15th century notes

Northern Early Renaissance 15th Century

January Page, Tres Riches Heures Limbourg Brothers, Cha (Duke of Berry)

1. -International Gothic Style with spatial recession, detail to nature: flowers, birds, mountains. Noble men and women with delicte features with curling hair and complex headdresses. Wearing elaborate jewelry, landscape of knights.
   
2. Shows of an aristocratic household with many tables of food and rich tableware.
   
3. Zodiac: Capricorn, Pisces, and Apollo. Colors: blue and gold shows dominance and wealth.
   

Februray Page, Tres Riches Heures (Hour of Prayer)

1. Farm people relaxing in a blazing fire, rich color, great attention to detail and nature in a winter setting. Lower or working class people.
   
2. Shows aerial or atmospheric perspective: color getting lighter.
3. X-ray vision-cutaway view of the house showing interior and exterior.
4. High rising horizon line not accurate; people out of proportion to their setting.
5. International gothic style, a lot of detail: you even see someone's genitalia. You see animals such as sheep, donkey, birds, the breath of a very cold person.
   

Well of Moses, Claus Sluter, Chartreuse de Champol France (Philip the Bold)

1. Philip demanded prayers from the monks for his family.
   
2. A prier rose from the water and supported the large figures of Moses, David, and the prophets (Jeremiah, Zachariah, Daniel, and Isaiah)
   
3. Physically distinctive: Mose's sad eyes, curling hair and beard with horns due to mistranslation. King David: dressed in medieval robes and nobility.
   
4. Voluminous drapery, surface realism and naturalism.
   

Merode Atlarpiece, Robert Campin (Netherlandish/Flemish)

1. Triptych of Annunciation- International Gothic Style: disproportionate relationship between figures and nature. X-Ray detail, raising perspective.
   
2. Hidden symbolism: lilies in the majolica (glazed earthenware) pitchter on the table symbolize Mary's virginity. White towel hanging, Mary's purity. Wind snuffs the candle as a tiny figure of Christ descends on ray of light.
   

Man in a Red Turban, Jan van Eyck

1. "As I can" projects a strong sense of personality and humanist spirit of the age and the confident expression. (oil on wood)
   
2. You see every wrinkle and scar, the stubble of bread, tiny relfections of the ligh from a studio window in the eyes.
   

Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife, Giovanna Cenami; Jan van Eyck

1. Represents wedding or betrothal of Giovanni Arnolfini (wealthy merchant) holds the hand of a woman. There is also a pet dog: wealth and fidelity.
   
2. The man is external, into the masculine world outdoors where as woman is on the right, domestic interior. Surrounded by wealth, pietry, and married life. Presence of god, shoes taken off and the candles are snuffed out.
   
3. Convex mirror reflecting the entire room, luxury object, symbolize the all seeing eye of god. Woman wears fur lined overdress with long train.
   
4. Robe held n the front giving appearance of pregnancy, ideal of feminine beauty by potential fertility.
   

Deposition, Weyden (Louvain Crossbowmen's Guild)

1. Act of removing Jesus's body from the cross; fainting virgin mother increases emotional identification. Paints sensibility of John the Evangelist who supports the Virgin and Jesus's friend Mary Magdalen wrings her hand in anguish.
   
2. Great detail to individualize expression of emotion, united by sorrow.
3. Subtle muted colors of red and blue allows viewer's attention to focus on ashen white skin of Jesus, who's skin is almost the same color of the white turban and face of Mary.
   

Portrait of a Lady, Weyden

1. Young lady with pious modest beauty, her hands are clasped in a praying manner showing self control. Almond shape eyes, translucent skin and high waistline, balanced with humility and wealth. (Oil and tempera on wood)
   

Portinari Altarpiece, Hugo van der Goes (Tommaso Portinari- head of Medici Bank)

1. Installed in the Portinari family chapel in Florence. Theme: Nativity with the central panel on the Adoration of the newborn Christ child.
   
2. On the left wing we see: Tommaso and his sons praying and on the right: we see his wife and his daughter kneeling in prayer presented with saints Mary Magdalen and Margret.
3. Central panel: Atmospheric perspective: baby Jesus on the ground, rays of light emanate from his body. Mary is kneeling adoring him.
   
4. Disguised symbolism: ceramic pharmacy jar (albarello) glass, flowers, and wheat. Event at Bethlehem, house of bread to host. Majolica albarello dcorated with vines and grapes, alluding to the wine of Communion.
5. Three irises: trinity of Father, white for purity and purple for royalty. Glass vessel represents Mary and her womb, glass holds violets of future sorrow of the future, symbolizing humility.