Art Movements, Outline Example

I. Renaissance Period (1400 – 1600)

A) The Renaissance era depicted the rebirth of humanism, as well as the improvement of cultural achievements in several forms or art. The word “Renaissance” itself is defined as a “reconstruction” and/or a “rebirth.” During the Renaissance period, individuals produced artistic works that conveyed more artistic freedom from previous eras. Artwork during the Renaissance period evolved the development of new techniques and new artistic sensibilities. The Renaissance era marks the transitional from the medieval period to the early modern age

1. The Ambassadors (1533)

• Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger
• Location: National Gallery, London
• Dimensions: 207 cm x 209.5 cm (81 in x 82.5 in)
• Medium: Oils on oak

2. The Last Supper (1494—1498)

• Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
• Location: Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan
• Dimensions: 460 cm x 880 cm (181 in x 346 in)
• Medium: Tempera on gesso, pitch and mastic

II. Baroque Period (1600 – 1750)

A) The Baroque era was a period of artistic styles that heavily exaggerated motion by interpreting details of drama, music, dance, literature, architecture, etc. The foundation of the Baroque period began in Rome, Italy and spread throughout majority of Europe.

1. The Adoration of the Magi (1624)

• Artist:Peter Paul Rubens
• Location: Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp
• Dimensions: 447 cm x 336 cm (176 in x 132.3 in)
• Medium: Oil on panel

2. The Church of Sant’Andrea (1658—1670)

• Artist: Gian Lorenzo Bernini
• Location: Rome, Italy
• Medium: Baroque Architecture

III. Romanticism (1800 – 1850)

A) Romanticism originated in Europe, which was an artistic movement that rebelled against aristocratic political and social standards of the Enlightenment. The art rebellion depicted the quality or state of being impractical or delusive to individuals.

1. Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog (1818)

• Artist: Casper David Friedrich
• Location: Kunsthalle Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
• Dimensions: 98.4 cm x 74.8 cm (37.3 in x 29.4 in)
• Medium: Oil on canvas

2. The Morning (1808)

• Artist: Philipp Otto Runge
• Location: Kunsthalle Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
• Dimensions: 106 cm x 81 cm (41.7 in x 31.9 in)
• Medium: Oil on canvas

IV. Impressionism (1870 – mid 1880)

A) During the Impressionism era, artists created an innovative type of painting characteristics, which separated this period from other periods. The artists used relatively small, yet visual brush strokes, which accented on very accurate characterization of the changing of light. Each individual small stroke emerged into a full painting with extreme amount of realistic detail.

1. Paris Street on a Rainy Day (1877)

• Artist: Gustave Caillebotte
• Dimensions: 212.2 cm x 276 cm
• Medium: Oils

2. The Plum (1877)

• Artist: Edouard Manet
• Location: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
• Dimensions: 73.6 cm x 50.2 cm (29.0 in x 19.8 in)
• Medium: Oils on Canvas

V. Modernism (1860 – 1970)

A) Modernism was the era in which artists wanted to display modern character and/or quality of thought, expression or technique through his/her artworks. The modernism art era created a style of art that aimed to break through classical and traditional forms of art throughout the past, by modifying traditional beliefs and modernizing them within art, especially the Roman Catholic Church.

1. The Bathers (1898 – 1905)

• Artist: Paul Cezanne
• Location: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia
• Dimensions: 210.5 cm x 250.8 cm (82 7/8 in. x 98 3/4 in.)
• Medium: Oils on canvas

2. Spirit of the Dead Keep Watch (1892)

• Artist: Paul Gauguin
• Location: Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
• Dimensions: 72.4 cm x 92.4 cm (28.5 in. x 36.4 in.)
• Medium: Oils on canvas

References

D’Alleva, A. (2012). Methods & Theories of Art History (2nd ed.). Laurence King Publishers.

Honour, H. (2009). A World History of Art (7th ed.). Laurence King.