The Renaissance in Venice

1470 - 1570

The Queen of the Adriatic

Venice was in many ways quite different to Rome and Florence

At the crossroads of commercial trade between east and west it became a very prosperous and splendid city in the 16th century

This also meant it had an exciting mix of exotic cultures

Painting in Venice

Characteristics Colour and light characterise Venetian painting It is known for a very distinctive style of loose

brushwork and a smooth, velvety texture Blurry edges and soft light is found particularly

in landscape landscape painting and this tends to create a gentle slightly mysterious atmosphere

Techniques

The damp atmosphere in Venice made fresco painting on plastered walls impossible

Artists developed the technique of oil painting on canvas.

Canvas was stretched over large wooden frames to hang on walls

Primed with white gesso the light glowed through layers of oily paint and glazes.

Artists of Venice

• Giovanni Bellini 1430 – 1516• Giorgione 1477- 1510• Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) 1485-1576

Giovanni Bellini

Bellini was from a family of painters They are thought to have brought Renaissance

"style" to Venetian painting in the mid to late 15th century

Bellini perfected the new technique oil painting His realistic and sensitive work brought

Renaissance painting in Venice to the same level as Florence and Rome.

Portrait of Doge Leonardo Loredan of Venice

1501Giovanni Bellini National Gallery, London

• The ruler of Venice was known as ‘the Doge’

• Bellini’s portrait perfectly captures his role as the most powerful figure in Venice

Giorgione 1477- 1510

The name means ‘big Giorgio’ Giorgione died at a young age and not much is known of his life His paintings are dreamlike and mysterious They brought the new word 'poesie' meaning visual poetry to

Renaissance art. They are linked with particular style of poetry called the ‘Arcadia’. Arcadia was a fantasy landscape of peace and romantic love His most famous pupil was the artist Titian Titian probably finished several of his paintings

The Tempest

Giorgione

Accademia, Venice

• This is one of Giorgione’s

few works

• No one is sure of its exact meaning

• The strange atmosphere comes from the vibrant brightness of a single flash of lightening just before a storm

• The mother with her child

under the trees may represent shelter

Concert Champêtre1508-09Giorgione and Titian Musée du Louvre, Paris

• This is another mysterious painting of mythological figures in a dreamy landscape

• For a long time it was thought to be by Giorgione but was probably painted or at least finished, by Titian

Sleeping Venus c. 1510 Giorgione Gemäldegalerie, Dresden

• Giorgione was the first to paint the goddess sleeping beneath a tree seemingly unaware of her nakedness

• The soft afternoon sunlight brings the landscape and girl together in a picture of the poetic beauty

• The subject became very popular after that

Titian 1485-1576

After Bellini's death, Titian became the foremost painter in Venice

He had gained great technical skills and new methods of working from Giorgione

He was the most expressive painter of his time His rich colours and soft painterly technique

were widely imitated.

Noli Me Tangere 1511-12Titian

National Gallery, London• In Latin meaning 'Do not touch me’

• One of Titian’s earlier works and although a little awkward the figures and landscape blend well together

• The subject matter refers to Christ when he appeared to Mary Magdalen after his death and Resurrection

• She reaches out to touch his garment him saying “master” but he tells her not to touch him.

Madonna with Saints and Members of the Pesaro Family1519-26Titian

Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice

• Unusually the artist has moved the Holy Virgin out of the centre of the picture

• He has placed St Peter in the centre on the

steps of her Heavenly seat

• He wears the bright blue colour usually given to the Virgin

• St Francis stands to her left

• Included in the picture are the family members

Assumption of the Virgin1516-18TitianSanta Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice

• Titian broke with tradition for this bold new and very colourful painting

• He worked on this huge dramatic altarpiece for nearly two years

• In a strong and powerful twisting motion the Virgin and angels soar above the heads of the apostles

• It shows the influence of Michelangelo and Raphael

Bacchus and Ariadne1520-22 Titian National Gallery, London

• The subject comes from classical poetry • The wine god Bacchus falls in love with Princess Ariadne daughter of the King of Crete • The theme is love at first sight• It is also famous for its spectacular colours• Ariadne’s gown and the sky are coloured with intense blue ultramarine • This contrasts with strong red and beautiful gold orange pigments

The Venus of Urbino

Titian

Uffizi Gallery Florence

• Titian adapted Giorgione’s theme of Venus in this painting• Unlike Giorgione’s innocent goddess Titian’s girl is awake and aware of the effect she

has on the viewer • The picture was painted to celebrate a marriage • The little dog curled up on the bed representing faithfulness is one of a number of

symbols referring to marriage

Ecce Homo

Titian

National Gallery of Ireland

• The artist painted this subject many times

• This ‘Man of Sorrow’ with face in shadow and downcast eyes was painted when he was nearly 80

• The gentle figure of Christ is bound, tortured, beaten and crowned with thorns

• The soft painterly brushstrokes add to the spiritual feeling of this deeply moving image

Image from the National Gallery of Ireland website

Images from Web Gallery of Art www.wga.hu

Acknowledgements

Art Associates Maria Moore

Margaret O’Shea

Local Facilitator TeamAine Andrews

Joe CaslinJane Campbell

Siobhan CampbellNiamh O’Donoghue

Niamh O’NeillKeith O’Rahilly

Sheena McKeonTony MorrisseyMonica White

Many thanks to the following for their invaluable contribution to the European Art History and Appreciation series of workshops and resource materials.

PDST Professional Development Service for Teachers

PDST Professional Development Service for Teachers

The PDST is funded by the Department of Education and

Skills under the National Development Plan 2007 -

2013

Cultural & Environmental Education

Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST)Dublin West Education Centre,

Old Blessington Road,Tallaght,Dublin 24

National Co-ordinatorConor Harrison

Mobile: 087 240 5710E-mail: conorharrison@pdst.ie

AdministratorAngie Grogan

Tel: 014528018 Fax: 014528010E-mail: angiegrogan@pdst.ie.