Difference between the First half and the Second Half periods of Early Renaissance

Early Italian Renaissance

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Early Italian Renaissance
Difference between the First half and the Second Half periods of Early Renaissance
The first decade of the 15th century marked the beginning of the early Renaissance in Italy. Despite rapid evolution, the period of early Renaissance subdivided into two halves, the first half and the second half, presented a clear and remarkable difference in the art of painting, architecture and sculpture (Kleiner, 2013). There were certain goals and themes that changed while others remained the same. The characteristics of the first half of the early Renaissance in Italy include the themes of humanism, antiquity or classicism and observation nature that were engrained into the paintings, architecture and sculptures. Similarly, the Renaissance during the first half period followed certain formulae, pose and the spectators’ space was extended accordingly (Hauser, 2005). The Renaissance modeling also observed the concept of chiaroscuro. The goal remained that the arts should portray the theme of Christianity.
During the second half of the early Renaissance, the goal changed and entailed matching Christianity with science by fusing them together using antiquity. It is during the period when the use of harmonious colors and modelling began to be evident as the era of mid-century brought in talents and skills from artists such as Andrea Mantegna. The concepts of humanism, extending the space for spectators, observing nature in arts, using formulae and antiquity did not change as it was used during the first half. The only concepts that were introduced include a fusing motion to the Renaissance, anatomical studies and linear modelling.
Masaccio vs. Mantegna
To observe the evolution of the early Renaissance, the arts by Masaccio and Mantegna to represent first and second half periods respectively is used to show the distinctions. Masaccio art of the Holy Trinity is an exemplary example of the way illusionism, and linear perspective was utilized in the first half. The 3-D painting has a human and Christian meaning embedded in a 2-D wall that show the utilizati...