Although he lived in Brussels in Belgium for most of his life, van der Weyden traveled around Europe to complete many commissions. He produced paintings for Chancellor Rolin of Burgundy in France, for the powerful Medici family in Florence and for the d’Este family in Ferrara, Italy. While in Italy, he is believed to have taught Italian artists to paint with oils, as this was a medium used frequently at the time by Flemish painters, but rarely by Italians. He also seems to have been inspired by the art he saw in Italy, in particular the work of Gentile da Fabriano (c.1370–1427) and Fra Angelico.
In creating unusual compositions and in depicting feelings and sensations, van der Weyden was exceptionally resourceful and proficient. One of his innovations was the rendering of immaculate finish and detail in figures and objects, which he set against gold backgrounds, almost as if his figures are in relief. By pushing figures into the foreground in this way, he emphasized them, giving the impression that the religious event was actually happening and in isolation within a small space. Through his large and busy workshop, which exported copies of his paintings to Italy, France and Spain, his influence extended across Europe.
Key Works
St. Luke Drawing the Virgin c.1435–40, THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON, MA, US
Miraflores Altarpiece c.1440, GEMÄLDEGALERIE, BERLIN, GERMANY
Madonna in Red c.1440, MUSEO DEL PRADO, MADRID, SPAIN
Crucifixion Triptych c.1445, KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM, VIENNA, AUSTRIA
St. Columba Altarpiece c.1455, ALTE PINAKOTHEK, MUNICH, GERMANY
MASACCIO
1401–1428 • RENAISSANCE
The Holy Trinity with the Virgin, St. John and Two Donors
1426–8 FRESCO
667 × 317 CM (263 × 125 IN)
SANTA MARIA NOVELLA, FLORENCE, ITALY
This demonstrates Masaccio’s confident handling of anatomy, light and space, and his new system of linear perspective. When he painted it, barrel-vault ceilings had not been constructed since Roman times. God supports Jesus on the Cross, Mary and St. John stand on each side and the two patrons observe like spectators.
“Masaccio,” a nickname meaning “clumsy Tom” that was given to him when he joined a Florentine craft guild as a child, is often called the first Renaissance master. During his tragically short life, he became renowned for creating dramatic effects with his revolutionary use of perspective and his confident handling of anatomy.
Maso di Ser Giovanni di Mone Cassai, who became known as Masaccio, was the first painter to use perspective systematically and effectively which, despite his brief career, profoundly influenced 14th-century painting. Very little is known about his early training in Florence, but as well as accurate linear perspective, he was the first painter to use the effects of light and tone strongly to make objects appear more solid.
Abandoning the accepted Gothic style and elaborate adornment completely, Masaccio took a naturalistic approach, stimulated by the pioneering work of Giotto, Donatello and Nanni di Banco (c.1384–1421). He also integrated the linear perspective calculations of the architect Filippo Brunelleschi (1377–1446). His new techniques created a realistic illusion of perspective on flat surfaces and he also painted human bodies as he observed them—vulnerable and imperfect. His work stunned viewers because his figures seemed so real and because they were set in typical and convincing Italian locations. In 1422, Masaccio enrolled in the Florentine painters’ guild, the Arte dei Medici e Speziali. From 1424 he worked with his older colleague Masolino (c.1383–1447) on the decoration of the Brancacci Chapel in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence and the following year on an altarpiece in Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
Many works of art of this period were commissioned by those engaged in usury (the charging of interest on loans), which was considered a sin by the Church. Money-lending made men rich and powerful and in return, they financed great art to glorify churches. These donors liked to be portrayed kneeling at Mary’s feet or standing near Jesus, believing that in this way their worldly sins would be forgiven and they would win a place in heaven.
In 1427, with Brunelleschi’s help, Masaccio won a prestigious commission to produce a “Holy Trinity” for the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence. In 1428 he unveiled the work, which featured the Virgin, St. John and two donors. Viewers thought he had knocked a hole in the church’s wall because the painting appeared to have such depth. This fresco marks the first use of methodical and accurate linear perspective in painting, probably devised by Masaccio and Brunelleschi together. Masaccio died that same year at the age of about 27. According to legend, he was poisoned by a jealous rival painter. In spite of his short career, his extensive influence on other artists directed the path of painting for the next 500 years.
Key Works
St. Giovenale Triptych 1422, PARISH CHURCH OF ST PIETRO, CASCIA DI RAGGELLO, FLORENCE, ITALY
Portrait of a Young Man c.1425, THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, WASHINGTON, DC, US
The Tribute Money 1425, BRANCACCI CHAPEL, SANTA MARIA DEL CARMINE, FLORENCE, ITALY
Madonna Enthroned 1426–7, NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON, UK
The Beheading of St. John the Baptist 1426, STAATLICHE MUSEEN ZU BERLIN, GEMÄLDEGALERIE, BERLIN, GERMANY
DELLA FRANCESCA
c.1415–1492 • RENAISSANCE
The Baptism of Christ
1450s TEMPERA ON POPLAR
167 × 116 CM (65¾ × 45½ IN)
NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON, UK
As part of an altarpiece for the priory church of St. John the Baptist in Sansepolcro, this symmetrical composition is created with a balance of verticals and horizontals. From the nave of the church, viewers’ eyes would have been drawn to the central figure of Christ with the dove above his head, symbolizing the Holy Spirit.
Embodying most of the intellectual discoveries and interests of Italian Renaissance artists, Piero della Francesca demonstrated an absolute command of linear perspective in his paintings. His religious works are marked by their simplicity, serenity and clarity and he devoted his last years to writing treatises on mathematics and perspective.
It is not certain when exactly Piero was born, but it has been estimated at somewhere between 1410 and 1420, in the Tuscan town of Sansepolcro. His father was an affluent tanner and shoemaker and Piero was well educated. He probably studied painting with one of several skilled artists of the Sienese School who lived in Sansepolcro. By 1439 he was working with the artist Domenico Veneziano (c.1410–61) on frescoes for the hospital of Santa Maria Nuova in Florence. There, he saw the works of artists and architects such as Donatello, Uccello, Brunelleschi, Masaccio and Fra Angelico, which had a profound influence on his style.