Special Sub-Topic: The Early Renaissance Click Here To Play: The Early Renaissance

Renaissance is a French term derived from the Italian word Rinascimento which meant ______?

rebirth.

Who was the great Humanist preceding the Renaissance who wrote about his secret conversation with St. Augustine, heralding future thinkers to 'Reflect upon yourself'?

Petrarch. His sojourn up Mt. Ventoux originated this matter...

In 1348 this particular fellow wrote the first novel of modernity, composed of 100 stories, mainly of very ribald and salacious matters. Who was he?

Giovanni Boccaccio. His 'Decameron' has been a delight to Renaissance lovers ever since...

Who was the painter of the 'The Kiss of Judas' circa 1306 to whom the anecdote of drawing the 'perfect circle' is often associated?

Giotto. He was considered the Father of Modern Painting and laid down the stones for the Florentine cathedral campanile.

Who painted the magnificent fresco entitled 'The Results of Good Government' around 1337?

Lorenzetti. One of the key painters of the Sienese renaissance, rivaling the neighboring Florentines...

Who was the great painter often considered Giotto's rival, the court painter to King Robert, and the creator of the semi-great painting called 'The Siege of Montemassi'?

Simone Martini. Another Sienese master pupil to Duccio...his frescoes may be found in the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena.

International style (Gothic) was the prevailing style circa 1400, characterized by delicate figures, graceful architectural features, and decorative backgrounds. Who was the early guy who painted the altarpiece 'Annunciation and Visitation' circa 1409, that represented the essence of this movement?

Melchior Broederlam. Broederlam literally translates into English as 'brother lamb'.

The height of the International Style was reached with the work entitled 'Les Tres Riches Heures du duc de Berry' or the 'Book of Hours'. Who were the brothers that created this work?

Limbourg & Limburg.

Who was the artist of the Late Gothic period who created the lovely bronze doors for the baptistery in Florence?

Ghiberti. Pisano would also be an acceptable answer...

Who was the member of the first-generation of Florentine artists who perfected the single-point perspective?

Brunelleschi.

Who was the author of 'Della Pittura' the first modern manual of painting?

Alberti.

Who helped Donatello sculpt 'David' and place it in the Palazzo Vecchio?

Nanni di Banco. It seems that Donatello has gotten all the credit, however...

Who was the coeval artist with Masaccio whose obsession with Aves gave him the nickname 'Uccello' or bird?

Paolo di Dono. Uccello was apprenticed to Ghiberti, mentioned above...

The Renaissance began with four people to whom the title 'Inventors of the New Style' are accredited. Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Donatello, and ________ made up this famous quartet. Whose name belongs in the blank?

Masaccio. He was the first to apply Brunelleschi's new perspective laws to canvas.

Antonio P. (1395-1455) created medallions of vain princes and princesses which circulated widely throughout Italy; they were the precursors to the portraiture style which was mimetically followed by the next generation of artists. Who was this artist?

Pisano & Pisanello. Antonio Pisano or Pisanello, not to be confused with Andrea Pisano...mentioned above vis-a-vis the baptistry doors.

Mr 'True-eye' or Andrea di Cioni received from Donatello circa 1436, the 2nd largest studio in Florence, with famous graduates like Leonardo da Vinci, Ghirlandaio, Perugino, and di Cridi coming out of it...what was Mr. True-eye's more familiar name?

Verrochio & Andrea del Verrocchio & Andrea Verrocchio & Verrocchio & Andrea Verrochio. His sculpture, the Equestrian Statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni, still stands in the Campo San Giovane.

Who was the famous monk-painter from the monastery in San Marco, ca. 1440, who painted 41 frescoes on the walls of its monastery?

Fra Angelico. My favorite is the 'Mocking of Christ', it shows or hints at the surreal application of his thought. The limbs and anatomical parts of the assailants are floating and attacking Christ...quite interesting to think he would create something so distorted- esp. coming from a monk with a reputation of never having lost his temper.

Who was the famed artist from Umbria that painted 'Double Portrait of Battista Sforza and Frederico da Montefeltro' and the controversial painting 'The Flagellation of Christ'?

Piero della Francesca.

Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi worked for Giuliano Medici(assassinated by the Pazzi family) and was responsible for painting the most iconic paintings: 'Birth of Venus' and 'Primavera'. By what name was he better known?

Sandro Botticelli.

Who was the Flemish Renaissance painter whi, ca. 1466-1473, created the great masterpiece called 'Last Judgment' under the patronage of Angelo Tani?

Hans Memling. The painting was stolen by pirates -who supposedly carried it off to the City of Danzig.

Who was the great artist of the High Renaissance who gave the advice to draw figures naturally without muscular exaggeration so they will not resemble a 'sack of nuts'?

Leonardo da Vinci.

Luca Signorelli was the unique example of combining literature and the Bible to depict grotesque scenes of the world coming to an end. What literary figure was Luca primarily influenced by?

Dante & Dante Alighieri & Alighieri.

Michelangelo Buonarroti was an example of an 'homo universal', but he had a really bad temper that even frightened his childhood friend Pope Leo X. It seems there was some reconciliation since another Pope offered him the commission to paint the Sistine Chapel as he wished. Who was the brave Pope to commission the painting?

Julius II.

The Netherlands were influenced by the Italian Renaissance as well, especially the sfumato techniques of Leonardo da Vinci. My favorite is the painting called 'The Crossing into the Underworld', ca. 1515. Who was the painter?

Joachim Patinier. A patinier was the maker of wooden clogs or skates...

Lastly, my favorite of all the paintings from the Renaissance is entitled 'The Garden of Earthly Delights'. Who painted this masterpiece?

Hieronymus Bosch. It seems that Bosch tried to represent his times...with the economic excesses of the wealthy merchant Fugger to the shallow minds of the Church which led to the witch hunts during this time. Pope Innocent VIII issued the Papal Bull and hexanhammer to wipe out witches.