Gothic Art and The Influence of Gothic Art on Renaissance Art

Gothic Art became prevalent in the twelfth century in France. This type of art portrayed religious figures and stories from the bible in various different settings. Gothic art is characterized by dark and solemn scenes with subjects that project sadness and sometimes fear. In the sixteenth century the Gothic art movement was consumed by the Renaissance movement.

The Renaissance movement began in Florence in the fourteenth century. The word Renaissance literally means rebirth and a rebirth is what this time period experienced. The movement got its name from the wide spread reforms in that happened throughout this time period. While the education and political growth in this time was very important, this era is best know for its artistic contributions. Some of the contributions include artwork from such artists as Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. The two artists are the reason the term Renaissance Man was coined.

Renaissance art was more realistic than painting of the Gothic or Medieval time periods. The concept of perspective was placed into paintings allowing for the painting to look like a scene out of real life. The correct use of light and shadow were changes that also came about during this time. These aspects helped to give Renaissance art a more realistic look and feel and boost the popularity of Renaissance art. Paintings from the Renaissance Era depicted people with a more realistic approach than that of any other era in history.

Much of the art that came out of this time period got its inspiration from Gothic art. Renaissance art continued the theme of depicting religious figures and biblical stories in the art. The use of dark and solemn themes to depict these figures was another carry over from the Gothic art period. For example "The Creation" by Michelangelo was one such painting that still captures the attention of art enthusiasts due to its complexity and beauty. This piece was a part of the work that Michelangelo did when he painted the Sistine Chapel. The piece depicts God with his angels behind him gently reaching out to a new born Adam. This piece is said to represent the creation of man on the Earth.

Renaissance art was not only created masterfully, it was also beautiful and meaningful. The art during this time period was created to provoke emotion from the public. This aspect of
painting portraits to create an emotional response continued throughout history as art has become more and more provocative.