(7.) Discuss the relationship between art and propaganda at the Renaissance courts with detailed reference to (b.) Andrea Mantegna’s work for the Gonzaga at Mantua.
During the 15th century the ruling family of each of Italy’s districts retained an artist to depict their lives and work. These families used the artists that they retained to proselytise their vision of themselves; in other words, to create propaganda. Propaganda is communication (including dissemination of disinformation) with a political, religious, and/or personal agenda. In the case of the ruling families of Italy’s districts this was achieved by having artistic work created that paraded their successes and their virtues. This was often achieved through symbolic reference to figures from classical antiquity and Christianity (paragons of success and virtue). This kind of work demanded education to appreciate. In 1472 Ludovico Gonzaga retained Andrea Mantegna as the court painter of his family, the rulers of Mantua. Like any court painter his duties included creating family portraits, designing costumes for festival, and decorating chapels. 1.
1. E.H Gombrich, The Story of Art. London: Phaidon, 1995 p256-260
Yet like any court painter Mantegna’s main task was aggrandizing the Gonzagas. As stated earlier this was achieved through associating the family with classical and Christian figures, which implied that the former was as virtuous as the latter. Ludovico Gonzaga recognised Mantegna’s refined ability to
Gene Brucker offers insight into the lives and minds of 15th century Italy through a court case about Giovanni and Lusanna’s involving the legality of their marriage. He utilized several primary sources to provide a descriptive narrative of this case. Even though Brucker used primary sources, primarily notarial sources, these show clear evidence of bias, and in turn these biases are reflected in his work. To begin with, Brucker’s primary material falls into the legal category, notarial sources, from Ser Filippo Mazzaei. Although these legal works supply the evidence and court battle that occurred, these don’t provide a clear voice to the defendant, Giovanni, nor the plaintiff, Lusanna.
According to the letter written by Niccolo Machiavelli, “I enter the ancient courts of ancient men, where, received by them with affection. ”(Document 3) This is one of the main ideas that characterized Renaissance art and literature. I
4) is another outstanding example of Raphael’s Roman portraits. At the centre of this harmonious composition Raphael adds a curious psychological note in the melancholy eyes that illuminate the cardinal’s pallid and exhausted countenance. The portrait has been drawn in accordance with Leonardo’s opinion that portraits can be drawn best with a dark background. A reference to dark backgrounds may remind the reader of Raphael’s Florentine period under the influence of Leonardo when he produced “Granduca Madonna” (fig. 5), the masterpiece where he was able to draw exquisite rhythmical modulations out of the motionless simplicity of the design. Giorgio Vasari noted that Raphael excelled in creating effects of drapery folds disappearing into shadows and coming forward into light, and that he knew how to relate the colours of drapery to the flesh tones so that semi-nude figures did not seem cut into two.
What is propaganda? Well, the definition of propaganda has been debated, for there are many different viewpoints on it. However, it is usually defined as any type of material used in hopes of influencing a community’s thoughts and viewpoints towards one subject. Many different types of propaganda were used in World War I successfully since people only received the information that the government wanted them to know. It twisted the truth and allowed for governmental control of people’s thoughts and viewpoints towards the war.
The semesters that he spent in art school were ones of development and scrutiny. A broad spread of courses were taken in the history of Western Art. Here he gained knowledge of the works of Italy’s finest sculptors, Michelangelo and also the works of the Florentine, Leonardo Da Vinci. During the eighteen months at the school he developed his critical thinking. His study in period courses included Romanesque Art 1050 to 1200, the colorful points of the Renaissance, a look at contemporary artists of London, the Impressionists and Picasso.
Art was and still is a big thing in Italy. During the Italian Renaissance (14th to 16th century), art was considered to be an important role in society and paintings from the Italian Renaissance still exists today. Some artworks are Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci and The Peasants Wedding by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. These 2 artworks shows that they are from the Italian Renaissance through art characteristics such as S shapes/curves, Chiaroscuro, and how it is Realistic. With these art characteristics, it shows how they are inspired by humanism, individualism, and secularism (HIS).
The influence of propaganda on the development of art in the 20th century Europe of the 20th century underwent a number of important social, political and economical changes. In an age marked by the rise of nationalism and the two World Wars, by overwhelming scientifical and technological innovation, the arts were facing many challenges caused by the tensions and unrest characteristic for this period of time. With ideologies such as Communism in Russia, Fascism in Italy and Hitler 's Nazism in Germany spreading rapidly through Europe, their propaganda reached the world of art, having a great impact on both the artist and the artwork. This article takes a closer look at the relationship between propaganda and art in the context of a war dominated society, disclosing the diverse façades of ideological influence on the world of arts. Understanding the historical context is a vital condition for a deeper comprehension of the development of arts, when it is so closely tied to the social, political and economical factors.
Propaganda is media sources that are typically wrong, misleading, or biased to a certain point of view, and is used to promote ideas and convince people to believe in
Artwork is a form of self-expression from an artist based on life experience, or on something that the artist feels strongly about (Berenson, 87). The product of art can help others with similar experiences but not able to express the same feeling themselves. From the product of art, people can start drawing excitement, purpose as well as encouragement about the real thing being expressed. Through a piece of art, the artist can communicate a purpose, an emotion or an idea in their work. In this research paper, I compare two pieces of artwork; Madonna and child with the saints by Giovanni Bellini and Madonna and child with the two angels done by Fra Filippo Lippi.
Diego Velázquez was a 17th century Spanish painter whom became known for his realistic and complex portraits. Velázquez was talented by nature, at the age of eleven, he commenced a six year apprenticeship with Francisco Pacheco. Diego Velázquez is best known for his illustrious painting “Las Meninas”, it sits in the Museo de Prado in Madrid, Spain. He also created “An Old Woman Frying Eggs”, and “Rokeby Venus.” Consequently to Velázquez being hired as a court painter by King Philip IV to paint different portraits and paintings for his household, “Las Meninas” became one of his most celebrated paintings.
Their clever and strategic selves knew that by investing in art, as a form of gratitude, their names would be placed on plaques. Even in present day, this family still has many buildings in Italy that are named after them. To add to this, their money created power, while their fortitude and tenacious pursuit led them to the top. For years they ruled, and held complete control of their variables. When threatened by other families they retaliated in order to send messages that they will remain in power.
This dog appears to sleep peacefully because “the viewer” enters is not an intruder, but the master of the household which was Guidobaldo himself. This painting’s purpose was to be a domestic painting that only a select few would see. The dog himself suggests that the household in question was indeed that of the duchy of Urbino because the same spaniel dozes on the table next to Eleonora Gonzaga a Della Rovere, the duke’s mother, in Titian’s portrait of her (Figure
“Durante Degli Aligheries Inferno {Part of the Divine comedy} is widely regarded as the greatest poem in modern european language, its allegorical comparisons, metaphors and satirical critisism of italy in the 15th century all contribute to its level of prestige. However, what influenced Dante Aligherie to create such a masterpiece? By looking at Dante Aligheries participation in Florentine Politics and comparing it to the extensive amount of political references used in Dantes Inferno it is clear that Politics played a vital role in creating Dantes depiction of Hell. Furthermore, by examining the importance of religion in medieval Italy and Dantes connection to the church, one can easily see that Dante heavily uses religious references to the pope of the church. Finally, this essay will investigate how Dantes connection to Florentine art influenced the poems content.
Francesco’s works “had a very considerable impact on the visual arts in Italy” (Morris). Petrarch had gained a title for himself by publishing many famous poems, sonnets, stories, and more. “By this time Petrarch had attracted attention to himself as a first-class Latinist. But what distinguished him from his contemporaries was his attitude to the classics and his reasons for immersing himself in them” (Morris).
Propaganda can be defined as 'a form of communication that attempts to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist'. (Jowett, 2012). Propaganda has been a prominent feature of the art world since the beginning of politics, particularly within our modern-day generation. Through our prominent use of social media and the internet, propaganda is able to reach a far greater audience than ever before, graphic design leading the means by which this is achieved. This essay will discuss various notions of propaganda, comparing artwork within the topic to offer analysis of its three main forms: black, white, and grey.