Sculptures of the Renaissance: photo and description

The beginning of the Renaissance is in the first quarter of the fourteenth century. Over the next three centuries the Renaissance culture developed at a rapid pace and only in the last decades of the 16th century its decline began to appear. A distinctive feature of the Renaissance is that the culture in all its forms was secular in nature, and it was dominated by anthropocentrism, that is, in the forefront were the person, his interests and activities as the basis of existence. In the heyday of the Renaissance in European society, there was an interest in antiquity. The most notable manifestation of the Renaissance culture was the "Revival" style in architecture. Fundamentals of architecture, formed by centuries, were updated, often taking unexpected forms.

Renaissance architecture

Sculptures of the Renaissance did not initially notify themselves. Their role was reduced to the decoration of architectural orders: bas-reliefs on cornices, capitals, friezes and portals. The beginning of the Renaissance was characterized by the influence of the Romanesque style on the design of architectural structures, and since this style is inextricably linked with the wall images, the sculpture has long been used mainly for facade decorations. Thus, arose the style of "Revival" in architecture, the union of classical contours with a new aesthetics. During the Renaissance, the facades of the houses were ennobled with sculptural compositions. Painting and sculpture of the Renaissance became an integral part of the architectural structures. Art frescoes were placed among the statues of marble and bronze.

High Renaissance Architecture

The appearance of the Renaissance in the cultural spheres first of all affected the architecture. The architecture of the High Renaissance was developed in Rome, where, against the backdrop of the previous period, a national style began to take shape. In the buildings appeared majesty, restrained nobility and signs of monumentality. Houses in Rome began to build on the principle of central-axial symmetry. The founder of the new style was Donato d'Angelo Bramante, a talented architect who created the St. Peter's Cathedral in the Vatican.

Interaction of styles

Over time, Renaissance sculpture began to take on more and more independent forms. The beginning of such images was put by the Italian sculptor Viligelmo, who, creating reliefs for the cathedral in Modena, significantly deepened the images of the sculptural group on the wall, and thus an independent work of art appeared, the wall connected only with the mediated. A whole sculptural image rested on the wall, but nothing more. There was a dynamic rhythm, the arrangement of statues between buttresses added an impression of independence from the environment. Architectural buildings and sculptures of the Renaissance are increasingly alienated, without losing the relationship. At the same time, they organically supplemented each other.

Then the sculptures of the Renaissance and completely separated from the plane of the wall. It was a natural process of finding a new one. The gradual liberation of plastic forms from the architectural plane resulted in the emergence of several directions of independent sculptural art.

Famous sculptors of the Renaissance

In the historical period, which was called "Revival", the sculpture received the status of high art. The XVI sculptors of European origin acquired historical significance, namely:

• Andrea Verrocchio;
• Becerra Gaspar;
• Nanni di Banco;
• Bachelier of Nicolas;
• Santi Gucci;
• Niccolo di Donatello;
• Jambolonia;
• Desiderio da Settignano;
• Jacopo della Quercia;
• Arnolfo di Cambio;
• Michelangelo Buonarroti;
• Jan Pfister;
• Luca Della Robbia;
• Andrea Sansovino;
• Benvenuto Cellini;
• Domenico Fancelli.

The most famous sculptors of the Renaissance are:

• Michelangelo Buonarroti;
• Donatello;
• Benvenuto Cellini.

The most significant sculptures of the Renaissance emerged from the chisel of these unmatched masters.

The famous Florentine

Niccolo di Betto Bardi Donatello, the founder of the sculptural portrait, is considered the most realistic sculptor of his time, who rejects far-fetched "beauties" in the visual arts. Along with the realistic style, he perfectly mastered the canonical classics. One of Donatello's masterpieces is the wooden statue of Magdalene (1434, the Florentine Baptistery). The emaciated, long-haired old woman is portrayed with frightening authenticity. The hardships of life are reflected in the emaciated face of the hermit.

Another sculpture of the work of the great master - "King David", which is located on the facade of the tower Giotto in Florence. The statue of St. George's marble continues the biblical theme begun by the sculptor from the image of the Holy Apostle Mark also in marble. From the same series the sculpture of St. John the Baptist.

From 1443 to 1453, Donatello lived in Padua, where he created a horse sculpture "Gattamelat" with a picture of condottiere Erasmo de Narni.

In 1453 he returned to his native city of Florence, where he lived until his death in 1466.

Benvenuto Cellini

The court sculptor of the Vatican Benvenuto Cellini was born in 1500 in the family of the master cabinet-maker. He is considered a follower of Mannerism - a flow that reflects the style of pretentious forms in art. Mostly worked with bronze casting. The most famous sculptures of Cellini:

• "Nymph Fontainebleau" - a bronze relief, cast in 1545, is currently in the Paris Louvre.
• "Perseus" - Florence, Loggia Lanzi.
• Bust of Cosimo Medici - Florence, Bargello.
• "Appolon and Hyacinth" - Florence.
• Bust of Bindo Altoviti - Florence.
• "The Crucifixion" - the Escorial, 1562 year.

The great sculptor Benvenuto Cellini was engaged in the production of state symbols, awards and coins. He, among other things, was a very talented and successful jeweler under the Vatican. The pope ordered Benvenuto precious jewelery.

Michelangelo Buonarroti

The genius sculptor of the Renaissance, the author of immortal creations in marble and bronze Michelangelo Buonarroti was born in 1475 in the small Tuscan town of Caprese. To master a sculptural instrument the boy learned before writing and reading. At the age of 13, Michelangelo was sent for training to the artist Ghirlandaio Domenico. Then about his talent learned Lorenzo de Medici, a noble Florentine. The nobleman began to patronize the teenager.

At the age of twenty, Buonarroti created several sculptures for the Arched passage of the Church of St. Dominic in Bologna. Then he sculpted two sculptures ("Sleeping Cupid" and "Saint Johannes") for the Dominican preacher Girolamo Savonarola. A year later, Michelangelo receives an invitation from Cardinal Rafael Riario to work in Rome. There, the sculptor creates a "Roman drink" and "Bacchus."

In Rome Buonarroti performs several orders for different cathedrals and churches, and in 1505 the Roman Pope Julius II offers him a responsible job - to make a tomb for his Holiness. In connection with such a responsible order, Michelangelo departs for Carrara, where he spends more than six months choosing the right marble for the papal tomb.

For the tomb, the sculptor made four marble statues: "Dying Slave", "Leah", "Moses" and "Connected Slave". From 1508 until the end of 1512 Buonarroti worked on the frescos of the Sistine Chapel. In 1513, after the death of Julius II, the sculptor receives an order from Giovanni de 'Medici to make a statue of Christ with a cross.

The great sculptor of the Renaissance, Michelangelo Buonarroti, died in 1564 in Rome. He was buried in the Florence basilica of Santa Croce.

"Cinquicento"

In the general picture of the Renaissance, the period of the High Renaissance fit organically. Then the term "cinquicento" appeared, which means "superiority". This take-off period lasted about forty years. He gave the world masterpieces, which are forever inscribed in the tablets of high art. Portrait of the Mona Lisa and "Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci, "Sistine Madonna" by Raphael Santi, "David" by Michelangelo Buonarroti - these and other works adorn the halls of prestigious museums.

Italian sculptor Andrea Sansovino (1467-1529 gg.) - one of the most prominent representatives of the era of the High Renaissance. The first work of Sansovino was the altar terracotta decoration for the church of Santa Agata with images of St. Sebastian, Roch and Lawrence. A similar sculptural group Andrea sculptured for the altar of the church of San Spirito in Florence. High Renaissance Sculpture It has a pronounced spirituality and some special penetration.

Verocchio Andrea

This is the famous sculptor of the Early Renaissance, teacher Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli and Pietro Perugino. The main subject of creativity Verrocchio was sculpting, in second place - painting. Andrea was a famous director of court balls and a talented decorator. The sculpture of the High Renaissance actually began with the work of Verrocchio.

The artist worked for a long time, while in Florence. They created a tombstone for the Florentine grandee Cosimo de 'Medici, then for more than twenty years the sculptor worked on the composition "Confidence of Thomas". The famous statue of David was created by Verrocchio in 1476. The bronze statue was intended to decorate the Villa Medici, but Giuliano and Lorenzo found themselves unworthy of such a high honor and betrayed the sculpture in the Palazzo Signoria in Florence. The magnificent sculpture of the Early Renaissance, thus, found its place. In private houses, they tried not to keep unique works of art. Not less valuable in terms of high art was also the later Renaissance. The sculpture of Benvenuto Cellini "Perseus" is considered an unsurpassed masterpiece of the Late Renaissance.