Sollecito 1

Sam Sollecito
Mrs. Lucarelli
Honors Modern World Perspectives
15 January 2016
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Visit

Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist by Santi di Tito

Sollecito 2

The Birth of the Virgin by Fra Carnevale (Bartolomeo di Giovanni Corradini)

Sollecito 3

The Entombment by Moretto da Brescia (Alessandro Bonvicino)

Sollecito 4
Renaissance art is something that has been cherished for centuries. The characteristics of

and techniques that go into creating a piece of art during this time exerts humanistic and secular
ideals. It even provides emotional appeal as viewers get influenced by and connected to the art.
Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist by Santi di Tito, The Birth of the Virgin by Fra
Carnevale, and The Entombment by Moretto da Brescia do reflect the values and aspects of art
during the Renaissance time period.
To begin, Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist by Santi di Tito perfectly
embodies Renaissance stylistic values. Realism and worldliness are evident throughout the work,
which were greatly utilized elements. Madonnas childs nudity depicts this realism along with
the contours of light and shadow upon all of their faces. There is a natural background, unlike the
heavenly one used before this time period. The entire work of art was composed using oil paint
on wood, which is a distinct feature of Renaissance art as well. The portrayal of each figure
seems to be proportionate not only to each other, but also to their surroundings. This, in turn,
brings about the perspective in art throughout this time. Clearly, with all things considered, this
painting thoroughly possesses Renaissance characteristics.
Similarly, The Birth of the Virgin by Fra Carnevale reveals the qualities of Renaissance
art. Specifically, classicism, perspective, and realism is involved in the techniques and overall
aspects of the painting. The arches and structure of the building displayed in the artwork are truly
influenced by Roman and Greek values and sculptures. The architecture in the painting also
consists of immaculate classical detail. This, indeed, is classicism, while the nudity, and the
humans in general, included in the building itself give off a realistic effect. The shadows on the
floor, which come from the women, even depict Renaissance ideals as does the earthy landscape
in the background. This shows the presence of secularism. Since everything is proportionate, and

Sollecito 5

figures and surroundings get smaller as they get farther away, the artist also seems to have used a
vanishing point and perspective. This brings about balance and symmetry, which was introduced
and discovered during this time period, along with perspective as a whole. With all of this being
said, one can tell that this painting is the quintessence of Renaissance art.
Lastly, The Entombment by Moretto da Brescia reflects Renaissance techniques and
worldly ideals. Particularly, Jesus is huge religious figure, but he is not portrayed religiously in
the painting; instead, he seems to be an ordinary person that is, in fact, dying or already dead.
There is no hieratic scale or specific distinctions, such as a halo, that shows that he is more
important than the other figures surrounding him. There is realism in this work of art, as well.
Light and shadows are all over the figures, their faces, and predominantly all over Jesus and his
body. One who views the painting could also know what the figures feel and are thinking just by
looking at their expressions as their sadness and concerns are evident. Since this artwork was
even comprised of oil paints, it goes to show Renaissance characteristics once again. Therefore,
it is clear that this piece of art has Renaissance and humanist values ingrained in it, as does the
two other paintings previously mentioned.