Table of contents:
- 1. Spring
- 2. Kiss of Judas
- 3. School of Athens
- 4. The Last Supper
- 5. The birth of Venus
- 6. Creation of Adam
- 7. The Last Judgment
- 8. Mona Lisa
- 9. Dormition of the Virgin
- 10. Sistine Madonna
Video: What is the mystery of 10 famous Renaissance paintings that have been admired for centuries
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli and many other Renaissance artists who entered the history of the cultural movement from the 14th to the 17th century won the hearts of not only art connoisseurs, but also ordinary people who understand little about the technique and manner of execution. But it is no coincidence that these inspiring paintings to this day make an indelible impression even on the modern generation, which with interest examines colorful canvases with incredibly spiritualized faces and exciting plots, around which hundreds of thousands of different stories circulate, prompting artists to create them.
1. Spring
“Primavera” means “spring season” and this painting is sometimes called “allegory of spring”. There were also various interpretations of the picture, but in general there is an opinion that at some level this work is a complex mythological allegory of the growing fertility of the world. Accordingly, Spring is one of the most complex and controversial works in the world, making it a striking and graceful example of early Renaissance art.
2. Kiss of Judas
Many critics consider Giotto to be the first genius of modern painting, and some argue that no artist has surpassed him, with the exception of a few painters. His cycle of frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel is one of the most important masterpieces of Western art, and the Kiss of Judas is the most famous painting of the cycle, which captures the moment of betrayal when Judas identifies Jesus with the soldiers by kissing him. Giotto skillfully capturing the drama and confusion during the arrest of Christ, deftly conveyed the expression on the faces of Jesus and Judas at the very moment when they look at each other, still not really believing in what is happening.
3. School of Athens
The School of Athens is a truly masterpiece painting, the authorship of which belongs to the world famous Raphael. It is part of the Stanze di Raffaello frescoes that are exhibited in the Vatican, in one of the largest palaces, namely the Apostolic Palace. It is believed that this painting is the most prominent representative of the High Renaissance era. Several frescoes housed in the palace represent the embodiment of the main sciences, namely philosophy, poetry, theology and, of course, law. The "School of Athens" itself is a deep philosophy in its purest form. World art historians and critics suggest that twenty-one figures depicted are the most prominent philosophers of all times and peoples, and therefore, if you look closely, you can find familiar outlines there. True, this is just a theory, since today only Plato and Aristotle have been officially confirmed, which are the central part of this historical masterpiece.
4. The Last Supper
In The Last Supper, Leonardo masterfully portrays the perplexity and confusion that arise among Jesus' disciples when he announces that one of them will betray him. Da Vinci's detailed knowledge of anatomy, light, subtle gradation of tone, botany and geology, as well as his unbridled interest in how people express their emotions in expressions and gestures, masterfully depicted on canvas, made this painting one of the most famous and revered works of all times and peoples, which they talk about to this day.
5. The birth of Venus
"The Birth of Venus" is a myth about a beautiful goddess, whose name has been on the lips of almost everyone for a long time. The painting depicts a fairly mature woman on the seashore. And despite the fact that most scientists interpret this picture differently, nevertheless, there are those who agree on a common opinion, talking about how Botticelli represented and portrayed the Neoplatonic idea of divine love in the form of a naked Venus, born from the shell. And it is not at all surprising that this particular work remains one of the most valuable works of the Renaissance, inspiring contemporaries to some plagiarism and imitation, becoming a favorite prototype for artists and photographers who want to get the beautiful Venus into their networks.
6. Creation of Adam
The Creation of Adam is the most famous fresco panel of the masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. In terms of popularity, this picture is second only to "Mona Lisa" and along with "The Last Supper" is considered one of the most replicated religious paintings of all time. The image of almost touching hands of God and Adam has become a symbol of humanity, which has been imitated and parodied for many centuries.
7. The Last Judgment
The Last Judgment is one of the most influential frescoes in the history of Western art. On the wall of the altar of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, the Second Coming of Christ (the future return of Jesus to earth) and the final eternal judgment of God of all mankind are depicted. Jesus is shown in the center of the picture and is surrounded by prominent saints, while the Resurrection of the Dead and the Descent of the Damned into Hell are shown in the area below, thereby dividing and separating the world of the dead from the world of the living with a fine line.
8. Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa has been recognized as the most popular and most parodied work in the world. Its worldwide fame, in particular, is based on the elusive smile on the face of a mysterious woman, therefore this picture is also known as "La Gioconda", or laughing. This work was a kind of challenge for the artist, with which he "competed" almost throughout his life. In addition, it is worth noting the fact that in the Guinness Book of Records "Mona Lisa" is marked as the most expensive painting in the world in the history of mankind.
9. Dormition of the Virgin
The painting depicts the Dormition of the Theotokos, which is celebrated every year on August 15 and commemorates Mary's ascent to heaven before the disintegration of her body. Virgin Mary ascends to heaven, accompanied by cherubim. Standing on a cloud, she looks up, arms outstretched in awe. This work is considered the greatest masterpiece of Titian, one of the most universal and popular artists in the history of the Renaissance, which even in the modern world is of great cultural and historical value.
10. Sistine Madonna
The Sistine Madonna depicts the Madonna and Child with Christ surrounded by Saint Sixtus and Saint Barbara. Also under Mary there are two winged cherubs, which are perhaps the most famous, recognizable and present in almost any painting. In addition, there are many different legends about how Raphael painted them. And the "Sistine Madonna" is recognized as one of the best paintings by many well-known art critics, which gained the greatest popularity in Germany, where it was called the best among the paintings, receiving the epithet "divine".
No matter how funny it may sound, but among contemporary artists there are a lot of talented people who are currently able to create anything, moreover, so that the "copy" often looks no worse (or even better) than the original. A great example is the work of a Mexican pensioner,. And we should give him his due, because his frescoes, in fact, turned out to be no worse than Michelangelo's masterpiece.
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