The achievements of Giotto in the early 14th century marked the beginning of the Renaissance. Italian artists of the 17th century continued it. Masaccio (1401-1428) was one of the leaders of the first generation of Renaissance artists. He lived in Florence, the wealthy mercantile city where Renaissance art began. By the time of his death in his late twenties he had revolutionized painting. In his famous fresco, The Tribute Money, he places solid sculptural figures in a landscape that seems to go far into the distance. Masaccio may have learned perspective from the Florentine architect and sculptor Brunelleschi (1377-1414).
The fresco technique was very popular during the Renaissance. It was especially suitable for large murals because the colors in a fresco are dry and perfectly flat. The image can be viewed from any angle without glare or reflection. Also, murals have affordability. Usually, artists had several assistants. The work was done in parts because it had to be finished while the plaster was still wet.
The complete “three-dimensional” style of Masaccio was typical of the new progressive trend of the 15th century. The style of Fra Angelico (1400-1455) represented a more traditional approach used by many early Renaissance artists. He was less concerned with perspective and was more interested in decorative drawing. His Coronation of the Virgin is an example of tempera at its most beautiful. Cheerful, saturated colors against a background of gold and accented with gold. The painting looks like an enlarged miniature. The long, narrow figures have little in common with the Masaccio. The composition is organized in broad lines of movement circling around the central figures of Christ and Mary.
Another Florentine who worked in the traditional style was Sandro Botticelli (1444-1515). Flowing rhythmic lines connect the sections of Botticelli’s “Spring.” The figure of Spring, carried by the westerly wind, sweeps to the right. Three Graces dance in a circle, the fluttering folds of their gowns and the graceful movements of their arms express the rhythms of the dance.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) studied painting in Florence. He is known for his scientific research and inventions as well as his paintings. Very few of his paintings have survived, in part because he often experimented with different ways of creating and applying paint rather than using tried and true methods. “The Last Supper” (painted between 1495 and 1498) was done in oil, but unfortunately Leonardo painted it on a wet wall, which caused the paint to crack. But even in poor condition (before restoration) the painting had the power to stir emotions in all who saw it.
One of the hallmarks of Leonardo’s style was his method of depicting lights and darkness. The Italians called his semi-dark lighting “sfumato,” which means smoky or foggy. The figures in Madonna of the Rocks are veiled in an atmosphere of sfumato. Their forms and features are softly shaded. Leonardo achieved these effects by using very subtle gradations of light and dark tones.