1 Humanities
Loeppert/Stanek
Renaissance Art Quarter Project
VALUE:
150 Summative Assessment Points
100 Formative points (Library Planning Packet and Presentation)
DUE DATES :
Library Planning Packet (all parts): Wednesday, February 21st
Individual Analysis of a Work of Art (Caption): Friday, March 1st
Group Presentation: Monday, March 4th
Renaissance Essay and Works Cited Page: Friday, March 7th
INTRODUCTION:
We have been reading the literature of the Renaissance and studying the revolutionary results of the Renaissance. Now we are going to take an in-depth look at the art of the Renaissance and see if we can make some connections between art and literature and history. This project counts for both History and English credit.
Directions: Working in a group, you will research an artist and then put together a presentation in which you present, visually as well as orally, the artist’s contribution to the world of Renaissance art. Working individually, each group member will study and write about a specific work of art and complete a writing assignment that links the artist to the greater philosophical and historical ideas and events of the Renaissance.
Part One: Individual Analysis of a Work of Art (Caption)
(50 Summative Points Possible)
Each individual will be assigned a specific work of art and it will be their independent responsibility to research this work and type up a detailed caption (description) of the work.
This caption should be typed in manuscript form. Use the checklist below to ensure that your caption includes all of the required information and analysis. While you should describe the artwork in complete sentences, organize the information by the elements listed below.
Any direct quotations or paraphrased information should be cited with a parenthetical citation, in Manuscript Form. There should be parenthetical citations appearing throughout your caption, for any information that you found in your research.
The individual will present 3 highlights of this work of art as part of the group presentation.
The following information must be provided in the caption:
Analysis of the subject:
TITLE and DATE: The title of the work of art and the date of its completion
CHARACTERS: A detailed explanation of who the characters within the painting are. For example: if the painting depicts a scene from the Bible, mythology, or history, what are the characters’ names and why are they important?
OBJECTS: A detailed explanation for any significant objects that appear in the painting. Often in art these objects serve as symbols and were used in allegory. For example: If a character is holding a specific kind of fruit, research what that fruit could have symbolized in the Renaissance.
EVENT: A detailed explanation of the event that is being depicted. For example: if the painting depicts a famous battle, provide the name of the battle, describe what happened, and explain why it was significant.
PLACE(S): Where does the subject of the painting take place? For example: if the painting depicts an historical event, where does the event take place?.
Analysis of Artistic Technique:
PERSPECTIVE: Describe the work’s use of perspective. How is the perspective in keeping with the Renaissance art movement? Identify the horizon line, vanishing point, disappearing lines.
COLOR: Describe the colors used and explain how these contribute to the work’s effectiveness and/or how they relate to the subject matter through symbolism.
CHIAROSCURO/SFUMATO: If the work uses this method, describe the work’s use of chiaroscuro or sfumato.
MEDIUM: Provide the medium for the work. For example: painting; oil on canvas.
Manuscript Form/Mechanics
Parenthetical citations are present, in manuscript form and correctly punctuated.
Minimal errors in grammar or spelling
Typed in manuscript form (margins, spacing, heading, font, page numbers)
Part Two: Short Renaissance Essay and Works Cited Page (100 Summative Assessment Points Possible)
Essay: Each member of the group will compose a short essay independently. Use the rubric and checklist below to ensure that your essay includes all of the required analysis:
Lead/ Grabber Sentence
Introduction to the Renaissance (dates, overview of the movement)
Introduction to the artist (dates/overview of the artist)
Thesis Statement: Your thesis should answer this question: to what extent was the art of the Renaissance revolutionary?
Organizational Statement: present the specific revolutionary elements that your artist exemplifies (2 ideals—see below in body paragraph instructions)
Transition Sentence
Topic Sentence introduces focus of the paragraph: the Renaissance could be considered an artistic revolution and this is evident through the artwork of (the artist you were assigned).
Define the term revolution
Describe how the Renaissance could be considered an artistic revolution due to the ideals of the Renaissance, defining 2 of the ideals: Classicism, Humanism, and/or Realism.
Explain how the artist’s work exemplifies 2 of the ideals, using specific examples as support.
Concluding Sentence brings closure/lends a sense of finality to the paragraph
Paragraph is complete, 7-10 sentences in length
Parenthetical citations: All quotations or paraphrased sections are cited with parenthetical citations, in Manuscript Form.
3-4 sentences that present some concluding comments about the topic without merely summing up the essay’s content.
3-4 sentences that connect the topic to the modern world.
Manuscript Form/Mechanics
Minimal errors in grammar or spelling
Typed in Manuscript Form (margins, spacing, heading, font, page numbers)
Works Cited Page for the Responses and Caption
Each individual must include a works cited page. While the works cited page will contain all of the source information you used in both the caption and the essay, it should be attached just to the essay.
The works cited page must include a minimum of 3 sources. The works cited page should reflect all of the research you completed in both the essay and the caption—in other words, you only need one works cited page. You will attach this to your essay.
All sources must be approved by Mr. Stanek. All sources need to be actual articles/books/texts—not just the website where you found an image of your painting.
The works cited page is in MLA format and typed in Manuscript Form (margins, spacing, heading, font, page numbers)
Part Three: Group Assignment and Assessment
(50 Formative Assessment Points Possible)
Presentation
The group will present the artist and briefly describe 4-5 of his works to the class, and 1 additional work in detail. The presentation should be 15 minutes in length and every member of the group must participate equally. This is a formal presentation requiring appropriate preparation, practice, and note cards.
Provide a brief biography of your artist.
Birth, death, places of residence, important events, their patron, etc.
Tell us what medium(s) they worked with
oil on canvas, marble, fresco, etc.
Tell us what their primary contribution was to the art world
What are they credited for inventing or perfecting or doing particularly well? In other words, if an art historian saw a painting by your artist, what specific aspects of the painting would tell them that the painting was a Botticelli?
Present your assigned works of art:
Presentation of Individual Work of Art: each individual should briefly present their assigned work of art, highlighting THREE interesting facts about the painting. We won’t have time to hear everything you included in your caption, so choose three “fun facts” to share with the class.
Remember that you need to use note cards. The note cards should contain just the information that each individual will be presenting to the class.
Note: If you are absent on the day of the presentation, your group must present regardless. Make sure that everyone has all of the information so that the group can still present regardless of a missing member or two.
Present your Big Picture:
The group will be assigned an additional work of art that the group will analyze together. You will present this work of art to the class in detail, pointing out all of the caption information. Be prepared to answer questions about this work of art. You must be the experts on every aspect of the painting. While you do not need to type up a caption for this piece, you should use note cards in your presentation and each group member must present a different aspect of the work of art.
Group Members:_______________________________________________________________
Content:
Presentation provides a brief biography of your artist.
Birth
death
places of residence
important events
their patron
Presentation tells us all of the mediums they worked with (oil on canvas, marble, fresco) etc.
Presentation tells what their primary contribution was to the art world
What are they credited for inventing or perfecting or doing particularly well?
In other words, if an art historian saw a painting by your artist, what specific aspects of the painting would tell them that the painting was a Botticelli?
Each group member presents 3 highlights about their assigned work of art.
The group presents all required information about the “big picture” that is projected on the screen:
Title and Date
Objects
Characters
Event
Place
Perspective
Color
Chiaroscuro / Sfumato
Medium
Participation:
Each member of the group uses note cards
Each member of the group participates equally
Grade: Groups : By Artist and Works of Art
Directions : The names of the group members are recorded next to their artist’s name. Each group member should choose one of the works of art listed below the artist’s name and this will be the work of art that they will research and for which they will write a caption. The artwork in bold, with asterisks, is the group’s Big Picture that the group will present to the class in detail.
Christ’s Blessing (1500)
San Zaccaria Altarpiece (1505)
St. Francis in the Desert (1476-78)
Assassination of Saint Peter Martyr (1509; Courtould Gallery/Natl. Gallery London)
**The Feast of the Gods**
The Embarkation of St. Helena to the Holy Land
The Miracle of St. Mark Freeing the Slave
Esther Before Ahasuerus
The Muses
**The Last Supper**
Portrait of Castiglione
St. George Fighting the Dragon (either one)
The Nymph Galatea
Leo X With Two Cardinals
**School Of Athens**
Giovanni Arnolfini of Giovanna Cenami/Arnolfini Portrait (1434)
Crucifixion/Last Judgement Diptych (1430-1440)
Ghent Altarpiece (started by Hubert Van Eyck)
Annunciation (1434-1436)
Virgin and Child with Canon van der Paele
**The Madonna of Chancellor Rolin (1435)**
La Primavera
The Adoration of the Magi
Mars and Venus
Mystic Nativity
Three Miracles of St. Zenobius
**The Birth Of Venus**
Assumption of the Virgin (Assunta)
Danae
The Death of Actaeon
Bacchus and Ariadne
**Pieta**
Pieter Brueghel (the Elder):____________________________________________________
Peasant Wedding
Fall of the Rebel Angels
The Tower of Babel
Hunters in the Snow / Return of the Hunters
**Mad Meg**
Hieronymus Bosch:______________________________________________________
Central Panel of Garden of Earthly Delights
Left Panel of Haywain
Exterior Shutters of Haywain/ The Path of Life
Death and the Miser
**Central Panel of Haywain**
Self-Portrait (either)
Judith Beheading Holofernes
Judith and her Maidservant
Mary Magdalene
Self-Portrait as a Lute Player
**Sussanah and the Elders**
Hans Holbein (the Younger);________________________________________________
Erasmus of Rotterdam
Henry VIII (1538)
Sir Thomas More (1527)
An Allegory of the Old and New Testaments
Lais of Corinth
**The Ambassadors**
Sofonisba Anguissola__________________________________________________________
Self-Portrait at the Easel (1556-57)
Isabel of Valois Holding a Portrait of Phillip II (1561-65)
Banardino Campi Painting Sofonisba Anguissola (1559)
Phillip II (1565)
**The Chess Game**
Additional Helpful Documents
Definitions of Renaissance Ideals
Classicism: This term refers to the influence of ancient Greece & Rome (literal allusions to history, mythology, architecture etc.). An example of classicism might include the depiction of a Greek goddess or the backdrop of Roman columns in a painting.
Humanism: The belief that humans and human activities are important and should be glorified. This belief was held by the ancient Greeks and Romans, but fell out of favor during the Middle Ages when it was perceived as sinful and decadent. During the Middle Ages, art was created to glorify God, not man. While religion can still be the subject of an artistic work of art, Renaissance humanism is often represented through an interest in learning and education. Portrait subjects were often painted holding books or writing at tables to emphasize their intellect.
Realism: Human anatomy (bodily proportions, muscle definition, bone structure) is emphasized and individual personality is central. Borrowing heavily from Roman artistic traditions, Renaissance artists attempted to capture what made each person unique. Some artists actually studied cadavers (human corpses) in order to depict the human form more accurately. Realism appears in all depictions of people—artists strive to present them as anatomically correct. Realism also appears in the setting and objects included in the depiction of a person, to represent the person’s personality or unique attributes (i.e. look at the objects, clothing, jewelry included in the portrait of a wealthy person). Realism also includes the realistic and accurate depiction of objects in nature (landscapes, animals, plants etc. look “natural”). Some artists would leave their studios and paint outside to represent nature more accurately.
Definitions of Artistic techniques utilized during the Renaissance
Use of Color: During the Renaissance, the use of color became more dramatic and intense. Bright reds and deep blues were often utilized to add emphasis or to draw the viewer’s eye to a particular point in the painting. Vibrant colors were also used symbolically to represent a figure’s wealth, courage or religious piety.
Perspective: This technique creates the illusion of depth on a flat surface. Through its three components: the vanishing point, the horizon line, and disappearing lines, the artist uses some basic principles of geometry to make figures and objects appear three-dimensional.
Chiaroscuro: A painting technique that utilizes stark and often harsh contrasts in light and color to add emphasis and draw the viewer’s eye to particular points in the painting. Chiaroscuro would often be exemplified by use shadows in a painting. For example, a brightly colored object in the foreground might have a very dark shadow behind it to show contrast.
Sfumato: A painting technique which utilizes shading at the edges of a figure to produce a “smoky” appearance. Leonardo DaVinci’s Mona Lisa uses this technique to soften contrasts in light and color.
Parenthetical Citations Cheat Sheet
What is a Parenthetical Citation?
A Parenthetical Citation is set of parentheses ( ) that indicates exactly where a statistic, direct quote, or fact comes from originally. The citation directly follows the sentence containing the statistic, quotation, or fact.
What to Cite:
Any direct quotations, statistics, or specific facts should be cited in parenthetical citations.
What goes inside the Parentheses:
For this project, you located and read articles and books that contained both an author’s name and page number(s). The parentheses should contain the last name of the author followed by the page number on which the information was found.
An example of a direct quotation from a source with an author and page number:
The law states that employers can monitor their employees with “a hidden video camera” and can even position a video camera so that “a number of employees can be monitored at the same time” (Lane 147).
Notes: The sentence contains a direct quotation by the author Frederick Lane that appeared in his book on page 147. The parentheses contain his last name and the page number.
An example of a paraphrase from a source with an author and page number:
85% of American companies monitor their employees via video camera, but often this practice results in low morale. 95% of employees surveyed reported that they do not feel comfortable working in an environment where cameras are used (Lane 149-150).
Notes: These two sentences include statistics found in Frederick Lane’s book. The statistics were found in a paragraph spanning pages 149 and 150 in the book. The parentheses, therefore, come at the end of the second sentence and contain Lane’s name and the page numbers where the set of statistics can be found.
An example from a source with no author or page number:
“Austen wrote in a social environment that did not support a woman’s activities in the public sphere” (“A Woman in a Man’s World”).
Notes: This quote comes from an article found online without an author’s or editor’s name. Since it is an online article, there are no page numbers either. Therefore just the article’s title appears in the parentheses. If the article title is very long, just include the most significant words in the parentheses. Also note that the article title is in quotation marks since it is a title.
What to do if you have multiple works by the same author:
If you cite more than one work by a particular author, include a shortened title for the particular work from which you are quoting to distinguish it from the others. Put short titles of books in italics and short titles of articles in quotation marks.
Example:
Lightenor has argued that computers are not useful tools for small children ("Too Soon" 38), though he has acknowledged elsewhere that early exposure to computer games does lead to better small motor skill development in a child's second and third year ("Hand-Eye Development" 17).
How to Integrate a Parenthetical Citation into a Sentence or Paragraph:
The parenthetical citation should appear at the end of the sentence(s) that include the direct quotation, statistic or facts. The period that normally would appear at the very end of the sentence should now appear after the parenthetical citation.
For example:
The law states that employers can monitor their employees with “a hidden video camera” and can even position a video camera so that “a number of employees can be monitored at the same time” (Lane 147).