9
182
History
5. THE EUROPEAN RENAISSANCE
Flemish painting
Painting in
Flanders
developed at the same time as in the Italian states, during the 15th
and 16th centuries. The
bourgeoisie
from this region were among the most prosperous in
Europe. There was a great demand for works of art to decorate their homes with, so there
was a great development in painting.
The Flemish school’s greatest contribution was the
oil
painting technique, which became
popular when
Jan Van Eyck
began to use it. It consists of mixing colours with oil so the
paint dries slowly. This allows corrections to be made and for great attention to
detail
.
The main themes were religion and
portraits
with landscapes and well-executed buildings
in the background.
Peter Brueghel the Elder
produced works containing landscapes, realistic scenes from
everyday life and popular customs.
Hieronymus Bosch
, known as
El Bosco
in Spain, developed an original style full of
allegories, imaginary worlds and strange beings.
Other notable painters were
Jan Van Eyck
, who produced very realistic portraits,
Joachim
Patinir
, who specialised in landscapes and
Rogier van der Weyden
, who developed the
painting of religious themes.
German painting
In Germany the most notable painters were
Matthias Grunewald
, who specialised in
religious themes and
Albrecht Durer
, who had a powerful influence on other artists of
the time and was a master of the woodcutting technique. In this technique, the drawing is
done on wood and the outlines of the drawing are carved out to create a relief. It is then
coated with black paint and printed on a sheet, which meant that numerous copies could
be made.
French architecture
Architecture was very important in France. Large
castles
were built and used as luxury
residences. They were decorated with Renaissance features (columns, arches, and so on)
and they blended in perfectly with the natural environment.
Apart from the Italian states, the main areas where new tendencies developed were
Flanders
,
Germany
and
France
.
The Garden of Earthly Delights
(detail),
Bosch
Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife
by Jan van Eyck
Remember
31.
What is the oil painting technique? Why is it so
important in the history of painting? Who first used
the technique?
32.
In your notebook, copy and complete this table with
information from this page.
Flemish painting German painting
Main subjects
Painters
Analyse
33.
Study the paintings on this page. Describe
The
Garden of Earthly Delights
by
Bosch and the
bourgeoisie couple portrayed by Jan van Eyck.
Evaluate
34.
Art experts still cannot agree on the meaning of
Bosch’s paintings. Do some research on
The Garden
of Earthly Delights:
describe the scenes in the work
and the possible meanings or the allegories it
depicts.
