Ch. 15 Sections 1.1-1.4
1.1 pgs. 414-415
1. How did Florence stand out from the other major city-states?
2. How was engineering important to the solution of the dome’s design?
3. How was engineering important to the solution of the dome’s design?
4. Why do you think banking was essential to trade at this time?
1.2 pgs. 416-417
1. Why did many painters include carpets in their pictures?
2. How might Giotto’s painted figures have affected viewers who had only seen
religious stories in earlier art?
3. What was one effect of the use of vernacular languages in printed books on those
who read them?
1.3 pgs. 418-421
1. How did observations of the natural world bring change to the arts of Italy?
2. Why do you think artists like Leonardo and Michelangelo had to be competitive?
3. What elements of van Eyck’s paintings astonished viewers?
4. What evidence indicates that artists in Renaissance Italy and the Ottoman Empire
influenced one another?
1.4 pgs. 422-423
1. What evidence did Seracini find that made him think there might be another
painting behind the Vasari mural in the Hall of 500?
2. What effect does the need to preserve artwork have on the need to study it?
Explain how both relate to Seracini’s work.
1.1:
1. Florence stood out from other major city-states due to its wealth and banking industry. It became a center for trade and finance, attracting merchants from all over Europe.
2. Engineering was important in the solution of the dome's design because it required innovative techniques and problem-solving skills to construct such a large and complex structure.
3. Engineering was important in the solution of the dome's design because it required innovative techniques and problem-solving skills to construct such a large and complex structure.
4. Banking was essential to trade at this time because it allowed merchants to securely store and transfer large sums of money, facilitating international trade and economic growth.
1.2:
1. Many painters included carpets in their pictures because carpets were considered a luxury item and signified wealth and status.
2. Giotto's painted figures, which were rendered in a more realistic and three-dimensional style, would have affected viewers who were accustomed to seeing flat and stylized figures in earlier religious art. It would have made the religious stories depicted in the art feel more relatable and believable.
3. The use of vernacular languages in printed books made them more accessible to a wider range of people, including those who were not highly educated. This expanded the audience for books and increased literacy rates among the general population.
1.3:
1. Observations of the natural world brought change to the arts of Italy by inspiring artists to depict nature more realistically and in greater detail. They began to study and depict things like anatomy, perspective, and light and shadow to create more lifelike and naturalistic artworks.
2. Artists like Leonardo and Michelangelo had to be competitive because they were often commissioned to create artworks for powerful patrons and had to prove themselves as the best choice for the job. They had to constantly push themselves to create better and more impressive artworks than their peers.
3. Van Eyck's paintings astonished viewers with their meticulous attention to detail, especially in capturing light and texture. His ability to render intricate patterns, reflections, and individual facial features with precision made his works stand out from others of the time.
4. Evidence indicates that artists in Renaissance Italy and the Ottoman Empire influenced one another through the exchange of ideas, materials, and artistic techniques. For example, Italian artists were inspired by the detailed craftsmanship and decorative motifs of Ottoman textiles and ceramics, while Ottoman artists were influenced by the naturalistic painting techniques and perspective of the Italian Renaissance.
1.4:
1. Seracini found evidence such as tiny holes and pigment traces that indicated the presence of another painting behind the Vasari mural in the Hall of 500. These discoveries suggested that there might be a hidden artwork underneath the visible one.
2. The need to preserve artwork often conflicts with the need to study it. Preservation involves careful handling and limited exposure to light, which can restrict the ability to study and analyze the artwork. Seracini's work is aimed at finding a balance between preservation and study by using non-invasive methods to uncover hidden paintings without damaging the existing ones.