– Pre-reaction or thirteen: XIII and XIV centuries. It coincides with the European Gothic period.
– Quatrocento: It reaches the end of the 15th century and its cultural center is the city.
– Cinquecento: Fill the entire 16th century and its head is Rome.
Pre-rebirth or thirteenth.
(Between the 13th and 14th centuries of our era).
This early era of the emergence of the Renaissance is known as pre-reaction or thirteen and although the novelty in Europe is still Gothic and Byzantine art, in Italy these artistic conceptions, strictly framed in the religious act, do not have greater boom, do not resonate for them and therefore were not willing to give in their efforts to restore the old concept of classic beauty.
With regard to the arts, the application of some concepts and trends that some artists in the late Gothic period had already raised and that were very good with the new changes that wanted to implement were appreciated in Italy. Thus, the painter Jean Van Eyck takes his conceptualization of the paint through hidden messages and clues. They also took inspiration from the expressions of great drama of some painters of the late Gothic period. They in turn inherited from the painter belonging to the early Gothic Giotto de Bondone the representation of religious patetism through gestures and expressions, whose effects had achieved so effectively.
Technical advances are gradually melt with the classic concepts of perfection and proportionality, resulting in both beautiful and a little more intellectualized works, where the artist begins to communicate his personal message and his style with more freedom, regardless of whether he is representing in his work religious issues, portraits, landscapes, building a sculpture or a cathedral. In this period, the foundations for the unification of the most important elements that make up the Renaissance style, these elements are perfected during the high Renaissance with summits that are not only artists but also innovative and scientific, sit in Italy.
Quatrocento.
– In this period it is where the Renaissance begins in Italy and the attachment is observed for the classic guidelines in art.
– The works have a great sense of balance and harmony.
– There is a radical transformation of art and artist and an explosion of different themes.
– In the architecture there is a radical rupture with the characteristic language of the Middle Ages and the fundamental principles of the new Renaissance formulation are based, where the elements of classical antiquity such as the arches and orders of the columns are recovered, integrating them with the new construction formulas, such as the use of color marble plates and the so -called cassette.
– In this period, the centralized plant churches are built in greater amount although those of basilical structure are still being built.
– The construction of hemispheric or ogival domes is frequented.
– Opening in the representation of the decorative elements with new varied themes outside the building, such as polychromy in the walls and opening of edicle.
– The Church remains the one who commission most of the works of art, so the Quatrocento architecture continues to contemplate among its most important temples of very varied condition.
– Palacios become increasing and fully integrate importance with the city.
– The sculpture seeks to represent the beauty canons of classical antiquity and the representation of an objective realism. The human body is represented with greater realism.
– The sense of proportionality in the sculpture whose canon is established to the extent of nine and ten heads.
– The nude related in many occasions to the mythological theme in sculpture becomes new.
– Thematic amplitude in which nature is represented more realistic and detailed and there is a tendency to make the imitation of sculptural models of antiquity.
– In painting in this first period of the Renaissance there is concern about the visual representation of nature inspired by the pictorial models of classical antiquity.
– After several experiments is the geometric or linear perspective in this period, in which fundamentally in closed and triangular compositions the illuminated paintings of a translucent light are made in a homogeneous way in the work.
– Chromatic complementarity is sought in paintings by distributing colors in a balanced and harmonious way, using various different techniques and supports such as fresh, oils, temples on fixed or laptops such as tables or canvases.
I recommend watching the video of Jesús Martinez Veron to better visualize the content of this period of the Quatrocento.
Cinquecento:
–This period of high classicism develops in the first half of the sixteenth century, it is important for Rome and the so -called princes potatoes that have an important role in the development of art acting as patron, with Julio II, León X, or Clemente VII.
– -Important artists receive orders to decorate papal stays. Among them are Miguel Ángel Buonarroti, Donato Braman and Rafael.
–In relation to architecture, classical influence are maintained in the use of construction orders and techniques.
–In the palaces, greater luxury and sumptuousness are observed, combining the practical character with the decorative.
–Centralized plants in churches are used but with new architectural approaches that were based on humanistic thought.
–Inter the important works in this period is the new Vatican Palace. The works of the architect Bramante and the villas of the architect Paladio.
– Balance and harmony are maintained in the realization of sculptures but some stirring and dynamism that the sculptures of Miguel Ángel Buonarroti are an example are observed.
– In the painting, although the balanced compositions with Rafael’s works are maintained, revolutionary contributions such as the van and the aerial perspective of Leonardo da Vinci are introduced.
– The first manierist incursions of the painters such as Rafael, Tiziano and Giorgione are produced.
– An anti -classic response to the dogmas of classicism in the second half of the sixteenth century with mannerism, which are the preamble of the baroque future style.
– Art begins to bow at the end of the 16th century due to tension against classical balance, spatial burden against the amplitude of the rooms, the proven light against the homogeneous, the intense chromatism in the face of the soft color application of the color. They also face the volume of works that seem giants in stone in front of the previous grace. High expressiveness of emotions against schematic idealism is high. But above all, the feeling of restlessness and anxiety against calm and order are increased.
This video is very well tidy chronologically and has many useful images to understand the cinquecento period.
Cinquecento (video made by Jesús Martínez Verón)
In an upcoming article the Renaissance will be addressed for artistic periods. Early Renaissance, High Renaissance and Mannerism.