Renaissance


Raphael - "Small Cowper Madonna"
        Raphael, whose full name was Raffaelo Sanzi, was born around 1483 in Urbino. His father Giovanni Sanzi was a painter at the Montefeltro court. Raphael was not only a painter, but he also was an architect and print designer. One of his famous paintings is the School of Athens, part of the decoration he did for Pope Julius II library. Raphael designed tapestry cartoons for the Sistine Chapel to hang on the lowest stage of the walls and he supplied designs for Marcantonio Raymond to engrave.

        In 1504, Raphael left his apprenticeship with Perugino and moved to Florence, where he was heavily influenced by the works of the Italian painters Fra Bartolommeo, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Masaccio. To Raphael, these innovations artists had achieved a whole new level of depth in their composition. By closely studying the details of their work, Raphael managed to developed and even more intricate and expressive personal style than was evident in his earlier paintings. 

         From 1504 through 1507, Raphael produced a series of "Madonnas," which extrapolated on Learnardo da Vinci's works. Raphael's experimentation with this theme culminated in 1507 with his painting, La belle jardiniere. That same year, Raphael created his most ambitious work in Florence, the Entombment, which was evocative of the ideas that Michelangelo had recently expressed in his Battle of Casino. 


         The Renaissance was considered the bride in between them idle ages and modern history. It began as a cultural movement in Italy during the end of the medieval period and later made its way through the rest of Europe, then marking the beginning of the early modern age. This cultural movement affected European intellectual life and its influence spread through literature, politics, the arts, philosophy and religion. This era was viewed as a chance for intellectuals to study and improve the greater world around them through new ideas in all different social aspects. From politics to art the Renaissance was truly an era of development and allowing people to express their creativity giving the world culture and the ability to make history. 

       The "Small Cowper Madonna" is a painting by the Italian High Renaissance artist Raphael, depicting Mary and child in a typical Italian countryside. It has been dated to around 1505, the middle of the High Renaissance. The Renaissance was a time in Europe during the 14th to 17th century. For this assignment we look back in time to one of the greatest artists: Raffaelo Sanzi or better known as Raphael. This painting is from his Madonna Collection. The Madonnas' were originally created as wedding gifts. This painting shows a Madonna in a bright red dress, fair skin and blonde hair. A large dark blue blanket is draped over her lap with translucent ribbon elegantly wrapped around her shoulders. In the distant background you can see what is assumed to be a catholic church. I picked Raphael's "Small Cowper Madonna" because I like the way her painted the lady and the child. They look very realistic as if it was a photo and not a painting. I also like the colours that Raphael used for the landscape, the lady, and the child.


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