Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Humanities 200-03
Essay Option #7
The influence of Classical Greek and Roman culture on the works of art of the
Renaissance is so immense. Classical Greek art greatly emphasized the ideas of form,
balance, and order. It sought after idealism, always attempting to perfect nature. It
had a magnificent way of presenting its art, music, and culture in the most ideal of
ways. Roman art, on the other hand, was much more realistic and the architecture
was utilitarian. Its art was more naturalistic, always attempting to showcase nature
exactly as it appeared to be. It did not attempt to perfect every detail of nature, but
instead present its subject in a simple and ordinary state. These two cultures, both
thought of today as some of the greatest influences on art during the Renaissance
period, both had many qualities that affected the works of art that came from that
period of time.
techniques used by classical Greece and Rome. The natural world became a subject
of many pieces of art, using techniques such as linear perspective to make the
subjects appear more “real”. The artist Masaccio who is known as the first
Renaissance artist, painted the “Enthroned Madonna and Child”. This painting
depicts a portrait of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. This painting has many
influences from Roman art. It shows a more real depiction of the Madonna and
Child. They look more human and the baby actually looks like a real baby. There is a
sense of proportion, which makes the painting appear more real. Just like Roman
art, which attempted to convey the most natural and real style of art, this painting
A sculpture that displays the ideals of Classical Greek art of form, balance,
created to display the city of Florence’s struggle for independence. The statue shows
sixteen-year old boy, showing the form and balance of a strong man. The strength in
this sculpture has influences from Classical Greek art showing the idealized human
body.
Another work of art showcasing the ideas of form, balance, and order was the
ceiling of the Sistine Chapel located in the Vatican in Rome, Italy. Commissioned to
only paint a section of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo created this masterpiece on
the ceiling where each panel shows a different story from the Old Testament. It took
him about four years to complete the ceiling all by himself. The ceiling of the Sistine
Chapel showcases form, balance, and order with each different panel telling a
different story about God and the beginning of mankind. In the panel where God is
giving life to Adam, there is a great amount of form, balance, and order used to
depict such a strong statement in that painting. It shows the ideal human body, a
sense of balance, and many angels around God, perfecting the painting even more.
Michelangelo’s influence from Classical Greek art is showcased very much in his
So many of the beliefs, works of art, and aspects of the Italian Renaissance
were made that way by the Classical Greek and Roman way of life. The way each had
their depictions of what rules art should follow, influenced the lives and thoughts of
the talented artists who came from the Italian Renaissance. The ideas of painting in
a natural way or in a way of showcasing all the strength of nature and the human
body came from so long ago and they had such an immense influence on the