Vocabulary
Humanism- a philosophy that was developed
during the Renaissance. It emphasized
personal independence, individual expression
and secularism
Realism- the depiction of subjects as they
appear in everyday life, without embellishment
Embellish- to decorate or make more beautiful
Secular- not religious
Self Portraits
Objectives:
•Deepen our knowledge of Renaissance art
by understanding the relationship between
humanism and realism
•Know essential facts about Albrecht Durer
(who, when, where, what, why)
A Comparison
Middle Ages
Renaissance
c400-c1400
• Art is religious
•
• Flat- very little shading
• Very little depth in paintings
•
•
• People are concerned with
the next world and not with
earthly life
• The individual is NOT
important
•
•
c1400-c1600
Art can be religious or
secular
Artists used chiaroscuro
Linear perspective creates
depth
People are becoming
curious about science and
the natural world
The individual is important
(humanism)
Because people began to believe in
their own worth, artists began to
value themselves and their work
For the first time in history, they
began to paint self-portraits….
Albrecht Durer
•Considered to be the most important
Northern Renaissance artist (German)
•1471-1528
•was interested in the natural world and
became skilled at realism
•The first artist to paint self portraits
Durer made many studies of animals
and nature