Renaissance art wave ushered in a new era of culture and inspired and inflicted the artistic styles of many artists. It was a period of rebirth and an important movement for art. There were more accurate details in the paintings and sculpture by the Renaissance artists. Baroque was eventually embraced, although it criticized the excessive grandeur. Baroque artists and architects created dramatic artworks with fluidity and a high contrast of light and shadow. The Baroque art movement intertwined art and religion. When one thinks of a Baroque artwork, there are blurred lines and merging images at oblique angles. However, thinking of Renaissance artwork, one conjures image with a clarity of contour with isolating details in a horizontal perspective. Baroque artwork carries a flowing nature with an illusion of depth and distance while Renaissance art is on a well-defined plane with a flat background plus a well-placed geometry and proportions. In a few words, Renaissance artwork is rational and realistic while Baroque artwork is emotional and dramatic in nature. Both eras of art carries historical and intrinsic value. Renaissance Art period was one of exploration and drove inspiration from Greek and Roman art. It allowed the spread of Humanism, emphasizing the cultural value of religion. There was a more individualistic view of man and an increased awareness of nature (Renaissance art 2016). By comparison, Baroque art carried less religious content and was extravagant and theatrical at times. Baroque style was both sensuous and spiritual with a naturalistic treatment (Baroque period art 2016).
The two works of art chosen to exhibit Renaissance and Baroque characteristics are “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci and “Lady Writing a Letter” by Johannes Vermeer. “The Last Supper was painted from 1495 to 1498 by da Vinci, who has used experimental pigments directly on the dry wall. However, the wall suffered from flaking and continued to crumble. Da Vinci repaired the damage, but not much of the original painting has survived. The masterpiece is considered the best-known works of Renaissance and Christian art. It displays the scene from the last days of Jesus Christ and is a straightforward piece of Biblical art.
“Lady Writing a Letter” by Johannes Vermeer was done in 1665 and is an oil on canvas. The lady in the artwork gazes at the viewer directly thus keeps him engaged all the time. It seems as if the viewer has interrupted her writing and she has turned her head to know what is happening. Vermeer is an expert with light and shadows, and his expertise is reflected in this artwork. The woman's coat, a string of pearls, her pen, and the cloth on the table, guided the viewer through an examination, once he shifts his gaze from the face of the woman. The background is in shadows and unclear, and the pale yellow coat of the lady makes a nice contrast. The light falls on her face and her yellow coat that is lined with fur. Renaissance and Baroque are come from two distinct periods and carries some great masters of the art. The artworks are similar to each other but carry distinct differences. Renaissance period for art was a transition into early modern age from medieval times and was followed by the Baroque era. Compared to Renaissance, Baroque was considered strange and odd. Renaissance painters gave more realism to their creations with the use of perspective in their work. However, the figures lacked emotions that were strongly displayed by the Baroque artists in their works. They were meant to engage with the viewer and were more direct. The viewer felt psychologically real with dramatic use of color as they were emotionally intense.
Works Cited
"Renaissance art." The Editors of The Encyclopædia Britannica. 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
"Baroque period art." The Editors of The Encyclopædia Britannica. 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
