abound, ranging from the idealization of beauty to the representation of a young woman dressed as a mature lady, or even a mistress of Giuliano de’ Medici or Leonardo himself.
The composition is simple: a woman seated in an armchair against a landscape backdrop. The lady’s body is turned slightly to one side, her enigmatic gaze directed towards the viewer. The vanishing point is the woman’s face, although a secondary point exists: her hands. The left horizon line is higher than the right, creating an optical illusion: when the viewer focuses on the left side, the woman appears taller and her expression subtly changes compared to when the right side is observed.
The Mona Lisa’s captivating gaze and mysterious smile are perhaps her most alluring features. The absence of eyelashes and eyebrows, along with the greenish hue of her face (likely due to varnish discoloration), contribute to her magnetism. The background features a sfumato landscape, a blurring technique employed by Leonardo. The light is ethereal, and the color palette is broader than that typically used by his contemporaries, with a predominance of browns. Through the sfumato technique, the Mona Lisa appears both ethereal and human, blurring the line between the angelic and the earthly.