The Early Renaissance in 15th-Century Italy - Florence In the 15th century, art not only held religious functions,

as it had since antiquity, but increasingly started to gain more secular functions through patronage from other quarters.The rise of the city state led to an increased demand for the artists works that explored the themes that magnified the status of Florence, for example, as a Republic, with links to the Roman Republic. This was accompanied with a rise in the power of, as well as political stakes for, certain wealthy families within Florence, increasing the demand for symbolizing power and status through art. This created room for artists to increasingly take the role of intellectuals: meticulously studying and recording in detail the symbolism and design elements of the classical period, especially in sculpture and architecture. This eventually led the discovery of perspective in painting and the development of other techniques. Wealthy patrons, their friends and family, and very often various guilds would commission work from various artists; sometimes holding competitions. These encouraged creativity, innovation and ingenuity. Clothes of painted or sculpted figures no longer seemed to be a part of the body, instead were shown to react to movements (e.g. Masaccio, 1426). Stability and balance in composition (e.g. Masaccio, 1425) was complemented by contrast and techniques like contrapposto (e.g. Donatello, 1411-1413) that created the potential for movement. Later artists even experimented in centrifugal composition that gave one the effect of peeping through a window and the continuity of action beyond what is in the frame.(e.g. Donatello, 1425) The same idea in sculpture invited three-dimensional viewing (e.g. Pollaoiuolo, 1475). Figures were given volume and depth, their bodies rendered in detail; sometimes, features made prominent through the use of light and shadow effects (e.g. Boticelli, 1482). These figures were most often set in a detailed background that sometimes used what these artists knew about perspective to give the illusion of depth (e.g. Veneziano, 1445). At times, various episodes of a narrative unfolded at different points into the distance (e.g. Lippi 1452-1453). Despite being influenced by Classical work and ideals, bodily features were often not idealized, especially in portraiture. There was also a general move back towards naturalism as had been the case in the Classical era. Rationality and proportion, coupled with calm and harmony became important in architecture. Some of the projects took twenty or more years, allowing a number of students to take part in the process over the course of years. It is an interesting question whether the artists moved away from the original plan as they personally learned new techniques or shifted in their styles. And if not, then, why?