Renaissance and Rise of Humanism in Painting

Masaccio, Fra Angelico, and Filippino Lippi

The Renaissance was a dynamic time in which religion, artwork, and new styles, thoughts and concepts regarding perspective and expression intertwined and impacted one another. The effect was an explosion of new talent, new advancements in painting, and new horizons achieved. This paper will show how this was achieved by examining three works from three influential Renaissance painters -- Masaccio, Fra Angelico and Filippino Lippi.

Masaccio

Masaccio's The Tribute Money (ca. 1420) is a perfect illustration of the complex formula of Renaissance religious symbolism and naturalistic beauty that characterized the works of art at this time. It tells the narrative story found in Matthew 17:24-27 in which Jesus and His disciples come to Capernaum and are told that they must pay the tribute. Jesus asks Simon Peter whether the children of the king or strangers pay the tribute. Peter answers that strangers pay it. Christ then asserts that the children of the king are thus to be considered free and instructs Peter to catch a fish in the sea, open its mouth and take out the coin he finds therein and use it to pay the tribute. Peter does so. The entire story is depicted in the painting by Masaccio in a non-sequential order but in a manner that is still logical and easy to interpret ("The Tribute Money").

In the center of the scene is Christ along with the tax collectors of Capernaum (to the right of Christ) and the Apostles (to the left). Christ and Peter are both pointing to the left of the panel, where in the background, Peter is depicted taking the fish out of the sea and retrieving the tribute. To the right of the scene on the right side of the panel is Peter paying the tribute. Thus, in order of sequence from left to right, the second scene comes first but is pictured in the background, the first scene comes second but takes up the predominant portion of the foreground. The third scene comes last and is not out of place sequentially speaking. Looked on at whole, the depiction does not necessarily have to be viewed as non-sequential because the foreground representation of Christ consulting with the Apostles is the center image and catches the eye first. The hands of Christ and Peter then direct the eye to the left to the next scene that should be viewed -- thus it is logically constructed.

Christ's head is located at the vanishing point of the composition's lines. The lines of the architecture to the right of Christ (the facade and steps) and of the background hills and mountains all move towards the vanishing point: the lines to the left must pass directly through Christ's head to reach that point. Thus, he is the central point through which all the composition is moving: he is like the portal through which all life must pass in order to reach the ultimate destination or endpoint. He is the heart of the subject and the place where the eye should naturally move as a result of the built in perspective. Christ is therefore represented as the symbolic center of the universe -- the Logos from whom all life, wisdom, truth and goodness emanates. The simple construction of the composition and its emphasis on perspective allows this religious symbolic concept to be expressed.

The naturalistic beauty of the composition is underscored by the backdrop (the mountains, hills, trees, sea, and architecture) that locate the narrative in a specific real-world time and place. The architecture dates it, the natural landscape gives it an authentic feel, and the beauty of the composition -- its harmony in terms of color, perspective, line, tone, and balance -- all elevate the narrative to a level befitting the glory of the Godhead who stands at the front and center of the work. Christ is depicted as real human being and as real, true God: he ordains a miracle to take place, teaches the Apostles, and respects the earthly authority in Capernaum in a way that only deepens the mystery of the faith taught her by Masaccio. The image expertly shows that before Christ and his disciples are allowed to enter into the city, they must first make a show of respect to the city's rulers -- and this is what he does with the paying of the tribute. The meaning of finding the tribute in the fish's mouth can be ascertained by contemplating the meaning of Christ's submission to earthly authority. Essentially, all authority comes from God and therefore those who have authority over others in life should be respected. The tribute, which comes from God in this story, is a sign that God wants those to whom he has given authority to be respected -- thus, Christ teaches this lesson to his apostles. The lesson is visually expressed by the way in which the Apostles are kept standing outside the city walls -- until the third scene wherein Peter approaches the entrance to pay the tribute, allowing them all to be admitted. The metaphor connecting this narrative to the concept of being admitted into heaven through the gates upon paying divine tribute to God by keeping His commandments can also be interpreted here.

Fra Angelico

Fra Angelico similarly "rationalizes" space and makes it both logically representative of reality and symbolically and fundamentally religious (The Met). Just as Masaccio uses space to teach the lesson found in Matthew's gospel, Fran Angelico uses space, perspective, line and religious symbolism to construct a vision of orderliness, humanity and divinity in a complete and cohesive expression of one of the mysteries of the faith. In The Crucifixion (ca. 1420-1423), Angelico depicts in tempera on wood with gold ground, the crucifixion of Christ. At the foot of the cross, is the Virgin Mary, His mother, collapsed and supported by sainted mourners on the ground. Angels collect the drops of Jesus' blood as mortal men/soldiers look up at the grisly scene that is both full of realism and symbolism.

The mystery inherent in the scene is evident throughout -- the Virgin Mary is a mother; the Godhead is hung on a cross; the spiritual angels collect his very corporal and real blood. Two worlds essentially are thrust together in the spotlight in this painting -- which has a very spotlightish effect to it -- with Christ crucified set against a bright yellow backdrop as though a blinding sun were bursting just behind him, radiating light over the spectacular scene. The gold announces the glory of God and the colors, blood and misery reflected on the ground -- especially in the posture of the collapsed Virgin -- announce an all-too real humanity. Dimensions are given to the composition, with soldiers on horses in the foreground alongside the Virgin while Christ on the cross shoots upward above the heads of the spectators below. Thus, Fra Angelico gives depth to the perspective and creates a visually appealing composition that allows the eye to roam from Christ back down to the spectators on the ground -- via the arch of the sun's light or the perpendicular line of the cross, which leads right to the Virgin (who's prostrated figure allows the eye to circle back in either direction). In this manner, the composition has a very circuitous feel to it, which symbolically represents the deep mystery at the heart of the scene -- Christ as God sacrifices himself for his creation, that it might be with him in the next world. He again is, here -- as in Masaccio's painting -- the portal through which all of life must pass.

Thus Fra Angelico uses the natural beauty of the world -- here, the sun and its awesome light -- to provide a greatly effective contrast to the otherwise grim scene: the crucifixion is not merely a sorrowful event -- it is also a glorious and majestic event, because through it the world is redeemed and the gates of heaven opened for those who are faithful to God.

Filippino Lippi

Filippino Lippi's painting Madonna and Child with two Angels (ca. 1460-1465) incorporates humanistic characteristics into the Renaissance composition, allowing the Madonna to have very beautiful and naturalistic qualities as the Child Jesus is supported by two angels -- one of which is smiling happily at the viewer, giving the scene a very playful and happy feeling that balances the picture's tone (the Virgin's face is much less sanguine -- more thoughtful, composed and meditative). The somber tone of the medieval world is here contrasted with the happy tone of the humanist world (Khan Academy). The background of the scene depicts a rocky terrain, which offsets the fruitful sense expressed in the foreground with the Madonna's dark blue gown and the miraculous Child who is the fruit of the union of Mary and the Holy Ghost. Her "fiat" to God allows Christ to come into the world and serve as a stark contrast to the symbolically dead world depicted behind him. He is here shown as the answer to a world in need of spiritual redemption.

This interpretation is supported by the religious ideology of the time, the stories circulated by the saints, the gospels and epistles and the Church. All of this would have been apparent to a contemporary of the Renaissance and the symbolism and religious ideas expressed by the painting are combined with the artistic heightening of the natural world (and its incorporation into the scene so as to deepen it both visually and literally by placing it in the here and now). Filippino Lippi gives it an even more artistic structure by framing the outside world -- the rocky backdrop -- within a window frame, at which the Lady is situated as she meditates -- not on the face of her Child -- but rather on the face of the smiling angel supporting her child. It is as if Lippi is reminding the viewer to be happy that Christ has come -- that in spite of the horrible sufferings that he will undergo, the end result is eternal happiness and reward for those who serve Him.

The backdrop does not simply consist of barren rocks. To the left of the Virgin's head is a sea and between the sea and the rocks a city -- and so the painting could be viewed as a journey: The annunciation is the first part and is told in the Virgin's prayerfully folded hands; the birth of Christ into the world is the second part, told by the angels who bear his weight, the passing through of the sufferings of Christ as he redeems the world is told in the rocky backdrop and the glory of Christ and the heavenly reward is told in the city which sits in the furthest most point of the horizon.

Coupled with Mary's natural beauty as depicted by Lippi, the backdrop creates a deeply hypnotic and beautifully captivating image that spans not only space but also time -- allowing the full mystery of the Incarnation to be reflected. Thus, Filippino Lippi, like Fra Angelico and Masaccio, uses a complex formula of Renaissance religious symbolism and naturalistic beauty to compose a religious picture that expresses the faith of the times and displays the trends of the artistic world, which were heightening the manner in which that same faith was being displayed. Conclusion
In conclusion, Masaccio's The Tribute Money, Fra Angelico's The Crucifixion, and Filippino Lippi's Madonna and Child with Two Angels encapsulate the artistic manner in which the Renaissance world was redefining itself: through humanism, naturalism, and religious symbolism, old narratives were being made new. The religious faith of the era was being given a richer and more complex rendering in the arts -- and in these paintings, perspective, line, color, tone, natural beauty, landscapes, depth, and structure are used to create a visualization that can serve as a feast for the eyes and the intellect and as a source of meditation for those seeking to be enlightened by the mysteries explored therein.

Works Cited

Khan Academy. "Fra Filippo Lippi, Madonna and Child with two Angels."

KhanAcademy. Web. 19 Sep 2016. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/early-renaissance1/painting-in-florence/v/fra-filippo-lippi-madonna-and-child-with-two-angels-c-1460-1465

The Met. "The Crucifixion." Web. 19 Sep 2016.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/43.98.5/

"The Tribute Money." Visual-Arts-Cork. Web. 19 Sep 2016.

http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-paintings/tribute-money-masaccio.htm

Annotated Bibliography

Khan Academy. "Fra Filippo Lippi, Madonna and Child with two Angels."

KhanAcademy. Web. 19 Sep 2016. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/early-renaissance1/painting-in-florence/v/fra-filippo-lippi-madonna-and-child-with-two-angels-c-1460-1465

Khan Academy is a great site for researching works of art from the Renaissance. It uses Youtube videos to support the narration provided by two professors of the arts, who travel the world to look at and discuss works of fine art. Lippi's Madonna and Child with two Angels is one such work that the professors examine and discuss. They note the playful expression of the angel and contrast it with the somber tone of the medieval art and Byzantine era. They point out that Lippi is incorporate a humanist trend into the work by giving it this mirthful aspect. Yet at the same time they note that Lippi does not do away with the somber tone. It is still there, reflected in the thoughtful expression of the Madonna and in the stark backdrop. Nonetheless, the Madonna is beautifully painted and looks like a real woman -- she has none of the iconographic qualities of the Byzantine era. Likewise, the angel is very humanistic in its representation. The Khan Academy website overall is a very useful tool for exploring this and many other works. The site is easy to navigate and has a left-hand scroll option for the viewer to use to link to other artists and works of art that the professors discuss. I would highly recommend this site for anyone looking for information on artists and artworks.

The Met. "The Crucifixion." Web. 19 Sep 2016.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/43.98.5/

This link is a very useful one, as it is organized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The link takes one to a page which describes Fra Angelico's The Crucifixion and provides background information on it. The page also provides several links that the user can take to essays about the artist, the painting or the Renaissance. It is a very well-organized site and is just as effective as the Khan Academy site. Between the two, one cannot go wrong when searching for information on these artists' works. The Met's site is very helpful because it provides an image of the painting alongside the background information. On the right side of the page are the many links to other pages that can be helpful too. I would recommend the Met's website for anyone seeking information and images related to art, as it is very authoritative, comprehensive and chock-full of information and tidbits that can be used in research. Overall, the link is very successful because it allows one to read about the work while viewing the actual image. It is like doing a side-by-side comparison of the visual work with the textual interpretation. This format really supports a deepening of one's understanding of the subject.

"The Tribute Money." Visual-Arts-Cork. Web. 19 Sep 2016.

http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-paintings/tribute-money-masaccio.htm

This link is a helpful one for gathering information about Masaccio's painting The Tribute Money. The image that is used on the site is rather small and does not adequately convey that greatness of the picture. It does not expand when clicked on. It is merely a close-up of Christ's exchange with Peter. For a fuller sense of the composition one must go to another site -- to the Khan Academy site or to the Met site, for example. Thus, this is not a strong link as far as getting an image to look at goes. However in terms of having a one-stop spot for an interpretation and analysis of the image, this is a good link. The page provides text that gives a thorough discussion of the work's merits, how it is put together, how perspective and symbolism play a part and what it all means in the context of the Renaissance and classical design. The text refers to Greek sculpture, to other artists and works of the time (providing in-text links that can take one to various other areas and pages of the website). Thus, it is a solid link in terms of gaining information on the subject and the numerous link embedded in the page's text make it a good place to visit for anyone who wants to understand more about Masaccio's world.