-
Period: Jan 1, 1400 to Jan 1, 1550
Renaissance
This time period went back to the ancients, literally the rebirth of society. They saw the ideals of Romans and Greeks to be helpful, even if society felt they were paganists. There was more order in the sense of symmetry, balance, and proportions. The renaissance was controlled and natural. There was also this religious concept of an earth-centered universe. -
Jan 1, 1462
Ave Regina
Walter Frye's most famous compsition was Ave Regina. He was a composer that wrote masses, motets, and songs. He also wrote some ballades (which is a form of French poetry from this time period, not to be confused with ballads) and a single rondeau. His style is similar to other English composers like John Dunstaple and John Hothby. Much of his compositions were lost when the monasteries were ransacked (1536-1540) so all we have left of his music are vocal compsitions. -
Jan 1, 1490
Vituvian Man
Includes notes of the architect Vitruvius, this drawing shows a man with his arms and legs surrounded by both a circle and a square. The drawing is based off of the ideal proportions of man. It also shows Da Vinci's vast understanding of proportions. He compared the way a body works to the way the universe works. Da Vinci is credited with being the ultimate "Renaissance man" due to his part in many different topics, not just art. -
Jan 1, 1500
Polyphonic Style of Music
Pierre de la Rue is credited with being one of the most famous and most influential composers for the style of music in the Netherlands known as poluphonic. He was part of the Grand Chapelle and travelled to Spain with them twice. He also spent three months in Henry VII's court. La Rue is also one of the earliest musicians to use the parody technique. -
Aug 16, 1501
David
(The date represents when Michelangelo was given permission to create this masterpiece, it was set up in June 1504.) Michelangelo was a young artist who received permission from the Operai to commision the famous statue, but he was not the first artist to work on it. The marvelous, 5.7 meter statue stood in Florence and symbolized youth and beauty to many. It also symbolized the defense and civil liberties embodied in the Florentine Republic. -
Jan 1, 1516
Utopia
Thia fictional book with two major parts. The setting is a fictional island and readers learn of the social, religious, and political customs of the island society. It is written by Sir Thomas More and the full title, in Latin, is De optimo rei publicae statu deque nova insula Utopia, or in English, Of a republic's best state and of the new island Utopia. -
Period: Jan 1, 1520 to
Mannerism
Mannerism was the impact of the Reformation. It was also a reactions to classicism of the High Renaissance. These artists learned their styles from geniuses such as Michelangelo and Raphael. Their works resembled the discoveries from sciences(for example: the heliocentric models by Galileo and Copernicus) and reflected the disintegration between religion and humanity, -
Jan 1, 1532
The Prince
Niccolo Machiavelli was a Italian diplomat and political theorist who wrote The Prince. He wrote the book around 1513, but it was published in 1532, when Machiavelli had already passed. The Prince has been called one of the first pieces of literature in modern history. His ideals from the book and ideals that stem from it are known today as "Machiavellian". -
Jan 1, 1543
Cellini Salt Cellar
Benvenuto Cellini scultped this golden piece for Francis I of Frnace. it was based off of earlier models done for Cardinal Ippolito d'Este. It shows a male figure with a trident, Poseidon, who represents the sea and a female figure, Amphitrite, who represents the earth. -
Jan 1, 1550
Lorenzo de Medici The Magnificent
This portrait was done by Giorgio Vasari. He has created a number of beautiful pieces and is both a sculptor and an artist. He was influenced by, and close friends with, Michelangelo. He also studied paintings by Raphael. He was most often employed by the powerful Itallian family- the Medicis. -
Period: Jan 1, 1580 to
Baroque
Baroque artists have a new interst in nature and the paint scenes of grandeur. There is movement and tension among contrasting forces. There is also a reintegration of belief. The artwork has a strong contrast of light and dark and there is an illusion of depth. -
View of Toledo
El Greco was a Greek artist that moved to Spain and lived the majority of his life there. His art often consists of darker colors, elongated boday parts (such as faces and fingers), and bent/curvy lines. In later generations, El Greco was not given much credit and his artiwork was called "ridiculous" and that it was more baroque rather than manneristic. -
Don Quixote
Miguel de Cervantes wrote this famous book in two parts. This first came out in 1605 and the second came out in 1615. Don Quixote is a popular satire of the romances of chivalry. It follows Don Quixote's (or the Knight of La Mancha) travels and adventures. -
The Rising of Lazarus
This painting by Rembrandt shows Lazarus reawkening from death as Christ calls upon him. I really like that Lazarus has this darker color unlike the other figures, showing that he was dead and the others are still alive. -
Luigi Rossi
In 1646, he published a collection of cantatas. In 1688, Cardinal Antonio Barberini and Giacomo Antonio Perti called him one of "the greatest lights of our profession" (meaning music). He was particularly known for his chamber-cantatas, which are known as some of the finest of the 17th century. -
Las Meninas
Diego Velazquez was a baroque artist that painted for the Spanish royal family of King Philip IV. His painting, Las Meninas, was of the young princess and her maids. He also is part of the painting, creating an illusion. He was among the first paints to use shadows as well as portray animals in his works. -
Period: to
Rococo
The rococo period was prone to more curves and waves than other eras. It reflected the society thoguht its frivolous subjects that featured aristocrats and mythical subjects. Rococo started as an interior decoration movement and it continued to stay like that throughout the time period. It was overly decorative and there were some erotic scenes. -
Pilgrimage on the Isle of Cythera
Antoine Watteau was a famous rococo artist. His paintings captured the frivolous nature of the rococo art style. His paitings also featured sensuality, like many other rococo pieces. -
Gulliver's Travels
Written by Jonathan Swift, the novel is perhaps one of his most famous works. It became very popular as soon as it was published. It was a satire on human nature, as well as a parody of any books that deatured the tales of a traveler concept. -
Anglelica Kauffman
(The date above is her DOB.) Kauffman was an Austrian neoclassical painter who often painted portraits. Her works have a very high reputation and her paintings are displayed in many prestigious locations. She is also known for the engravings of her pieces done by artists like Schiavonetti and Bartolozzi (among others). -
Johann Adolf Hasse
In 1748, Hasse performed two of his own operas: Ezio and Artaserse. He was well known for his work on operas and bringing them into more popularity. His work was influential in the changing of operatic styles, as were other artists. His operas were also a favorite of the Holy Roman Empress, Maria Theresa. -
Period: to
Neoclassicism
This time period was inspired by the classics. Neoclassiscism also matched up with the Age of Enlightenment so it often reflected developments in philosophy and other areas of importance during the Enlightenment. -
Candide
Voltaire was a significant writer, historian, and philosoph during that time period. He was an advocate for freedom of religion, expression, and the separation of the church and state, He wrote many plays, poems, novels, essays, and historical/scientific peices. Candide was one of his most popular works. -
Ludwig van Beethoven
(Date given is when he was baptised.) Beethoven was a well-known German pianist and composer of the classical and romantic eras. He is still one of the most famous and influential composers of all time. Among his many compositions, his 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, 32 piano sonatas, and 16 string quartets are the most widely known. -
The Progress of Love: The Meeting
Fragonard's paintings seem to be the ending of the rococo time period. His works place him among the masters of French painting. After his death, Fragonard was mainly forgotten about and his was not mentioned in many art history books until late 19th century, early 20th century. -
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart is a well-known musician. He wrote symphonies, concertos, piano, violin, and other instruemntal works, as well as serenades and sacred music like sonatas and organ music. His pieces reflect neoclassicism and h is credited with being one of the most famous classical composers -
Period: to
Romanticism
Romanticism was a time when imagination and individuality trumped all other categories. It was partly a reaction to the Industrial Revolution, but mostly a revolt against the scientific rationalizations of nature. It had a huge impact of educaiton and the natural sciences at the time. -
Oath of the Horatii
Jacques-Louis David was an important painter during the change between rococo and neoclassicism. His piece (Oath of the Horatii) is still of the best known neoclassical paintings today. This painting was the reason David became so famous and allowed him to mentor his own students. -
The Morning
This piece was painted by a German artist. His name was Philip Otto Runge and he had a deeply rooted Christian mind. He tried to express the notions of harmony of the universe through his use of color and form. I find this piece of his to be particularly calming and symmetrical. The colors all blend together to form a unique product. -
Edgar Allan Poe
(Date given is DOB.) Poe was the most famous of all American writers in the romantic movement. He was most recognized as a literary critic, but his works were mostly gothic and supernatural. He also influenced many science fiction writers like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. Recurring themes in his works are death and supernatural events and, even though he is considered part of the romantic time period, his works fall under the sub-category of dark romanticism. -
The Third of May 1808
Goya was a Spanish romantic painter. He oainted for the royal court and lived through war with Napoleon Bonaparte. Many of his works after the war reflect this pain and sadness. His works influenced future artists like Manet and Picasso. His piece, The Third of May 1808, shows Napoleon's soldiers attacking Spanish citizens in the dead of night. -
Period: to
Realism
Realism portrayed a working class and peasants that were gaining rights and bringing up important social and political topics, just as society was doing. -
La Comédie Humaine(The Human Comedy)
The Human Comedy consists of 91 finished , essys, novels, or short stories and 46 unfinished works by Honore de Balzac. His books deal with a vast range of topics, but most depict French society between the Restoration and JUly Monarchy time period. -
Self-Portrait (The Desperate Man)
The Desperate Man shows a seemingly crazed man with very realistic features. It was painted by Gustave Courbet, who is said to have painted himself in various different roles of his subjects. -
The Washerwoman
This painting was done by Honore Daumier, a French painter who also worked on prints, caricatures, and sculptures. His works gave a lot of commentary on social and political life in France during the 19th century. -
Period: to
Impressionism
Impressionism depicted modern life (focusing on the social life and leisure activities of the urban middle and lower middle classes) and it captured the fleeting effects of natural light and color and the representation through painting itself of momentary, largely unfocused, visual experience, whether of social life or of landscape. -
Paul Dukas
Dukas was a French composer who was very self-critical and ended up destroying most of his compsitions. His best known piece is The Sorcerer's Apprentice for an orchestra. He has also wrtten the opera Ariane et Barbe-bleue, a symphony, 2 solo piano pieces, and the ballet La Peri. -
Umberto Giordano
(Date given is DOB.) Giordano was an Italian composer who mainly wokred on operas. His first opera was Marina and it is still remembered today since it marked the beginning of the Italian verismo, or realism. -
La Bonne Chanson
This is a collection of poems written by Paul Verlaine, a poet that lived in France. There are 21 poems in this collection and they are all addressed to a 16 year old girl named Mathilde Maute, who he married in that same year. -
Claude Monet
He was the founder of Franch Impressionist painting and was the most prolific in expressing one's perceptions before nature. Much of his inspiration came from his wife, Camille, who died at a young age. The painting shown is titled Camille Monet on a Garden Bench. -
Joseph-Maurice Ravel
(Date given is DOB.) Ravel was a French composer that was known for his melodies and his work on orchestral and other instrumental pieces. He was one of the most prominent figures in post-impressionist music. -
The Dance Class
This piece was done by Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. Degas is listeded as an impressionist but he never adopted the same bright and vibrant color scheme that other impressionists used. He is even sometimes called anti-impressionist. -
Period: to
Post-Impressionism
Post-Impressionism was like a semi-revolt against impressionism. Artists continued to use vibrant colors, but were more likely to use geometric figures rather than curves. It was more art just because rather than a reflection of society. -
The Starry Night
This piece was painted by none other that Vincent Van Gogh, a magnificent and talented post-impressionist painter. His works consisted of curvy/bent lines and a multitude of colors. The Starry Night is one of his most famous and easily recognized pieces. -
Tiger in a Tropical Storm (Surprised!)
Henri Rousseau was a famous post-impressionist artist. His style was often criticized becuase people were often shocked by it. Many people thought that he painted like a child would, but later appreciated his artwork. -
Period: to
Cubism
Cubism was an era focused on geometry. The artwork reflected society through its new forms to express modern life. It has been considered to be the most influential art movement of the 20th century. -
Gertrude Stein
She was an American writer that moved to France permanantly in 1903. She wrote many essays with famous subjects, one of them being the famous cubist artist, Pable Picasso. -
Violin and Candlestick
One of the many pieces of art by teh French painter Georges Braque. He played a major role in the development of cubism alongside Pable Picasso and their cubist pieces are very similar and hard to distinguish the difference. -
Max Jacob
Jacob was one of the first friends Pablo Picasso would makein Paris. He was featured in PIcasso's Three Musicians. He was a writer with Jewish origins and was killed during his transportation to a concentration camp. His novel Le défense de Tartuffe gave his religious and philosophical views. -
Ulysses
James Joyce, a post-impressionist writer, was most famous for his novel Ulysses. It is a novel that parallels Homer's Odyssey. He was the first to use and perfect a new technique of writing as well (the stream-of-consciousness method). This method allowed him to explore his memories. -
Guernica
One of Pablo Picasso's most famous works, Guernica represents the horrors and pains of war. Picasso lived through the Spansih Civil War and his paintings afterwards represented his sufferings, as well as others. Picasso is known for founding the art form of cubism with Georges Braque.
