Rembrandt's, The Night Watch, is perhaps the most classic example of a Baroque painting and Leonardo Da Vinci's, The Mona Lisa, is one of the most famous paintings. Both paintings are oil- based and the artists made use of light and shadows to produce a greater effect. Da Vinci uses the sfumato technique to achieve a light and shadow effect. He makes the light bounce off the subject's skin in certain places while other parts of the painting are left in darker shadows (Gherardini). In comparison, Rembrandt is known as the master of light and shadows and made masterful use of both in his paintings. The nights watch is famous for its use of light and shadows. Rembrandt used the impression of a warm and yellow light issuing from an unseen window that illuminates three main characters in the painting. The little girl, the captain and his lieutenant become the main features in the painting due to Rembrandt's use of light and shadows (TotallyHistory).
Both paintings also give a realistic portrayal of the figures or subjects. Rembrandt's painting portrays 29 subjects, some of whom are animated or hidden with his excellent use of light and shadows. However, he focuses on three characters in his painting who are portrayed as nearly human size and very realistically. The girl is portrayed as some sort of mascot with various symbols that represent and make reference to the arquebusiers motifs and traditional emblems (TotallyHistory). Da Vinci also gives a realistic portrayal of his subject in the Mona Lisa. He gives her skin a smooth and soft effect that makes the subject look quite real. The subject is also looking directly at its viewer with a somewhat assured and content demeanor (Gherardini).
One of the major differences seen in the two paintings is the medium the artists used. Rembrandt made the painting on canvas, a medium popular with baroque artists. Da Vinci, on the other hand, made the Mona Lisa on a Lombardy poplar panel that was initially white in color. Another difference is the use of subjects in the paintings. Rembrandt uses 29 subjects some of whom are hidden with only parts of their bodies being visible in the painting while others are quite visible (TotallyHistory). Da Vinci, on the other hand, employs the use of one subject and portrays her head, upper torso and the rest of her body down to her waist. The subject is the main focus of the painting (Gherardini). Rembrandt's painting also breaks traditional baroque norms that required paintings to have posed subjects. The Night Watch depicts animated characters and subjects as opposed to posed characters. Da Vinci's, Mona Lisa depicts a posed subject who was probably the artist's wife.
Another difference is how Rembrandt uses light and shadows to portray and achieve a perception or state of motion to what would have otherwise been a static portrait of a military setting. Rembrandt was a master of the use of light and shadows and could employ them to achieve various effects in his paintings (TotallyHistory). Da Vinci, on the other hand, only uses light and shadows to enhance the features of his subject. Both artists make use of light and shadows to achieve different effects in the paintings (Gherardini).
Da Vinci also employs the use of aerial perspective in his painting which has an effect on the background of the painting as well as the subject. The background is an imaginary landscape that gives the painting a mysterious effect. Rembrandt's painting has a lot of subjects and the background is more of realistic than imaginary.
The historical implications of the differences between the Renaissance and Baroque art are the effect that they have had on the development of art and architecture. Every period provided artists who not only perfected the previous period’s methods, but also developed new methods of their own. The Renaissance period saw the use of light and shadows to provide various effects in paintings. The Baroque period perfected the use of light and shadows as can be seen in Rembrandt's paintings. The Renaissance artists were keen on portraying the human figures and forms accurately and paid less attention to backgrounds as can be seen in Da Vinci's painting that had his subject pose to achieve a more realistic effect. The Baroque artists, on the other hand, were keen on the use of light. They concentrated more on the effect that light had on materials, surfaces, and contexts to a point that their focus shifted from human figures as their subjects to the exploration of the effect of light on different backgrounds.
Over the years, the art and architectural scene in Europe have become quite revolutionary. This has been influenced by earlier art and architecture as well as the technological and other advances that are taking place in Europe at the moment. The art and architecture in the 18th and 19th centuries are arguably known for their classic nature as most are still famous and sought after today. However, some of the paintings have had to be redone which erodes the artists initial intention when painting or making the piece of sculpture or architecture. The Mona Lisa has undergone various conservation treatments over the years while The Night's Watch has been re- sized quite often. This has had an impact on contemporary art which now seeks to find materials that are enduring and that would not erode of fade off with time and require maintenance or conservation treatments. The 18th and 19th Century art have led not only to inspired art and architecture but also more durable and long- lasting pieces of art that would stand the test of time without much need for treatment and conservation.
Works Cited
Gherardini, Lisa. Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci: Interpretation and analysis of high renaissance Portrait. (2016). Web. July 29, 2016. http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-paintings/mona-lisa.htm
TotallyHistory. The Night Watch. (2012). Web. July 29, 2016. http://totallyhistory.com/the-night-watch/
