Comparisons

1. Describe three differences between Renaissance painting of Northern Europe and that of Italy.
The Northern Renaissance was more about observing and using every day objects in paintings. Paintings expressed great emotion and creativity. Extreme realism and great detail took place in artists’ paintings, whereas the Italian Renaissance focused more on the figure and form of an object, like the human body. Most of the art that took place in Italy was surrounded by a lot of Math and Science. In Northern Europe math and science was still used but artists went about their artwork more freely. It’s like the transition from scientific artists to mannerists. The rules of painting in the north were broken a bit more.

3. Discuss how the paintings of Bruegel and Bosch are alike.
Bruegel’s work was influenced by Italy. Overtime his work changed to containing larger figures. He painted people taking part in daily activities. His work did not revolve around religion unlike Bosch. He painted simple human activities and normal landscapes that you would come across in every day life. Bosch’s paintings contain a bit more imagination than Bruegel’s. It contains lots of symbolism and tends to revolve around religion more. While expressing daily activities in his paintings many of the things he portrays focus more or morals and religion like in his Garden of Delights, which depicts heaven and hell.

3. Compare El Escorial with an Italian Renaissance building you have studied.
El Escorial was not a typical Italian building. The Spanish went against the classical ideas of the Renaissance and formed their own style of architecture shown in this building. Along with being different there was great symbolism behind El Escorial. It was a combination of a place and a church and expressed the unity of the Catholic religion. It also symbolized the great dynasty Philip II ruled. Compared to the Duomo the style of El Escorial was more simple and more about balance and size. It lacked the grace of Italian architecture, which the Duomo portrays. Although graceful and very beautiful the Duomo didn’t contain as much symbolism as El Escorial did. The greatness behind the Duomo was not its symbolism but the math and science that went behind creating the support and structure itself. Both are very appealing to the eye but one has great symbolism behind it while the other has great math and science.