Art > Humanism and its Impact on Art

Humanism began to unfold with the Renaissance. It was a great awakening after the many faded years of the Middle Ages. Renaissance and humanism refers to the discovery of classical Greek and Roman studies. The renewed interest in human thought was a great shift away from the medieval way of thinking relying as a source of knowledge based only on the bible.

The Renaissance changed everything in art, architecture, science, politics, religion. The center of this extraordinary development was Florence, a democratic city state in Tuscany. The flourishing city was a home of a wealthy merchant class, who became a new patrons of art. Artists invented new techniques to paint in three dimensions and give more realism to paintings. The Humanist approach allowed them to rediscovered the beauty of human body and soul.

Gianozzo Manetti, the great Humanist wrote a work at the peak of the new advancement entitled “ On the Dignity and Excellence of Man ”. They applied the classical Greco-Roman studies in art, architecture and discovered new rules and were able to build bigger buildings. Filippo Brunelleschi designed the world's largest dome in Florence using perspective. Humanists studied the natural world around them, building the base of anatomy, astronomy and other studies. Ideas, artworks were available for the public faster than ever with the invention of printing.

Giorgio Vasari wrote biographies of contemporary artist in the “ Lives of the Painters ”and the commemorates the contribution of the Medici family. The artists brought new genres of art rise again since the fall the Roman Empire; nude figures, portraits, and the landscape.

Humanism also refers , as the word suggests it by itself, an interest in human values, puts the human needs and interest forward to religious and non-human themes. The first artist who broke away from the medieval tradition in painting was Giotto. He depicted Christ, Mary and saints as human beings with emotions. He brought the otherworldly values more approachable. Upcoming artist of Renaissance in Italy, such as Masaccio, Donatello, Botticelli expanded Giotto’s interpretation and with their attitude man became the center of the universe and measure of all things. Renaissance and Humanism spread from Florence to other Italian city states and through the Western World. Flemish painters started the use of oil paint, which allowed them to develop a very detail oriented style, and enhance a new treatment of realism. Robert Campin , Jan Van Eyck were the masters of the new oil technique.

Looking for a work that exemplifies the values and discoveries of Humanism, I have found the Portrait of a Carthusian by the Flemish painter Petrus Christus . The portrait was painted in 1446; oil on wood panel, 11 1/2 x 8 1/2 in.

The rise of portraiture in the Flanders shows the humanist attitude and interest in human individuality, in depicting of the uniqueness of a person. This portrait is a good example to demonstrate how the Netherlandish artists were painting in precise details, bringing extraordinary realism to the person’s appearance. Flawlessly painted on a small wood panel this painting portrays an anonymous member of the Carthusian order. He is shown in three-quarter view, half-length portrait. Behind him there are walls, and a corner of the room. The bottom of the picture is depicted as a frame and says the name of the painter and the date of the painting in Latin forms. The illusionary frame has a life-size fly painted on it.

Christus is beautifully playing with light and shade, giving the monk a three-dimensional, realistic appearance. On his face every tiny detail is captured painstakingly, the hair and the beard looks so real, we feel we can touch them. The drapery of the monk’s clothing is also depicted very realistic. Christus applied warm colors, mainly reddish-brown on the painting. The background has the three distinct lines, and a shading of a corner. This was a new development from earlier artists’ flat backgrounds.

The skillfully depicted fly emphasizes the instantaneous moment of the picture, despite that it was painted for a much longer period of time, than a fly could stay still. As Flemish paintings from this period have symbols, one can think, that the fly can be a symbol.

We can certainly appreciate this gorgeous portrait with its qualities reflecting the humanist new way of thinking and seeing in the Renaissance.

 

 

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