Art History Essay

The development of painting from the Renaissance through Post-Modern era shifted not only the way paintings were created, but also what was painted and for whom. Up through the Middle Ages, artwork was only affordable to kings and the church but the Renaissance blew that out of the water. Expanding their commissions to the secular society, artwork became something that anyone could own, even moving upon that to produce action art that couldn’t be owned at all. The Renaissance opened art to everyone, which then changed the message being sent through the art as each cultural change continued to be documented in through art with painting remaining the number one visual art depiction of historical events. The Renaissance covered many years with

Artists were examining our optics and how color placed with color created color, allowing them the ability to create work where the image is actually a illusion based upon the colors placed together. This new technique allowed artists the ability to paint outside, another new technique, since colors didn’t have to be mixed but instead placed in quick, short brushwork to create the illusion of the colors we see. Artists were examining creating works as they were seen, not as we are told they are seen. Monet was exceptional in this area. Water Lilies, as well as his other work, is nothing but simple, small color swipes placed next to each other giving us the illusion of water lilies. Because Monet painted this work outside he’s capturing a split moment in a fleeting world. Caillebotte’s Paris: A Rainy Day is another piece created out of color placed by color. While more organize in the color arrangement than Monet’s work, Caillebotte still manages to create a wide variety of tones and highlights in the color that give the piece a realistic feel. By placing color to create color, artists allow the viewer the ability to see the piece as our optics expect us to see, instead of being told to see it the way the artist wants it