Renaissance Reconstructed, ReMixed, and ReDone
A portrait does not merely record someone's features, however, but says something about who he or she is, offering a vivid sense of a real person's presence." - Metropolitan Museum of Art website
The ancient Greeks and Romans depicted important people in profile on coins. As time past this individual likeness became a one size fits all in the figure type. Then in the 15th c., Eureka! Portraits that actually showed a likeness to the sitter were reborn! This was a reflection of the humanist interest in man-each individual man, woman, girl, and boy!
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| Approx. 54-68 AD |
Most portraits painted during the Renaissance followed a conventional format. The profile view of the ancient past was again employed in the 15th c.
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| Portrait of a Man and Woman at a Casement, ca. 1440-44, Fra Fillipo Lippi (Italian, Florentine), tempera on wood |
Often the sitter is in the foreground and in the background we are presented with an enchanting Italian landscape which properly diminishes in space! Check out that true to life blue mist!
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| Battista Sforza and Federico da Montefeltro, ca. 1465-66, Piero della Francesca |
Renaissance artists soon began to use the three quarter view as well, allowing the viewer to be more engaged with the sitter. Sometimes a window sill was included with items or objects that symbolized something about the subject. And keep noticing that gorgeous landscape!
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| Portrait of a Lady, c. 1490, Domenico Ghirlandaio |
My 5th grade Renaissance scholars needed a new challenge this year. So I got to thinking, why not roll all these concepts into one long art history and studio lesson? First we learned the art history basics. Then the students were instructed to come up with a thoughtful question on the topic. Next, technology! A Face Time date with "Mr. Martinez" from Ars Opulenta (ars-opulenta.com). By the way, you too, can contact him for a technology instruction date. Each student used my i phone to ask him their pre-approved questions and each answer invoked hearty discussion and often many giggles as the students learned about clothing laws and hair dying techniques among other things!
Next the studio part. The kids selected printed images of Renaissance portraits by the masters. They were asked to use them as a jumping off point to sketch a landscape on water color paper. We spent several classes getting acquainted with water color painting.
Next the kids made "complicated paper" a la Anne Bagby www.annebagby.com. This involves designing and cutting EZ Cut ( http://www.dickblick.com/products/blick-e-z-cut-printing-blocks/) and printing paper. This paper became a new set of Renaissance clothing for their figures. To finish off the "edited" portraits they added faux wood, scrapbook paper frames reminiscent of the casements sometimes depicted during the Renaissance.
Next the studio part. The kids selected printed images of Renaissance portraits by the masters. They were asked to use them as a jumping off point to sketch a landscape on water color paper. We spent several classes getting acquainted with water color painting.
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| 5th Grade Student Work 2011-2012 |
Next the kids made "complicated paper" a la Anne Bagby www.annebagby.com. This involves designing and cutting EZ Cut ( http://www.dickblick.com/products/blick-e-z-cut-printing-blocks/) and printing paper. This paper became a new set of Renaissance clothing for their figures. To finish off the "edited" portraits they added faux wood, scrapbook paper frames reminiscent of the casements sometimes depicted during the Renaissance.
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5th Grade Student Work
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The 5th graders are now begging for a field trip to Italy!
