Introduction to Renaissance Art

This introductory course is aimed at students who have little or no background in the history of Western Art. Before examining the beginnings of Renaissance art which took hold in Florence in the early years of the fifteenth century, students will be given a broad overview of Greek and Roman art and architecture the emulation of which is fundamental to understanding the cultural revolution of the Renaissance. Through on-site visits to medieval churches and palaces in Florence, students will early on become become familiar with the Romanesque and Gothic styles in which the first Renaissance painters, sculptors and architects had their roots and from which they were dramatically to diverge. Since site-visits are a significant part of this course, the focus will be on Florentine artists who will include: Masaccio, Donatello, Brunelleschi, Fra Angelico, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. By way of comparison consideration will also be given to other art centres in Italy such as Venice, Siena and Ferrara. As well as analyzing the style and subject matter of works of art, students will learn about the techniques of painting and sculpture and comparisons will be made with techniques in other countries in the same period, for example the use of oil paints in Flemish painting.