Renaissance and Reformation in 16th c Northern Europe Ch 18 growing power of centralized states in France England Spain and the Holy Roman Empire France and Spain Catholic Germany England and the Netherlands divided into sects radical sects encourage iconoclasm throughout central Europe targeted at religious images and relics printed images used to spread Reformist ideas woodcuts satirize Catholic authority prints communicate tenets of new faiths to the masses Peace of Augsburg 1555 different faiths legally allowed to be practiced in peace within the Holy Roman Empire different rulers choose different faiths for their regions support of political and religious divide growth of global European economic influence growing capitalist economy quicker communication of styles and ideas increased trade settlements in America Asia city and court patrons request secular themes court patrons use Italian style to show power Catholic rulers use Italian style to show faith tradition decrease in religious patronage for art artists specialize in different themes to cater to tastes on the open market sculpture under fire by reformers painting becomes a more important medium of expression in the 16th c Gilles Le Breton Cour du Cheval Blanc 1528 1540 commissioned by King Francis I not fortified like traditional French castles a palace for enjoying the country life Italian influences pilasters on each story entablatures rusticated pilasters on lower level Gothic influence verticals in windows and along roofline Italianate horizontal Gothic vertical Pierre Lescot The Louvre square court c 1546 more Italianate than the Cour du Cheval Blanc synthesis of the French chateau and Italian palazzo French high pitched roof projecting pavilions vertical and horizontal elements symmetry extravagant relief sculptures on the third story Italianate classical orders pediment tops of windows ground floor arcade The Unicorn in Captivity c 1500 panel from a series of tapestries depicting hunt for death and resurrection of a unicorn unicorn interpreted as symbol of Christ its death as the Passion of Christ French or Netherlandish regions where tapestry weaving was a big industry two possible conceits marriage or Christ letters A and E in branches initials of couple according to myth unicorn is an animal that could only be tamed by a virgin relationship of Christ to the Virgin Mary unicorn pagan myth elite patrons would have such pieces with secular or allegorical themes on the walls of their homes pomegranate tree symbolizes fertility eternity Francesco Primaticcio Stucco Figures c 1541 1545 for mistress of King Francis I Rosso s style of embedding paintings in overwhelming stucco framework Parmigianino s slightly elongated figures four nude females no significance painting depicts abduction of concubine Campaspe by Alexander the Great parallel to artist s personal life Alexander gave an artist his own favorite concubine when the artist fell in love with her this artist may have been interested in the king s mistress Germain Pilon and Francesco Primaticcio Tomb of Henry II and Catherine de Medici 1563 1570 commissioned by Catherine de Medici for French royal pantheon free standing chapel on platform with relief sculptures sculptures of the king and queen in prayer have a sense of movement figures of virtue young women in corners gisants of king and queen as the deceased inside chamber portrayed as idealized nude figures resemblance to Venus and Christ Juan Bautista de Toledo El Escorial c 1563 for King Philip of Spain to celebrate victory against France symmetrical arrangement of buildings central focus on church characteristically Italian simple fa ades characteristically Spanish Juan de Herrera oversees later construction adds classicizing details ex temple fronts on fa ades overall seriousness of appearance expresses the strictness of Catholic Reformation El Greco The Burial of Count Orgaz 1586 for Church of Santo Tom of the Carmelite Order Catholic consists of 3 planes of reality the grave as the slab on the wall at eye level miraculous burial and vision of Heaven step by step construction reflects the Order s practice of meditating in steps to achieve divine vision stone plaque on wall represents actual tomb outside of the painting figures in foreground on single plane as if onstage illusion of boundless space in upper portion spiritually intense sweeping movement towards Christ Mannerist weightlessness crowding and the lighting weightless bodies unnatural light compressed space texture colors of armor and clothing is Venetian idea of good work needed to be done on Earth in order to achieve salvation and that saints are intercessors with Heaven depicts pious man who was believed to be lowered into his grave by two saints Gr newald The Isenheim Altarpiece c 1509 1515 for monastery of monks who tended to people with St Anthony s fire disease poisoning from spoiled rye triptych can be folded different ways revealing different combinations of images to suit the occasion body of Christ on the cross is oversized St John supports mourning Mary the bright red of his robe accenting her paleness John the Baptist pointing to Jesus rhetorical gesture words next to head he must increase I must decrease lamb bleeding into chalice is conceit for the Eucharist dark landscape isolates scene suffering highlighted by eerie light cast on figures predella Jesus body being put in tomb tomb slides open at knees victims of disease sometimes suffered amputation of limbs Jesus body intensely disfigured streams of blood highly dramatized cycle of salvation shown in other three paintings flipside of triptych a promise of deliverance to the suffering patients forms of therapy on one side music herbs baths light featured in the paintings themselves one image dead mangled body of Jesus other side resurrection of Jesus as ethereal figure Mary in the second panel glows with halo around her that foreshadows halo of resurrected Jesus gateway to Heaven body of Christ floats above sarcophagus figures of guards in perspectival display solidity of forms contrasts with Christ brilliant halo around Jesus Jesus proportioned like ideal Italian body perspective created by low horizon and detail of tomb emotional impact that goes beyond naturalism Albrecht D rer 1471 1528 most important Renaissance artist in Germany influenced mainly by Northern European naturalism supported painting as liberal art but also had practical training as a printmaker most