Week 2
Mannerism and Sixteenth-Century Art in Northern Europe and Italy
During Week 2 we will examine works from the 16th century such as distortions of the mannerist style, elongated forms of the painter El Greco, and the fantasy world of Hieronymus Bosch.
The Protestant Reformation was a protest against the Roman Catholic Church, which had become very corrupt. The Counter-Reformation responded by strictly enforcing the Catholic religion through the Inquisition. Against this backdrop, art was still being produced. The prevailing style at this time was Mannerism, which can best be described as an exaggeration. The colors, poses, proportion, and emotion were all exaggerated.
Northern Europe was also influenced by humanism. This manifested in the expression of proverbs and depiction of genre (everyday) scenes. An important artist was Hieronymous Bosch. His works often emphasized sins (usually sensual/sexual in nature) and the impending punishment quite graphically. His bizarre and fanciful works are quite imaginative and unique. Pieter Brueghel was known for his "peasant" scenes and the inclusion of Christian moralizing. Each of his works came with a lesson.
Also at this time, altarpieces and portraits were popular commissions, and printmaking developed into a low cost way to distribute art to all social classes and to disseminate artistic styles.
Weekly Objectives
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Examine works of art.
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Investigate the meanings of the artworks encompassed by this period.
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Distinguish one style from another and trace the stylistic development.
Activities
Readings
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Adams: Art Across Time
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Chapter 15: Mannerism and the Later 16th Century in Italy.
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Chapter 16: Sixteenth Century Painting & Printmaking in Northern Europe.
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Class Activities
Continue work on Midterm paper.
Before posting on the discussion, visit the following websites:
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Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights published by Khan Academy.
Activities
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Discussion 2
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Quiz 2
Video Lecture: What Makes a Masterpiece?
Select the play icon, or use the Enter key to watch the video.
A transcript of What Makes a Masterpiece video is available.
Review Sheet: Mannerism and the Later 16th Century in Italy
Chapter 15
Be familiar with these artists, works, or concepts:
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Reformation
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Mannerism
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Vasari on Women Artists
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Veronese’s Last Supper
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Tintoretto’s Last Supper
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Palladio
Please note: This is not a comprehensive list of what will be covered on the quiz; it merely highlights the most significant works and concepts in the chapter.
Review Sheet: Sixteenth Century Painting & Printmaking in Northern Europe
Chapter 16
Be familiar with these artists, works, or concepts:
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Martin Luther
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Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights
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Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s Netherlandish Proverbs
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Albrecht Durer and his Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
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Media: Printmaking
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Isenheim Altarpiece
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Erasmus of Rotterdam
Please note: This is not a comprehensive list of what will be covered on the quiz; it merely highlights the most significant works and concepts in the chapter.
Timeline for Mannerism and Sixteenth-Century Art in Northern Europe and Italy
Let's take a quick recap of the art of this period.
Select each time period to learn more about the events.
1520 - 1535
1535 - 1550
1550 - 1565
1565 - 1580
1580 - 1596
You can also download a Word version of Timeline for Mannerism and Sixteenth-Century Art in Northern Europe and Italy.
Optional Learning Resources
Select the bottom right corner of the album, and drag towards the left, like you would turn pages of a book.
Optional Learning Resources Week Two
View the Spotlight Video on Holbein's The Ambassadors.
Select the link and complete the jigsaw puzzle of Rogier Van der Weyden’s Virgin and Child.
View the video of Durer Works accompanied by Renaissance Chants.
Artists’ Corner
- This week we’re going to try something a bit more advanced - an entire farm scene! Here’s the step by step instructions of how to draw a farm scene in perspective.
- And then go to Sketchpad and try it out yourself.
You can also download a Word version of Optional Learning Resources Week Two .