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Renaissance Painting of Baptism of ChristLeonardo da Vinci and Verrocchio's Masterpiece
Around 1472, two Renaissance artists, Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci, collaborated on a famous and beautiful painting.
The resulting painting, Baptism of Christ, was a striking and influential work of art that both demonstrated the early Renaissance status quo and inspired a new style and technique: High Renaissance Florentine painting. Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci: Dream TeamVerrocchio, 15 years Leonardo’s senior, enjoyed the prime of his painting and sculpting career as he began Baptism of Christ in his Florence, Italy workshop. His talented pupil, Leonardo da Vinci, was just approaching the beginning of his own brilliant career when he joined Verrocchio as an apprentice. Baptism of Christ: History and SummaryBaptism of Christ is an altarpiece commissioned by the monks of San Salvi near Florence. The scene includes four figures: Jesus and St. John along with two angels in the corner. The extended arms of God, the golden rays, the dove with outstretched wings, and the cruciform nimbus show that Jesus is the Son of God and part of the Trinity. Two angels on the riverbank are holding Jesus' garment. Leonardo was just 23 at the time of completion and is credited with the angel holding the garment. Leonardo Paints the Angels in High Renaissance StlyeSome art historians credit both angels to Leonardo, while others theorize that Sandro Botticelli may have completed the second angel. Leonardo’s (and possibly Boticelli’s) work in this painting is characteristic of a category known as the High Renaissance style, a style that was newly developing in Florence at this time. The hazy, three-dimensional angels stand out clearly against Verrocchio’s portions of the painting, which are done in the more stiffer and flatter Early Renaissance style. Verrocchio’s Venetian Influences: Oil Paints and LandscapesVerrocchio took a trip to Venice, stayed no more than 7 months and completed no work of his own, but brought back several new painting styles. Specifically, the landscape of Baptism indicates a Venetian influence. While oil painting was already gaining ground in Florence before Verrocchio’s Venice trip, he may be responsible for bringing home new techniques. Specifically, Giovanni Bellini instigated the use of slow-drying additives to oil paints in order to achieve that hazy look of diffuse light, which later became characteristic of the High Renaissance. It is thought that Verrocchio brought this idea back to his workshop. Leonardo, easily the brightest pupil in Verrocchio’s class, must have quickly grasped this idea for use in his landmark angels in the Baptism. Leonardo’s angels clearly overcome the visual appearance of flatness that so many early renaissance paintings cannot seem to shake. Leonardo Out Paints VerrocchioIn fact, Leonardo grasped new ideas and technique so well in his technique for his parts of the Baptism that in a widely spread story, first written by art historian Vasari, it is said that upon its completion Verrocchio felt so outdone by Leonardo that he vowed never to pick up the paint brush again. The suggested dates for Verrocchio’s tutelage are about 1469 to 1478, well within the assumed completion date for this painting. Leonardo da Vinci went on to have in illustrious career in multplie disciplines. He is largely responsible for the renaissance shift to emphasis on nature and a new worldview. Da Vinci and Verroccio's religious subject is nothing new to the renaissance, which often had Christ and crucifixion themed artwork. Sources
The copyright of the article Renaissance Painting of Baptism of Christ in Renaissance Art is owned by Stephanie Cox. Permission to republish Renaissance Painting of Baptism of Christ in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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