Expand+This course will examine one of the most paradigmatic turning points in the history of Western culture, looking at the great minds and artists who shaped it. Examining the birth of a new dynamic aesthetic of transcendent beauty and harmony which rose...

Hide-This course will examine one of the most paradigmatic turning points in the history of Western culture, looking at the great minds and artists who shaped it. Examining the birth of a new dynamic aesthetic of transcendent beauty and harmony which rose out of the ashes of the Dark Ages, we shall begin our journey in Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. Moving forward, we shall take in the development of artistic practice into the High Renaissance in Venice and Rome. Throughout the course, the art will be discussed against the backdrop of the newly developing philosophy of Humanism; an attempt to marry ancient philosophical ideals on beauty and virtue with Christian belief. As we study such renowned artists as Donatello, Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael, we shall encounter as an important theme the rising status of the artist; from a manual craftsman in early years to nothing less than “God’s own Artist”, employed by Popes and commanding an army of assistants.

Expand+Week 1 : Rebirth from the Middle-Ages and the Work of Giotto

This lecture establishes a context for the course. We shall examine the renewed interest in Classical philosophy and paganism, going into some detail on Humanist thought and its importan...

Hide-Week 1 : Rebirth from the Middle-Ages and the Work of Giotto

This lecture establishes a context for the course. We shall examine the renewed interest in Classical philosophy and paganism, going into some detail on Humanist thought and its importance to Renaissance art, and question how this fit within a dogmatic Christian context. We will then turn our attention to the “Father of the Renaissance”, examining his stunning Arena Chapel in Padua and discussing why Giotto constituted a turning point in art history.

Week 2 : The Moment of Rebirth and Masaccio

This lecture will focus on the cultural and political situation of Florence at the beginning of the 15th Century, examining the moment the Renaissance began; with a prestigious competition to design the sacred Baptistery doors. We will then take a look at the theories of Leon Battista Alberti, who wrote the first humanist treatise on painting, and examine how painter Masaccio embodied this style to create deeply moving and life-like Christian works.

Week 3 : Early Renaissance Sculpture and Botticelli’s Mythology

The innovations of Donatello in sculpture will be considered here, questioning whether Humanist ideas can produce “Speaking Statues”. We will then move on to discuss the mythological paintings of Sandro Botticelli such as The Birth of Venus, paying attention to the artist’s complex symbolism, and examining the difference between private and public works of art.

Week 4 : Art, Science and Divinity: Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti

One of the greatest minds of the Renaissance will be discussed first, examining da Vinci’s formation as an artist and his profound contributions to the world of art and science. We will then look at the emergence of “God’s own Artist”; the most renowned and notorious personality in the history of art. We shall discuss Michelangelo’s early years, before examining how his art transcended the earthly to embody the Divine.

Week 5 : Female Portraiture and the Venetian Renaissance

This week takes a break from the Renaissance centres Florence and Rome. First, we shall examine the beautifully skilful work of one of the few female Renaissance artists, Sofonisba Anguissola, looking especially at her portraits and her position as a woman in a patriarchal society. We shall take a look at the innovations of the Venetian Renaissance court and the extravagant use of colour by artists Giorgione and Titian.

Week 6 : The Patronage of Pope Julius II: Raphael’s Renaissance and Michelangelo’s Vision of Heaven

We shall examine the evolving style of High Renaissance artist Raphael, looking primarily at his decoration of the Villa Farnesina in Rome, before introducing Pope Julius II and looking at the Papal apartments he commissioned of Raphael, featuring his famous School of Athens. Finally, we shall examine the most sacred chapel in Christendom in the form of a case study on Pope Julius II’s commission for Michelangelo to paint the ceiling, before concluding the course with an examination of the monumental Last Judgement, which paved the way from the High Renaissance style to the new Mannerist movement.

This course will consist of 12 hours of teaching spread across 6 weeks. Each week will consist of 2 lectures, with a short break in between.