Everyone knows that it was Italy that was the heart of the entire Renaissance. Great masters of the word, brush and philosophical thought appeared in each of the periods of the Renaissance. The culture of the Early Renaissance in Italy demonstrates the origin of traditions that will develop in subsequent centuries, this period was the starting point, the beginning of the great era of development of creativity in Europe.
Briefly about the main thing
The art of the Early Renaissance in Italy spans from about 1420 to 1500, preceding the High Renaissance and completing the Proto-Renaissance. As for any transitional period, these eighty years are characterized by a mixture of styles and ideas that preceded and new ones, which, nevertheless, are borrowed from the distant past, from the classics. Gradually, the creators got rid of medieval concepts, shifting their attention to ancient art.
However, despite the fact that for the most part they sought to return to the ideals of forgotten art, both in general and in particular, still ancient traditions were intertwined with new, but to a much lesser extent.
Italian architecture during the Early Renaissance
The main name in the architecture of this period is, of course, Filippo Brunelleschi. He became the personification of Renaissance architecture, organically embodying his ideas, he managed to turn projects into something fascinating, and by the way, his masterpieces have been carefully guarded for many generations. One of his main creative achievements is considered to be constructions located in the very center of Florence, the most notable of which are the dome of the Florence Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and the Pitti Palace, which became the starting point of Italian architecture of the Early Renaissance.
Other important achievements of the Italian Renaissance include the Doge's Palace, which is located near the main square of Venice, palaces in Rome by Bernardo di Lorenzo and others. During this period, Italian architecture seeks to organically combine the features of the Middle Ages and classics, striving for the logic of proportions. An excellent example of this statement is the basilica of San Lorenzo, again the hands of Filippo Brunelleschi. In other European countries, the Early Renaissance did not leave as striking examples.
Early Renaissance Artists
The artistic culture of this period is distinguished by the desire of the creators, turning to classical scenes, to recreate them with a share of naturalism, betraying them with a more realistic character. One of the first and most ingenious representatives of this period is rightfully considered to be Masaccio, he skillfully used the full perspective, introducing proximity to naturalness in his works, sought to convey the emotions and thoughts of the heroes. Later, Michelangelo will consider Masaccio as his teacher.
Other important representatives of this period were Sandro Botticelli, along with Leonardo da Vinci and the very young Michelangelo. The most famous works of Botticelli, “The Birth of Venus” and “Spring”, reflect a smooth but rapid transition from secularism to naturalness and simplicity. Some works of other Renaissance artists, such as Raphael and Donatello, can also be attributed to this period, although they continued to create already in the High Renaissance.
Sculpture
The culture of the Early Renaissance in Italy is directly related to sculpture; during this period it is brought out on a par with architecture and painting and begins to play an equally important role. The pioneer of the architecture of this era was Lorenzo Ghiberti, who, despite his knowledge of the history of art and the talent for painting, devoted himself to reliefs.
He strove for harmony of all elements of his works and managed to succeed on his path. The main achievement of Ghiberti was the reliefs on the door of the Florentine baptistery. Ten compositions no less accurate and complete than the picturesque paintings, collectively began to be called "The Gates of Paradise."
Ghiberti's student, Donatello, is recognized as a reformer of Renaissance sculpture. He managed to combine Florentine democracy and new traditions of a return to antiquity in his work, becoming an example of imitation for many Renaissance creators, and not only sculptors.
The culture of the Early Renaissance in Italy is unthinkable without Jacopo della Quercia, the predecessor of the two previous sculptors. Despite the fact that he belonged to the Quattrocento era, his work was very different from the classical Ghiberti and Donatello, but his influence on the early Renaissance could not be underestimated. Particularly noteworthy is his work on the portal of the church of San Petronio called “The Creation of Adam, ” which influenced the work of Michelangelo.
