The Renaissance period began during the 14th-17th centuries and was known as a time of reform and growth highly influenced by the gifted artists of this era. Prior to the Renaissance, the artwork was 2-dimensional and was centered around the current struggles of society. Artists in the early Renaissance created a shift in the art world by focusing on creating more human-like art pieces. The Renaissance was a pivotal point for the art world. Artists began shying away from the Pre-Renaissance art styles such as Gothic and Italo-Byzantine styles. In Europe, the most influential Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci depicted Religion, Humanism, and the interests of the general population through their work.
Michelangelo designed various original pieces of work that shined a light on his religious beliefs and was able to influence people because of his opportunities and his following. Throughout his career, he was offered bountiful art commissions. He composed a total of 179 sculptures, drawings, and paintings. Perhaps one of his most distinguished commissions was the paintings on the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo chose nine scenes from the book of Genesis to depict on the ceiling. This intricate project showed the extensive knowledge he had of the Bible and his dedication to the church. Another significant project took on create was the sculpture of David for the Saint Peters Cathedral. Michelangelo was known for his sculpting expertise; he had a particular way of embodying the key features of his subjects and capturing them in stone. “The religion Michelangelo shows through David is immense”(Arts Columbia 1). Michelangelo was able to convey a figure who was in the Bible, he chiseled David’s face with the expression of worry or fear on his face to show the fear that David had in his battle with the giant Goliath. Michelangelo’s artwork was religious because he knew that people were religious (Arts Columbia 2). He was aware of the notion that art could rally people together over a common theme or polarize the people due to the artist's abilities.
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Leonardo Da Vinci was a well-known artist who lived from 1452-1519 and composed a collection of numerous great pieces of artwork that captured religious subject matter. His painting of The Great Supper depicted Jesus and His twelve disciples sitting at a grand long table sharing the last meal with Jesus before He would be crucified. This painting brought to life an incredibly important moment in the Bible and his interpretation was unique and continues to inspire art lovers and artists today. The Madonna and Child were completed during his early art career. In this painting, Leonardo used a religious theme to appeal to his audience. “The theme of the mother and son portrayed in an intimate moment enabled Leonardo to focus upon the emotional dimension in which he excelled” (Kindersley 22). He took an idea for this project and then used original techniques that he was skilled in creating artwork that appealed to his religious audience.
Humanism was a central theme in the early Renaissance art period. Humanism to artists meant focusing more on human traits and their desires.“Leonardo’s deep engagement with the world inspired his compassion for people, animals, and the environment. Renaissance humanism the guiding idea of Leonardo’s time, valued human dignity and education while seeking humanity’s natural place within the universe” (Humanists at Work 1). He was able to show through his artwork that he was passionate about certain subjects, one being civilization. He was an incredibly gifted man who expressed his artistry not only in paintings, sculptures, and drawings but through literature, anatomy, and various other ways (Da Vinci Art Story 2). He did not integrate as many religious figures and values into his works of art, but he embodied the idea of humanism and the values that defined humanism as well. Da Vinci was a polymath, someone whose genius-level encompasses many aspects (Da Vinci Art Story 1).
Renaissance artists did not only create new art techniques. The artists used these techniques in a way that would leave an imprint on society. Michelangelo was a successful artist who made countless art pieces that were not only breathtaking in design but impacting society itself. He reflected his religious beliefs in his artwork because he was passionate about the subject matter he was creating. He knew that these art pieces would also please people; religion during the Renaissance was the foundation of what defined the laws, culture, and morals of the people. Michelangelo was one of the greatest and most documented artists of the 16th century because of his ability to influence such vast areas of art styles in the West (Bio of Michelangelo 1). Michelangelo was regarded as a master in his field for the work he was able to create, and the feeling he was able to incite in the beholder. “Michelangelo’s artistic mastery has endured for centuries, and his name has become synonymous with the best of the Renaissance art” (Bio of Michelangelo 4). Michelangelo knew how to meet the desires of the art world, his work created pensive thought and timeless beauty. His masterpieces are still looked to for inspiration for upcoming artists.
Alongside Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci was also an accomplished Renaissance man. He was an acclaimed artist, inventor, and thinker. Leonardo left behind him a trail of societal changes. His works such as the Mona Lisa are still regarded as timeless and awe-inspiring artistic paragons. Her beauty and significance had an expansive impact and remain one of the most recognizable pieces of art that came out of the Renaissance period. When one thinks of Renaissance art, The Mona Lisa is most often the first artwork to come to mind. Leonardo’s Mona Lisa is descriptive in every detail of the painting, behind her is a nature scene depicting a harmonious setting in time (Kindersley 90). His attention to detail in all aspects of this painting has been studied and critiqued for centuries and no artist before or after has been able to surpass his creation.
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