Activity #11

The sculpture "Madonna and Child" was created to serve as a decoration in cathedrals. The work was done in the early renaissance which was a period of creative and intellectual activity. It was during this period that a lot of artists decided to break away from the restrictions of byzantine art which completely focused on the needs of the orthodox church. The early renaissance was centered in Italy during the 15th century and during this period, artists studied the natural world in order to perfect their understanding of the world as we know it. The Renaissance was spurred by a revival of Greek and Roman learning. Works that were thought to have been non existent were rediscovered, and thus the outlook that placed humans to be superior was born. The painting "breezing up a fair wind" by Winslow Homer Does not seem to come from any period, but it was done during the time when America was celebrating it's centennial as a nation. The painting suggests a promise to American youth because it was revised from its original form. The original painting had the tiller being guided by the old man on the boat and not the boy, but such revision by Homer expresses his views about the American youth and their promise for tomorrow. Also, Homer changed the use of oil in the original painting, to the use of watercolor as if in order to move along with the changing times. Source: www.nga.gov