Aesthetics of the Renaissance

The expertise and technical skills of the Renaissance artists accounts for its ongoing status. I do like some of the Renaissance art; however I do not care for all of it. I do not like that Jesus, Mary, and the disciples are depicted with European features instead of Mediterranean. The Catholic church had a big influence on what was painted by the artists. I also do not care for the mythological paintings. Michelangelo’s frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were able to convey a message about the Bible. My favorite is the fresco Creation of Adam. After watching The Agony and the Ecstasy, I really gained a great deal of respect for Michelangelo standing up to the Pope regarding his paintings. He took great pride in his work. In his sculptures, he paid great attention to detail showing such features as veins, muscle tone, beauty, and for the most part anatomically correct. Some artists used mathematical calculations to achieve symmetry or asymmetry. There are many things that influence aesthetics in art such as color and composition which can trigger different emotions. The aesthetics of art at that time was influenced by politics, beliefs, doctrine, science, morals, religion, and wealthy patrons. The aesthetics of the paintings were complimented by the use of lighting, shading, variety, conflict between good and evil, tranquility, shading, 3-D, and movement. The artistic methods used during this period to capture the beauty of nature have continued to be imitated by other artists.