Renaissance+-+Group+3



The themes of the Renaissance expressed in " The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli are the birth of beauty, the importance of the Church in art, and Roman and Greek culture. The painting depicts the birth of the goddess Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. The Renaissance was a time of a very literal reawakening, or re-birth, of beauty in art. The roses flowing around her, her symbol, show that it is Spring, a time of birth everywhere. The Renaissance had a focus on Roman and Greek culture. This painting shows this, because although Venus was not a celebrated Goddess, she was still important in the time of the Renaissance. Botticelli was the painter of the Birth of Venus. He was a great painter, and very importantly, Christian. The painting was commissioned by Lorenzo de' Medici. The Medici family was very influential and supportive of the arts in Renaissance Italy, as well as a family that succeeded in having a child become Pope.


 * Very good job, but Christianity is not a them IN the painting. It is only relevant through background, but even then, it is a bit of a stretch**

"Meaning in the Birth of Venus" __suite101.com__ 200. January 14th. http://renaissance-art.suite101.com/article.cfm/meaning_in_the_birth_of_venus

Reichold, Klaus and Garf, Bernhard. __Paintings that Changed the World__. New York: Prestil, (c) 2007

//The Virgin of the Rocks (Madonna of the Rocks)// by Leonardo da Vinci is an accurate representation of the importance/power of the Church at the time, the idealism of balance with nature, the hardworking characteristics of a perfect man of the Renaissance and the realism of Renaissance paintings. **Nice intro** The first, which is now held in the Louvre in Paris, was considered unfinished, and so Leonardo da Vinci had to remake this, and made the one which is now in London.The second one has brighter colors that seem to depict nature, the human body and colors more realistically and beautifully, and in the first one there are also no halos nor John the Baptist's famous cross of the reeds. The redone painting better represents ideals of the Renaissance; it also shows Leonardo da Vinci's hardworking spirit that helped to label him as a "Renaissance Man". The paintings depict a popular story of the time where baby Jesus (with Virgin Mary) met John the Baptist as a baby and blessed and prophesized him. These paintings accurately portray religious belief of the time. They also represent the belief in balance of human (or human form) and nature at the time (adapted from Greek and Roman ideals). There is also a strong sense of realism and correct human anatomy that was important at the time. A popular Christian story, commissioned by a large church and executed with Renaissance attention to realistic detail and balance, //The Virgin of the Rocks// is a good depiction of the Renaissance and what was important in that time.


 * Nice job**

"Virgin of the Rocks." //Web Gallery of Art//. Web. 13 Jan. 2010. . "Virgin of the Rocks." //Leonardo DaVinci//. Web. 13 Jan. 2010. .

Michelangelo's "Creation of Adam" definitely shows Renaissance style because it is very realistic and it uses perspective. It is part of the larger piece of art that he painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican in 1511. The people in "Creation of Adam" are realistic and shadowed. Although there is not much perspective, the figures slightly farther back are slightly smaller. The background is of mountains. in the Middle Ages religious figures were arranged in odd geometric groups and the background was usually a gold wash or something similar. Renaissance art was much closer in style to the Greek art that came before Medieval times because it was made to look much more realistic. In addition, science taught them how to paint perspective and applied chiaroscuro, which is careful, detailed use of light and shadow. The natural world would often be portrayed in the background, as apposed to a solid color. The artist applied all of those aspects making it a great example of a renaissance painting. Reichold, Klaus and Garf, Bernhard. __Paintings that Changed the World__. New York: Prestil, (c) 2007 "Renaissance." __Learner.org__. 1997-2010. 14 January 2010. .


 * Nice job. I like the collage below.**



Each of these works of art made evident the importance of religion, realism and beauty during the Renaissance. //**Good intro** The Birth of Venus// by Botticelli was painted by a Christian artist and for a family well known for its connections to the church and government. It is the birth of beauty, and in this represents rebirth of beautiful art from the Greek and Roman era. //The Virgin of the Rocks// by Leonardo da Vinci is a depiction of a very famous Christian story at the time and was commissioned by a church. It shows the balance of human form and nature that had been adapted from Greek culture. Lastly, //The Creation of Adam// by Michelangelo was not only a painting of an important story from the Christian Bible (the creation of Man itself by God), but also painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. It not only balances nature (the mountains in the background) with the main picture and story, but is also painted in a style of art that is largely Greek and Roman. Each of these paintings is realistic and detailed as most famous art in the Renaissance was. They are all Christian-related, and not only is the artwork itself beautiful, but the humans and human figures that were painted are beautiful as well. These all clearly represent some of the main ideas and consistencies in art during the Renaissance: Chrisitanity, balance, beauty, realism, detail and Greek and Roman inspired artwork/styles. **A bit repetitive.**

Citations: 20 points Picture paragraphs: 27/30 Summary paragraph: 19/20 Total: 76/80**
 * Pictures: 10 points