Northern Renaissance Art Analysis

The differences of the of subject matter and patronage between Italy and Northern Europe was that Italy did things on a large scale and was mostly of religious matter. The majority of their art was commissioned by the Catholic Church. The artist used styles that consisted of complexity and drama. The architecture and paintings told a story of Christ though the resurrection. In Northern Europe the artwork was more of the manuscript style of art as well as portraits of individuals. Artwork there began to be commissioned by wealthy art lovers for their homes. That caused most of the artwork was of a smaller scale than Italy (Kliener, 2013). Supporters of the arts in Italy included very wealthy families, the Catholic church, and those who competed with others for things such as prestige and power. Northern artists were different from those in Italy. The Gothic style of art lasted longer in the North than in Italy. The use of oil paint was one difference between the North and Italy artists. Because of the Northern climate they did not utilize the fresco techniques, a technique where a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colors penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries (dictionary), that was used in Italy. The artists of the North did not …show more content…
The artists created images to enhance their sense of individual worth. Northern Renaissance painters did not make a Demi-god of man which the Italians did. They painted man as they saw him. Based on mortality they painted man clothed not nude. Carefully depicted in detail man's’ world with actual backgrounds and landscape. Painting from the North were smaller and intimate. Northern oil paintings had careful detail. The North had no antique statues or classical ruins. They did not have influence of Greek and Roman art in the North. Art from the North is less