Artists in the Northern Renaissance were masters at perspective. Their ability to create depth and highly detailed scenes was unmatched, even in Italy.

Though this scene is a tripytch, the three separate scenes flow into eachother, rather than having a gold background or three separate landscapes, the artist clearly intended for the viewer to see this as a single scene. John the Baptist and Christ, Jerome and Anthony all went away from society and lived an asectical life for a period.

The contrast from cities and people in the distance to the solitary life of these individuals is emphasized by Patinir's mastery of perspective and their relation to eachother through the flow of the composition.

While technically a sculpture, the intended scale of this piece was massive. I have seen the eventual scaled down monument and it is still a massive piece, one can only imagine what the end result might have resulted in.

Michaelangelo likely knew that this was a project which despite his rough personality, was one which would take longer than 5 years and because of that drew these detailed plans not only for his patron or even for himself but for those who might have to continue the project at a later date.

These drawings are crucial because they give us a look into the mind of Michaelangelo and give us an understanding of the artist and how crucial "disegno" was to his work. While other artists might put more emphasis on color and shading, Michaelangelo is clear that what is paramount is the overall design and shape of the picture.

Artemisia was a rape victim as a teenage painter and subject to torture when being interrogated to ensure she was telling the truth. This whole ordeal defined her style and the subjects of her work, almost all entirely women from both the history of the church or biblical figures.

Here is depicted Judith, a popular story especially in counter Reformation Rome as she was traditionally interpreted as a type for the Virgin Mary. However, unlike the docile virgins which are plentiful, Judith's expression is one of passionate revenge.

Of particular note is the maid servant joining on the action, rather than passively standing waiting for the head, she is actively subduing him. The piece seems to raise the point of how difficult it was for a woman to accomplish anything on her own and perhaps even hints at the necessity for cooperation and protection of eachother.

Here we see the martyr with his hands tied above his head and eyes cast toward heaven. The position Reni depicts Sebastian is one where our eyes are drawn upward and his body is lit with a heavenly light. His face is youthful not exactly the look one might expect from a Preatorian Guard.

Despite this all of this is typical of Counter Reformation art. Despite being scandalous for those with Victorian sensibilities, it is precisely this blemd of the sensual and spiritual that was encouraged during this time period. While perhaps slightly erotic, it invites the viewer to ponder, pray and reflect on the heroism and faith of the martyr.

Depicted here is Mexico's first canonized native born saint, Felipe de Jesus. However, that is not what makes this interesting. Felipe did not die in Mexico but in Nagasaki Japan. Thus in this piece three continents have influenced the design of this piece.

Stylistically it is spainish, the material used to make it is Mexican and what the piece depicts San Felipe along with some Japanese martyrs being killed in Nagasaki.

This altarpiece can be viewed like a stage, in the middle is the climax of the story, San Felipe hanging on a cross pierced with two arrows. However, the sides can be read like a comic book as the paintings depict various scenes from the life and passion of the saint.

The composition is a blend of medevial and baroque techniques. The comic book style is typical of gothic altarpieces, however the overall style of the paintings and the architecture of the retablo is clearly baroque.

This era in art is the first to truly celebrate the human person. The passion, the sensuality and raw emotion which speaks to all ages as it speaks to our shared human experiences. Each of these pieces capture the heights of religious faith and the depths of sin. Rather than nature and humanity being bad, it is celebrated. Voices like those of women and other marginalized groups are expressed in ways which, in western society, were not tolerated previously.

In conclusion, this art and its subjects are relational rather than depicting a heavenly dimension, they depict the world as it is and inspired a shift in the way we view and consider art even to this present day. In this art we see a shift emphasize perspective, a realistic understanding of anatomy and new techniques in how paint is made allowing for vibrant, dramatic paintings with shadows and color.