Gallery
I, Alexander of Aragon, in order to show my wealth to the masses, have taken it upon myself to patronize a number of skilled artists. Here is a collection of their works:
Antonello da Messina:
Ecce Homo:
Antonello's first piece, titled Ecce Homo, depicts Christ as he is preparing to be tortured.This Sacred piece is painted using tempura and oil on panel, a medium with which Antonello is very close, and features Christ with large, sad eyes, and a slightly elongated face, a re-occurring theme in some of Antonello's pieces. This is one of many sacred pieces painted by Antonello and other artists during the Renaissance.
Messina, Antonello. Ecce Homo. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Messina, Antonello. Ecce Homo. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Portrait of a Man:
Antonello's next work, Portrait of a Man, is a secular piece, rather than sacred, an important new concept which has come into existence now during the Renaissance. Whereas during the Middle Ages pieces of artwork were exclusively sacred, during the Renaissance innovators have begun to stray away from this path and create secular pieces as well, a symbol of the the church's loss of power.
Messina, Antonello. Portrait of a Man. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Messina, Antonello. Portrait of a Man. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Madonna:
Antonello's third piece, of the Madonna, reminds one that, although the Renaissance did start off the creation of secular pieces, there are still many sacred pieces to be found. This is merely one of many paintings of the Madonna by various artists throughout the renaissance, including Antonello.
Messina, Antonello. Madonna. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Messina, Antonello. Madonna. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Sibiu Crucifixion:
Antonello da Messina's final piece, the Sibiu Crucifixion, is one of three crucifixion scenes painted by Antonello. This Sacred piece is painted in oil on wood, and shows an elaborate view of Messina in the background.
Messina, Antonello. Madonna. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Messina, Antonello. Madonna. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Luca Signorelli:
Cappella di san brizio, predica e punizione dell'anticristo:
Signorelli's first piece depicts the fall of the Antichrist, in front of the San Brizio Chapel. This heavily sacred work is characteristic of Luca, who is weighted moderately towards sacred pieces.
Signorelli, Luca. Cappella di san brizio, predica e punizione dell'anticristo. N.d. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Signorelli, Luca. Cappella di san brizio, predica e punizione dell'anticristo. N.d. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Crocifissione:
This piece of Signorelli's depicts a Crucifixion, a very common subject during the Renaissance. Scenes like these show that although the Renaissance has started a change in the arts, religion has already been embedded so deeply within them that, even during times of change, it will still remain a constant factor within the field.
Signorelli, Luca. Crocifissione. N.d. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Signorelli, Luca. Crocifissione. N.d. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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The Damned Cast into Hell:
This is another very sacred piece of Luca's, depicting those who have sinned being dragged down to hell. It further reinforces just how strongly ingrained religion is upon people's thoughts and lives, so that it will take time to for serious changes to take place among their thoughts and opinions.
Signorelli, Luca. The Damned Cast into Hell. N.d. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Signorelli, Luca. The Damned Cast into Hell. N.d. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Portrait of a Man:
Signorelli's final piece is much less sacred, nothing more than a portrait of a well aged man. It shows that even with someone like Signorelli, who paints demons and crucifixions and the Antichrist, change is inevitable, and even he too creates some secular pieces as well. This piece is painted in tempura on panel, one of Luca's preferred mediums.
Signorelli, Luca. Portrait of a Man. N.d. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Signorelli, Luca. Portrait of a Man. N.d. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Paolo Veronese:
Allegory of love IV Happy Union:
This first piece of Paolo Veronese's is a secular ceiling painting created for the Prague Castle. It is painted in oil on canvas, as nearly all of Paolo's paintings are. It is the fourth and final of a series of separate paintings by Paolo, each depicting a different stage in the allegory of love. It is but one of many secular pieces painted by Paolo, who is at the forefront of innovators breaking away from the traditional solely sacred works.
Veronese, Paolo. Allegory of love IV Happy Union. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Veronese, Paolo. Allegory of love IV Happy Union. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Avtoportret:
This second work of Veronese's is a self portrait conveyed through oil on canvas. It matches with Paolo's prevalent secular style, continuing to differ from the Middle Age's standard sacred paintings, as many other painters do during the Renaissance. Self portraits like these were some of the first non-sacred pieces to be portrayed, and encouraged artists to have a stronger sense of pride in themselves and their work.
Veronese, Paolo. Avtoportret. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Veronese, Paolo. Avtoportret. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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The Wedding at Cana:
This huge oil on canvas mural by Paolo Veronese, stretching across over 700 square feet, depicts the wedding at Cana, a scene from the Christian new testament. Paolo was commissioned to create the piece for a monastery, in order to replace a piece by the artist Titian which had been previously damaged. It's sacred nature shows how, even in those like Veronese, who are pushing the Renaissance's sacred to secular movement forward with all of their might, religion still has a hold that it refuses to let go of.
Veronese, Paolo. The Wedding at Cana. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Veronese, Paolo. The Wedding at Cana. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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The Feast in the House of Levi:
Paolo's final piece, another stunning canvas that stretches 42 feet long and 18 feet high, was originally meant to depict the last supper, however, being the modern innovator that he is, Paolo painted it using his own, more secular styles. This caused him some trouble from the church, who accused him of heresy and demanded that he change the painting to be a more traditional depiction. He chose an alternate path of merely renaming the painting to The Feast in the House of Levi.
Veronese, Paolo. The Feast in the House of Levi. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Veronese, Paolo. The Feast in the House of Levi. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Botticelli:
Ritratto di Giuliano de' Medici bergamo:
This secular tempura on panel portrait of Giuliano de' Medici was painted by the great artist Boticelli. It exemplifies an important part of the Renaissance: how artists are funded by wealthy patrons who commission them to create great works for them. On some the artists have free range, on some they have guidelines and requests, and perhaps their patron will even ask for a portrait, such as in this case.
Boticelli, Sandro. Ritratto di Giuliano de' Medici bergamo. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Boticelli, Sandro. Ritratto di Giuliano de' Medici bergamo. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Titian:
Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Catherine:
This gorgeous oil on canvas painting by the masterful artist Titian depicts a sacred scene with the Madonna. It shows once again, that even the most skilled of artists during the changing Renaissance still default on sacred works when it is appropriate.
Titian. Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Catherine. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Titian. Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Catherine. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Michelangelo:
Saint Paul:
This magnificent sacred piece by the genius artist Michelangelo shows another medium across which works can be conveyed: sculpture. This one in particular acts as a tribute to Saint Paul, and is displayed as part of an altar piece in a cathedral.
Michelangelo. Saint Paul. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Michelangelo. Saint Paul. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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The Conversion of Saint Paul:
The second piece by Michelangelo in this collection is a stunning fresco displayed in the Vatican Palace. It's Sacred nature serves as one final reminder of how, although the Renaissance is a time period filled with change, religion still remains important.
Michelangelo. The Conversion of Saint Paul. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Michelangelo. The Conversion of Saint Paul. N.d. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.
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Unfinished Works:
I have asked my three artists, to whom I am the sole patron, Antonello, Luca, and Paolo, to each create a work with me in it, that will portray my wealth and benevolence.
Antonello is in the process of creating a tempura and oil on panel piece that shall depict my family dining with Christ at the last supper, in order to convey to the people that we are important, but religious and benevolent at the same time.
Luca, who is also very fond of sacred pieces, I have asked to create a piece that shows me fighting against those demons that he is so fond of painting. He too will be crafting his piece using tempura, oil, and panel, but this one will show that I am a force for good, that I am here to protect the people against the evils that they must face.
And finally, Paolo, who is very skilled at crafting secular works, as well as very large ones, I have asked to create a large mural on oil and canvas, his favorite medium, depicting me on a grande estate, with beautiful fountains, luscious trees, and carefully laid stone walkways, to show my great wealth to the people.
Antonello is in the process of creating a tempura and oil on panel piece that shall depict my family dining with Christ at the last supper, in order to convey to the people that we are important, but religious and benevolent at the same time.
Luca, who is also very fond of sacred pieces, I have asked to create a piece that shows me fighting against those demons that he is so fond of painting. He too will be crafting his piece using tempura, oil, and panel, but this one will show that I am a force for good, that I am here to protect the people against the evils that they must face.
And finally, Paolo, who is very skilled at crafting secular works, as well as very large ones, I have asked to create a large mural on oil and canvas, his favorite medium, depicting me on a grande estate, with beautiful fountains, luscious trees, and carefully laid stone walkways, to show my great wealth to the people.