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The Pieta is one of my favorite pieces of art, especially from the Renaissance. It is significant to the Renaissance for several reasons. It is a commissioned piece of art for the Vatican, a place that has incredibly strong ties to the artwork of Michelangelo. It is another example of devotional realism, depicting a scene from the stations of the cross. It combines religion and artistic talent in a way that shows religious devotion and artistic talent at the same time. It also hints at some classical styles, but puts a more Renaissance spin on the statue in terms of style. The realistic details are clearly Renaissance. Another unique feature of the statue is that it is carved from Carrerra marble which is found near Florence on the coast and is considered to be some of the finest marble in the world (It is still mined in Viareggio). It also shows the shift from Florence to Rome in the later Renaissance years.

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The Virgin of the Rocks is an oil painting by Leonardo da Vinci and resides in the Louvre in Paris. The painting focuses on four figures: the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist and Christ as children, and an angel. As usual, the Virgin is the focal point of the painting, but rather than her being depicted as the Queen of Heaven on a throne, she is seemingly human. This painting captures movement and emotion

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This painting was done by Michelangelo from 1508-1512. This painting was commissioned by Pope Julius II can be found in the Sistine Chapel. This painting is important because it shows the progression of High Renaissance art. Here, Adam's body is much more proportional than the work that had been seen in the Early Renaissance. This also highlights the fact that Renaissance artists were captivated by the relationship between God and man.

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Dated around 1510, Raphael's Alba Madonna is an excellent example of high Renaissance. The scene portrays the classic subject of Mary and the infant Jesus, but takes on added layers of realism and expression that are the foundation of Renaissance art. As Fiero points out, Raphael portrays Mary and Jesus as rather ordinary; they do not have halos and are clothed in fairly simple garments (or not clothed at all). Additionally, Mary is seated on what appears to be a small tree stump or piece of driftwood, rather than an ornate throne, as seen in many other depictions of the Madonna and child. I appreciate the painting for its simplistic approach to its subject. I also find Raphael's use of color and perspective quite beautiful; the realism is so convincing it's almost as if I could step into the scene myself.

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Benvenuto Cellini created this salt cellar for Francis I in the 1540s. Depicting Neptune and Ceres, this salt cellar shows the influence that humanism had on High Renaissance artists, even goldsmiths. Cellini depicted the Roman gods of the sea and agriculture to show the prosperity of the earth. This homage to classical figures is quintessential to Renaissance work. The attention to detail in this piece is also remarkable, especially considering its only 10 inches tall. The basin holds the salt, while the temple on the other side of the figures holds the peppercorns. The base contains ivory bearings so that it can be spun around like a lazy susan. The anatomy of the figures is realistic and they resemble Hellenstic poses and

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Head of a Woman by Leonardo da Vinci - Lily Mendez

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Head of a Woman by Leonardo da Vinci - Lily Mendez

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Created around 1508, Head of a Woman by Leonardo da Vinci is an oil painting on wood that can be found in the Galleria Nazionale di Parma in Italy. This is just one of my favorite art pieces to come out of the Renaissance period because of its simplicity and elements of humanism and realism

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Raphael's School of Athens - Lily Mendez

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Raphael's School of Athens - Lily Mendez

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Painted between 1509 and 1511 as part of Raphael's commission in the Vatican, this painting represents one of the four domains of human learning: philosophy. School of Athens is essentially a gallery of portraits since Raphael used the likeness of Renaissance artists throughout this painting. It employs the use of an invisible vanishing line, which can be found between the heads of the two central figures in a discussion, Plato and Aristotle. It can also be seen employing realism and classical elements that were features of the Renaissance period.

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Michelangelo's Medici tombs -- Jordan Cockrum

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Michelangelo's Medici tombs -- Jordan Cockrum

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This is the tomb of Giuliano de'Medici, duke of Urbino. Michelangelo was commissioned to design and build a chapel to house the tombs, as well as the sculptures that are for the tombs. This particular tomb has the statue of Giuliano, as well as the figures of night and day below him. This work is characteristic of the High Renaissance due to the theatricality, humanism, and classical influences. While the figures of night and day are not divine, they are allegorical and Michelangelo is said to have used them to symbolize the fact that life moves in a circle that ends with death. This memento mori acts as a way for those looking at it to remember the cyclical nature of human life. What struck me about it that made me choose it as my favorite was the incredible amount of detail in the figures. I feel that this is something that is not just a humanist aspect but a staple of Renaissance art. I did find it interesting that the men seemed to be sculpted with more accuracy than the woman was (could be familiarity, but still of interest

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Allie Johnston- Sistine Chapel, Creation of Eve

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Allie Johnston- Sistine Chapel, Creation of Eve

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The Sistine Chapel is the ultimate example of renaissance art. The precision and grandeur of it shows how valued this type of art was. It is very realistic in the bodies. The focal focal point is Adam and God. There is some people who think Michelangelo is showing how God is "inside" of a brain, which makes sense with how people were fascinated with dissections and anatomical art.

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Assumption of the Virgin, Titian (1515-1518) Catherine Viz 

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Assumption of the Virgin, Titian (1515-1518) Catherine Viz 

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In this exquisite piece by Titian, finally the creation of the exalted human form is accomplished. Mary is positively glowing surrounded by the light and glory of God, along with the praise of the angels around her. The balance of the light enveloping her and the darkness of those below her establishes a contrast of divine and epic proportions. The detail put into the smallest of ideas, such as the angel's wings are accentuated. Mary is seemingly on air, exactly what is suppose to be happening in the Assumption. Finally, the creation of the "borders" and the "frame" in which the painting is created leads to the perspective of capturing the very real occurrence of the Assumption to the very small and inept human understanding; a true test of faith. For as the arch limits the painting, the image is only a taste of God's awesome power. We as humans choose to only fathom what we could possibly deem as truth.

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Michelangelo's David (1501-1504): Nicole McCaffery 

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Michelangelo's David (1501-1504): Nicole McCaffery 

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In the sculpture of David, which is found to be over 17 feet tall, it can be noticed how long his arms are and how massive his hands look in comparison to his body. While this may have a classical effect it is highly Renaissance. It is true that "even though Michelangelo was a master of precise anatomical correctness in his figures, in this work the proportions deviate as the right hand is larger than the left, and David's eyes have an exodeviation, looking in two slightly different directions. This may be explained by the fact that the statue was originally intended to stand on the base of Brunelleschi's dome of the Florence Cathedral, causing it to be viewed from below on an elevated position, and that the artist created these tweaks in regards to that particular perspective, much in the same way that ceiling painters were foreshortening human figures for a more realistic viewing experience" (The Art Story). "As art historian Lois Fichner-Rathus noted, 'No longer does the figure remain still in a Classical contrapposto stance, but rather extends into the surrounding space away from a vertical axis. This movement outward from a central core forces the viewer to take into account both the form and the space between and surrounding the forms - in order to appreciate the complete composition'" (The Art Story).
https://www.theartstory.org/movement-high-renaissance-artworks.htm
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/michelangelos-david-threatened-by-earthquakes-205519

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Raphael–Disputation of the Holy Sacrament

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Raphael–Disputation of the Holy Sacrament

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Here Raphael paints, from top to bottom, the Choirs of Angels in adoration at the very top to the fresco, followed by the most Holy Trinity, The great Mother of God, Mary most holy and the forerunner Saint John the Baptist; they are flanked from left to right by Saint Peter, Adam, Saint John the Evangelist, David, Saint Laurence, Judas Maccabees, Saint Stephen, Moses, Saint James the Elder, Abraham, and Saint Paul. In Heaven, they are the Church Triumphant. Beneath them is the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, the Eucharist that is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ atop the altar. The Church Militant on earth is depicted on the ground. Pope Sixtus IV, (uncle of Pope Julius II; the two pontiffs were influential in the making of the Vatican Museums) is in the papal tiara to the very right. Behind him is Dante Alighieri. Fra Angelico appears as a monk to the very left of the painting. In the sense that nature appears in the background and figures in the painting are depicted in a more realist manner, Renaissance art differs from Medieval art. [B.C.]

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School of Athens by Raphael (Lori Henderson)

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School of Athens by Raphael (Lori Henderson)

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The School of Athens depicts Plato and Aristotle, two famous Classical philosophers, and their followers in a basilica. The fresco also includes multiple other famous classical heroes, such as Leonardo and Heraclitus. Despite there being dozens of figures in the fresco, it is almost perfectly balanced and easy on the eyes. The upward arches lead your eyes both to the background of the painting near Plato and Aristotle and in the foreground where people have gathered to learn.

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Doni Tondo by Michelangelo, ~1507 Olivia Morrow

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Doni Tondo by Michelangelo, ~1507 Olivia Morrow

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Here we see not only Mary and Jesus, but Joseph as well. So often, Joseph is left out of the picture, but here the three of them are together and enjoying each others' company. They are not statically posed, like they so often had been in medieval work. They are posed naturally and casually, as if they were real people. Their muscle tone is extremely realistic and their skin appears velvety and flushed, making them appear alive. Mary even has a book in her lap, suggesting that they were reading together, appearing like they were a real family. All of these details are largely thanks to the humanist trend of the renaissance of re-imagining the holy and divine to look more human, thus making them more relatable and easier to connect with. They look as if they had been caught in a random moment together, but Michealangelo was strategic in placing Mary in contact with the ground, stressing her earthliness, and in between Joseph's legs, as if he enthroned her.