Art History

Renaissance (1400s)

Chiaroscuro

Work

Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa

(it. 'light-dark') Contrasts of light to achieve illusion/sense of volume/depth for three-dimensional forms

Tenebrism: Extreme form, violent contrast of dark and light (some areas totally black, allowing one/two areas to be strongly illuminated by comparison)

Romanticism

Work

Théodore Géricault, The Raft of the Medusa ('Le Radeau de la Méduse', 1819) Dettaglio-zattera-della-Medusa-

Depicts final moment of rescue of the few survivors from the shipwreck

Dramatic/Emotional: Fear, pain, hope and madness

Political: Ambiguity of whether men on the raft were to be rescued or not, symbol of oppression

Composition: Two overlapping triangles - Mast/Drapery (dead) contribute to effect of forward thrust and directs focal point to dynamic waving (hope)

Neoclassism

Colour tone calm and
rational

Values of order
and solemnity

Emphasis on lines, not colour; no traces of brushstrokes

Morally uplifting and
inspirational

Subject matter from Greek and Roman history/mythology

Contrapposto

(it. 'counterpoise') Figure stands with most weight on one foot and the other leg relaxed

Example: Michelangelo, David

Realism

Social condition, truth about work, and mundanity of everyday life: Meaningfulness of the ordinary, social criticism

Rejection of Romanticism and idealised beauty: Portraying peasants/working class instead of gods/supernatural/heroes of antiquity

Impressionism

Like Realism, but without social criticism

Subject: Pleasures of life, non-event instead of grand narrative