The first three paintings we stopped by were all biblical Byzantine paintings from the 1200s and 1300s. Religion does not interest me in the least. However, it did play an immense role in the history of humanity, so I am patient in learning about it solely as a factor in the development of society.
The first two paintings were both of Madonna and child, Jesus Christ. The first, painted by Berlinghiero, was a very flat, serious depiction of the two, certainly not meant to entertain. Christ’s body was that of a baby, while his head was that of an adult, which I felt increased the seriousness of the painting and gave it an everlasting “Benjamin Button” effect. The second Madonna and child, painted by Duccio di Buoninsegna, was a little more vibrant with its gold background and the presence of body that the two figures emitted. The third, titled “The Epiphany” by Giotto di Bondone, depicted the celebration of the birth of Christ, a breathe of fresh air from the repetitive scenes we witnessed before.
Next, we moved on to secular Italian art of the Renaissance, which took place in the 1400s. The art of this time period is clearly more decorative and casual, because it was purchased and funded by the aristocracy. The armoire and birth trays were both made to show off wealth and social status and were beautifully made. The second we switched off to paintings of royalty, we switched back to the ever-important Madonna and child, painted by Giovanni Bellini. This third version of the mother and child was the most vibrant, due to its bright colors, asymmetrical landscape and the illumination of baby Jesus.
Following Italy came the countries that made up the Netherlands and the Renaissance of the North (1500-1600s). After analyzing several paintings, the class deduced that the paintings of people of this time period were no longer painted in profile, as they were seen painted during the Italian Renaissance. I enjoyed the three-dimensional views of these paintings and their ability to capture detail in both facial emotions and body movement.
Next on the menu: Paintings of the South, which entailed Italy, yet again. Majority of the paintings we saw were religious, but certainly more friendly and inviting than the first couple we saw that afternoon. We were told that design was the focus of these paintings and this was evident in the assortment of shapes and lines present in the paintings. The most memorable one, to me, was the painting that included the four saints with Madonna and baby Jesus in the center, forming two triangles (or pyramids) of different size. The colors in this particular painting were varied and very pleasing to the eye.
Finally, the last set of paintings we visited were from the Baroque period (17th century). There was a noticeable transition from biblical icons to events of everyday life, full of action and emotion. Grouped together in the exhibit room of Peter Paul Reubens, we were surrounded by tons of energy and movement contained in wooden frames of all sizes. His love for his wife was clearly portrayed in the painting with him, his wife and their son. The lighting and the attention of the other two figures points directly at Reubens’ wife. A feeling of warmth and adoration is emitted from this painting.
I definitely appreciated the Baroque art the most, because it felt most realistic to me. I could connect to it emotionally through the human expressions and relationships it depicted, as opposed to the religious art of the Byzantine empire and the South, which I have no understanding of or belief in.
-Polina Mikhelzon
