The Renaissance

The Renaissance, (which means re-birth in greek), was a diverse period in Human history between the 15th and 16th century, that began in Italy. It was a period in which many things occurred, for example in the fields of science, literature, and the visual arts. It was also the rise of such things as celebrity culture, Humanism, individualism and classical/moorish influences.

In this era, there was a great deal of highly detailed religious artwork that was developing, and being produced for the church, under command of the priests and the ruling popes at the time. For example, such works as the  Sistine chapel ceiling murals, painted by Michelangelo, (see figure 11)

Figure 1

The church was one of the most powerful governing  bodies, alongside governments, and monarchs. And dictated what could, and couldn't be suitably used in artwork. For example, this included nudity, sexuality, and possession, and power of none deities. Governments generally sponsored, and commissioned artists, to produce propaganda stylised artwork, for example the monarchy. This finely crafted painting of Henry VIII, which was painted by Hans Holbein the Younger (the research goes more in depth with this artist later on), shows King Henry standing tall, and almost in a pose to give off the message, of how strong, and healthy he was, (see figure 22).

Figure 2

 In reality, the portrait was created in the midst of a jousting accident, in which the king was injured. This is a great example of propaganda artwork, in the renaissance period.

After the naked form started to widely become displayed in some religious paintings, a christian preacher named Girolamo Benivieni, (who was labeled as an early socialist), was strongly against the use of nudity, sexuality, and the showcase of material possessions and wealth, used in order to show off toward others. He sparked a dramatic reformation in the church’s policy, and regulations for artistic content. This lead to a vast amount of artwork that was being deemed derogatory and insulting toward the church, to be destroyed, in what is known as the ‘Bonfire of the Vanities’ in which pieces that contained said subjects and imagery that went against the views of the church’s new policy, were taken by force from dwellings, and artists, and destroyed.

For the artist research section of this topic, this research will be focusing in particular, on Hans Holbein. Hans Holbein (1497/98-15433), was a German artist in the Renaissance era, who was born in Augsburg, Germany, and the second son of the painter, Hans Holbein the Elder. He trained in his fathers workshop, for which commissions were received4. 

In the year of 1515, he and his brother (Ambrosius), Went to the town of Basel, which is in Switzerland, and they entered the studio of the painter, Hans Herbst5. One of his early commissioned pieces, was in 1516, from the then thirty year old mayor of Basel, who was called Jakob Meyer sum Hasen, who immediately after taking office, commissioned Hans Holbein to produce a portrait of him, and as a side portrait, an image of his newer second wife, named Dorothea Kannen-giesser von Thann.6

Between the years of 1517 and 1519, Hans Holbein was active for two years in Lucrine, Switzerland for the city’s mayor, named Benedikt von Hertenstien. He did this while his father, decorated the inside of the mayors manor with various paintings, and pieces7. In 1517 he was punished for being the center of a knife fight, in Lucrene8. In the year of 1520, he became one of the most popular working artists in Basel, and in 1524, Holbein journeyed to France. After his return to the town of Basel, he produced such works as the dance of death (see figure 3 below), and his first variant of the Darmstadt Madonna (see figure 39).

Figure 3

In 1526, he arrived in England, and painted only portraits at this period, in his life. Hans Holbein the younger died between the 7th of October, and 29th November, due to suspected plague infection. One of the last things he possibly did, was writing his last will and testament, which he did so on the 7th of October.10

Below, the research will feature an additional example of work from the artist Hans Holbein the Younger, the chosen piece will then be analysed.

Figure 4

This piece above, (figure 411), is entitled "The Stone Thrower", and was created by Hans Holbein the Younger, between the years of 1532-34. It consists of inks and wash on red prepared paper, and the imagery is a nude woman, in a pose that suggests she is about to throw a stone. This is backed up by the title as well. The piece highlights Holbein's interest in such areas as movement. In analysis, Holbein's use of perspective and proportion are very advanced, and he has a clear talent in drawing the human form.

1.  (Figure 1): (internet) "The Sistine Chapel Painting", Artist: Michelangelo, c1512, URL: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3WdalO-ef6UYSoVvAAFVyOVHAiqyjCxH5F_vrXzEvkH0zqg20bgrCxuzrXGoMYX5_3Js1qCXpQHvj1DEmTmv4rWnIht3BYErMi5MotSDagdXut4GP2jKWj1JE2tY2C4F0cNTLt6olyc/s1600/Sistine-Chapel2.jpg, Viewed: 4:43pm 26.2.14

2.  (Figure 2): “King Henry VIII Portrait”, Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger, c1540-5?, Foister, S. (2006) Holbein in England. Pg: 119, London: Tate Gallery Publications.

3.  Wolf, N. (2004) 'Hans Holbein the Younger 1497/98 --1543: The German Raphael'. Pg: 3 Köln: Benedikt Taschen.

4.  Wolf, N. (2004) 'Hans Holbein the Younger 1497/98 --1543: The German Raphael'. Pg: 92 Köln: Benedikt Taschen.

5.  Wolf, N. (2004) 'Hans Holbein the Younger 1497/98 --1543: The German Raphael'. Pg: 92 Köln: Benedikt Taschen.

6.  Wolf, N. (2004) 'Hans Holbein the Younger 1497/98 --1543: The German Raphael'. Pg: 6 Köln: Benedikt Taschen.

7.  Wolf, N. (2004) 'Hans Holbein the Younger 1497/98 --1543: The German Raphael'. Pg: 92 Köln: Benedikt Taschen.

8.  Wolf, N. (2004) 'Hans Holbein the Younger 1497/98 --1543: The German Raphael'. Pg: 93 Köln: Benedikt Taschen.

9.   Figure 3: “Darmstadt Madonna”, Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger, c1635/37, Wolf, N. (2004) 'Hans Holbein the Younger 1497/98 --1543: The German Raphael'. Pg: 94 Köln: Benedikt Taschen.

10.  Wolf, N. (2004) 'Hans Holbein the Younger 1497/98 --1543: The German Raphael'. Pg: 95 Köln: Benedikt Taschen.
11. Figure 4: "The Stone Thrower", Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger, c1532-4. Foister, S. (2006) Holbein in England. Pg: 72-73, London: Tate Gallery Publications.


Alphabetical Ordered Bibliography:
(Figure 1): "The Sistine Chapel Painting", Artist: Michelangelo, c1512, URL: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/CKUWwcw0Xb8/UJUu8dMn2bI/AAAAAAAADwo/MMzafKhaqWw/s1600/Sistine-Chapel2.jpg, Viewed: 4:43pm 26.2.14

(Figure 2): “King Henry VIII Portrait”, Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger, c1540-5?, Foister, S. (2006) Holbein in England. Pg: 119, London: Tate Gallery Publications.

Figure 3: “Darmstadt Madonna”, Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger, c1635/37, Wolf, N. (2004) 'Hans Holbein the Younger 1497/98 --1543: The German Raphael'. Pg: 94 Köln: Benedikt Taschen.

Figure 4: "The Stone Thrower", Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger, c1532-4. Foister, S. (2006) Holbein in England. Pg: 72-73, London: Tate Gallery Publications.

Wolf, N. (2004) 'Hans Holbein the Younger 1497/98 --1543: The German Raphael'. Köln: Benedikt Taschen.