Art 1500-1600

1500-1600

Period: Jan 1, 1500 to Dec 31, 1600

Master of the St. Elizabeth Panels

Aug 12, 1500

These panels were done by an unknown master. It depicts the 1421 flood of the town of St. Elizabeth. The panels are wooden, and the image is painted onto the wood. It was an attempt to combine cartography with painting. This gave the image the unique appearance of depth and relative geographic precision.

Mona Lisa

Aug 1, 1503

Leonardo Da Vinci painted this Renaissance masterpiece with oil on poplar. There is some debate as to who the woman is, though it is generally believed to be Lisa Gheradi, wife of a cloth merchant. The smokey effect in the background is due to Da Vinci's use of sfumato, a technique that was often used by the artist. The piece has become the subject of books, poetry, and song, due to the mysterious look on the subject's face.

David

Aug 1, 1504

This marble statue of the Biblical king David was done by Michelangelo. It was carved out of marble. David was an image that was favored by Florentine artists. Michelangelo was actually the last artist to work on the statue, but not the first, as two other sculptors also received the commission. The statue shows David preparing to face Goliath, and is often interpreted as a glorification of youth and strength.

Adam and Eve

Aug 12, 1504

Albrecht Durer engraved this image of Adam and Eve, in part because of his fascination with the human form. The intricate detail in the engraving would have taken hours to etch. Durer is considered a master at this artistic medium. The image contains four animals, each symbolizing one of the four medieval temperaments.

The Hindu deity Narasimha

Aug 12, 1510

This bronze statue depicts the Hindu deity Narasimha. It is from Nepal, though it is not known who would have created it. Narasimha was half man, and half lion. He was believed to be a vassal for Vishnu, one of the principle deities. His role was to protect the devoted.

The Garden of Earthly Delights

Aug 12, 1510

This triptych was painted by Hieronymous Bosch, an artist from the Netherlands. It is oil on oak. It depicts the story of Creation from the Biblical Book of Genesis beginning with the Adam and Eve and ending with the effects of The Fall. The exterior (not pictured) shows the world in the process of being created. Not much is known about who commissioned the triptych or what inspired the style.

Clearing after Snow on a Mountain Pass

Aug 1, 1520

Tang Yin created this image using the traditional ink and wash painting style. The bases for all the colors is black ink, and was a style that was exclusively for the educated. Yin was one of the Four Masters of the Ming Dynasty. His influence on Chinese art in the Ming Dynasty, and future dynasties is considered to be immense.

Assumption of the Virgin

Aug 12, 1530

It took eight years for Antonio da Corregio to complete this fresco on the ceiling of the dome of the Parma Cathedral. Three of the main characters are Christ, the Virgin Mary, Eve, and John the Baptist. This painting is considered to be the catalyst for a Baroque trend of ceiling paintings.

Venus of Urbino

Aug 1, 1538

Titian, considered one of the great Italian masters, painted the Venus of Urbinno on canvas using oil paints. It is a sexually explicit picture, as the figure lounges unapologetic, and making eye contact with the viewer. The model, Angela del Moro, who was known to spend time with Titian.

The Great Bible

Aug 12, 1539

Myles Coverdale- a professional Bible translator- completed this Bible, and it was the first complete version of the Bible translated into modern English. It was also the first English version of the Bible to carry royal approval, used by the Church of England.

Throne of Ivan IV

Aug 12, 1547

This Russian throne was created for Ivan IV, alias Ivan the Terrible or Ivan the Formidable. The throne was made in Western Europoe and gifted to Russia. It was hard-carved ivory and wood. The intricate details include symbols of Russian monarchy such as the lion and the unicorn.

Vision of Sexton Tarasius

Aug 12, 1550

This image was painted by an unknown artist, though it is assumed to have been a monk. It depicts the potential punishments God may inflict on the town of Novgorod, as shown to the sexton Tarasius. It spent most of its life at the Khutynsky Monastery, but now resides in the Novgorod Museum.

Armor for Henry II of France

Aug 12, 1555

This armor for the court of Henry II of France based on designs by Étienne Delaune. It is steel with blue emboss, silver, and gilded gold detailing, making it approximately 53 pounds. The armor tells the story of Daphne and Apollo, and bears a crescent moon motif, the symbol for Henry II.

Pope Marcellus Mass

Aug 12, 1560

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina composed this religious piece, that is now performed at the Papal Coronation. It is intended for six voices, though this is flexible. This flexibility differentiates the mass from most of Palestrina's other works. The main motif is used in all three movements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAdj8gtHjrs

Phantasia

Aug 12, 1570

Matthaus Waissiel was a German composer whose specialty was court lute music. He was also the headmaster of a school. He was working towards the end of the height of German lute music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6kPo-s-lo8

Crucifixion

Aug 12, 1570

Hans Speckaert studied the works of Michelangelo and Raphael to inform how he drew the bodies and figures in this image. He was a northern artist who worked and studied primarily in Rome. The primary colors are brown, black, and white. Speckaert used iron gall inks. His influence on fellow northern artists would change the way drawings were approached.

Sonnets pour Helene

Aug 12, 1573

Sonnets pour Helene is a compliation of poems by Pierre de Ronsard. Helene was the protogee of Catherine de Medici. Ronsard was in love with the young woman, though she did not return his advances. He used Greek imagery in his poems.
http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/French/Ronsard.htm#_Toc69989209

L'arboscello, Ballo furlano

Aug 12, 1578

Giorgio Mainerio was an Italian composer, who initially sought a career in the church. Part of his musical style was influenced by his fascination in the occult, writing secular music in a religious style, and vice versa.

La Numancia

Aug 12, 1582

Miguel de Cervantes wrote this play about the Siege of Numantia from 133-134 BC by the Romans. It was considered one of his greatest plays, relying heavily on the elements of the tragic. It is written primarily in octets and tercets, in three acts. It is written from a Roman perspective, rather than Spanish one.

Romeo and Juliet

Aug 12, 1597

Perhaps William Shakespeare's most famous play, Romeo and Juliet tells the story of two star-crossed lovers, who must try to overcome a family fued to be together. This tragedy was just as popular in Shakespare's time as it is today.

“My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.”
-Romeo and Juliet

Plaudite

Aug 12, 1597

Giovanni Gabrieli was an Italian composer, whose focus was on the organ. His style represented a transition from Renaissance to Baroque musical styles. Gabrieli enjoyed success through most of his life, in part because of his ability to use the church's architecture to enhance the organ music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fixARnGQ44