Gothic Devotion vs. Renaissance Humanism

Part 2: Northern Gothic splendour

Madonna and Child with Angels. (detail) Oil on panel, by Hans Memling, c. 1479. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Very noteworthy that this is not egg tempera, but oils on an oak panel; the switch from egg tempera to oil paints by Late Northern Gothic painters is one of the most important and definitive changes from earlier Gothic works.

Today we’re getting on with our exploration of the Gothic era of painting and its multitude of complex developments and transitions. It’s all in preparation, we remember, for comparing its presumed metaphysics with that of the Renaissance. The philosophy of art is one of the least widely understood aspects of our visual culture, but it is crucial to our understanding of the purpose and meaning of Christian sacred art.

Late Gothic art, exemplified by Jan van Eyck (Flanders, c. 1390-1441), Rogier van der Weyden (Flanders, c. 1399-1464) and Hugo van der Goes (c. 1430-1482), is known for its intricate details, symbolism, and focus on religious narratives. Lush landscapes and meticulously rendered everyday objects fill the paintings, creating a sense of awe and devotion. The figures, though expressive, often adhere to a stylized Gothic aesthetic, elongated figures draped in rich fabrics rendered in extremely fine detail with linear, stylised draperies and deeply saturated colours.

In contrast, the Early Italian Renaissance, spearheaded by artists like Masaccio and Botticelli, emphasized classical ideals of physical human proportions, illusionistic perspective, and philosophical as well as visual naturalism. The human form became the centre of attention to go along with the new Humanist metaphysics, depicted with realistic anatomy and classical, naturalistic (not canonical) drapery.

Gothic art¹ served a primarily devotional purpose. It aimed to inspire religious piety and contemplation. Christ’s Passion, the lives of saints and allegorical representations of the faith dominated. The focus was on the afterlife and man's relationship with the divine.

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