|
 |
 |
Raphael's The School of Athens
portrays a collection of thinkers from across an historical spectrum, each represented in
an animated scene of discussion. The perspective of the piece and its use of both
Greek and Roman principles of art mark it as an important piece of Renaissance art. |
|
At the center of the work, Raphael frames Plato and
Aristotle beneath a Roman arch. Plato, points upward, gesturing toward one of two
important themes of the Renaissance, Faith. Aristotle's hand motions
downward with an open palm, making reference to Reason, the second theme
of the Renaissance. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
German Albrecht Durer mastery of woodcutting led to Melancholia,
the potrayal of a sad, forlorn angel who is surrounded by objects associated with the
Medieval world. As the sun rises in the background, a new era is dawning |
 |
|
Probobly the greatest achievement of the Renaissance, if
not art in general, is Creation on the ceiling of the Sistine
Chapel, completed by Michelangelo, the sculptor who did not wish to paint. The whole ceiling (549k file) portrays the story of creation
from the book of Genesis. Michelangelo's vision of these moments mark him as a true
artist with an individualism characteristic of the Renaissance. |
 |
|
The giant of Florence, The David,
is 18 feet of mastery, a level of realism achieved only by the Greeks; although,
Michelangelo surely thought he surpassed them. The detail Michelangelo
captures in
David, at the moment he decides to fight, is again, a pinnacle of artistic achievement. |
  |
 |
The Pieta of St. Peters portrays
mother and child at the moment of his death. Michelangelo was 23 when he completed
this work. |
 |
 |
The most recognizable portrait in the world, The
Mona Lisa, was done by the Renaissance's most famous person: Leonardo
da Vinci. A master of many arts, the Mona Lisa remains the art world's most
intriguing portrait. |
|
A lesser-known work, The Last Supper,
portrays Jesus and his disciples at the moment he tells them of his fate. Their
reactions are framed in a perspective that mirrors that of Raphael's The
School of Athens |
 |
|
