Two Historical Art Periods

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
References

Introduction

Art works differ significantly across different fields and time periods. Some art works appear to have stemmed from the minds of individuals or from social and ethnic influences. Others have been influenced by the designs and features of earlier periods. These are frequently a continuation of or response to artistic designs (Stokstad, 2008). This essay will evaluate and identify where art originality and stimulation originated. It will discuss classical and renaissance historical art periods

Discussion

Classical Art Period

Classical art started at around 500 B.C to 323 B.C in the course of the rise of the Greek Kingdom. The social condition, which contributed to the advent of this style, is that the Greeks during this time honored the human figure via sculpture in extremely naturalistic detail.

After the Romans defeated the Greeks, they still considered Greek culture and sculpture as exclusive. They, therefore, brought into their country thousands of inventive Greek art works and duplicated them in large numbers. This historical art period saw alteration in the design and function of statues.

Sculptures became more naturalistic and the mechanical talent of Greek sculptors in portraying the human form in different poses substantially improved. Sculptures began to portray actual people. It is during this period that the names of personal sculptors became known. The art of this classical period naturally appears to be official and restrained (Bohr, 2010).

During this period, the human structure started being portrayed in movement of postures, especially in athletic movement. It was also the start of the Greek bodily ideal. The male body was represented as robust and fit whose physique was twisted out of a marble. Women were frequently naked on top and covered on the bottom or totally exposed. They had smooth abdomens, busted hips and legs and small sized breasts.

One of the key features of this historical period is the controposto posture of the sculptures. The sculptures had an S-curve with one leg being ahead of the other and carrying the body’s weight. Artists during the classical period treasured balance, and synchronization. The figures were frequently more ideal than in actual life. Bodies of the sculptures looked lively, and movement was believable. Faces expressed no emotions and clothing was not used. There was no significance of perception (Onians, 1999).

The sculptures of Harmodius and Aristogeiton are an example of artwork done during this period. It was put up in Athens to denote the defeat of the tyranny. It was the earliest public headstone to the actual people. It is also during this art period that sculptures were put to use. The reason as to why artists deviated from the classical period is that works of this period subsisted only in portions (Bohr, 2010).

Renaissance Art Period

This is a historical art period in western history during which art was revitalized. The shift from the classical period to the Renaissance period took place during the 4th century BC. The social condition, which contributed to the advent of this renaissance style, is the increase in territorial tussle taking place all through Europe.

Living people subsequently had enough to do. They had to comprehend how to live in the good mercies of their rulers. With the large exclusion of the Catholic Church, then the people had to dedicate themselves to the comfort of art.

Another social condition that led to the advent of this style is the fact that, in the course of the 15th and 16th century, businesses prospered in Italy and people obtained wealth. These wealth families began supporting the artists. The new monetary support and liberty led to a radical change in the behavior and beliefs of the artists. They, therefore, out rightly discarded classical art emphasis on religious convictions hence starting an insurrection in the art field (Boyle, 2001).

Renaissance artists wanted art that illustrated joy in human attractiveness and life’s happiness. It was more life like compared to the classical art. Renaissance artists examined perceptions or the distinctions in the way things appear when near or far way. They painted in a manner that demonstrated these differences. Consequently, their paintings appeared to have some depth (Elkins & Williams, 2008).

In the renaissance, the artists portrayed religious and non-religious views and the sculpture manifested considerable concern in the nature. The statues were three-dimensional indicating an increasing skill of anatomy. The bodies appeared active and were depicted as moving.

The sculptures were either naked or clothed and their faces articulated people’s thoughts. There was use of colors. The paintings were stable and symmetrical. The work of art during this period is a sculpture by Leonardo DA Vinci. He made a sculpture clearly illustrating the diverse feelings of Jesus and his disciples (Elkins & Williams, 2008).

Relationship between Classical and renaissance art periods

The relationship between these two historical periods is that both portray the human structure in movement, and the bodies of the sculptures in the two periods look lively (Onians, 1999).

Differences between Renaissance and Classical Art Periods

In Renaissance art, sculpture emotions were portrayed liberally while Classical art made minimal or no use of emotions. Humans in renaissance art were extremely natural and lively.

They had rational expressions distinct from those depicted in classical art. In the classical period, art was uncomplicated and mono dimensional. Renaissance paintings were complex and had more meaning due to the use of linear perceptions. During the classical period, works of art had religious ideas while, in renaissance, religion was declined (Stokstad, 2008).

Historical significance of Renaissance

Renaissance art period has had a fantastic significance on the art world. Today artists of modern art use the available Renaissance information to develop their art (Boyle, 2001).

References

Bohr, L. R. (2010) Classical art. New York: Watson-Guptill Publishers.

Boyle, D. (2001). Renaissance Art: A Crash Course. Dubuque: Brown Company Publishers.

Elkins, J., & Williams, R. (2008). Renaissance theory. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Onians, J. (1999). Classical art and the cultures of Greece and Rome. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Stokstad, M. (2008). Art history. New Jersey: Pearson Education Publishers.

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