How Do Medieval and Renaissance Art Differ?
Medieval and Renaissance art differ in size and shape of human figures, depictions of environment and interpretations of three-dimensional drawings. Medieval and Renaissance cultures varied significantly, which sparked the difference in artistic drawings and paintings by artists of those historical periods. Medieval art focused less on accuracy and realistic impressions of humans by emphasizing drawing people according to social status instead and depicting different religious events in single scenes.
Medieval artists ranked humans in order of social importance based on religious ideology. Medieval artwork demonstrated that hierarchy by drawing humans sized according to social status rather than true proportions. Artists of the time focused primarily on religious scenes instead of secular events. Medieval artists considered nature and landscapes trivial, as people enjoyed life experiences through religious encounters instead of connections with the natural world. In contrast, the Renaissance period emphasized secularism. Renaissance artists drew humans fixed to natural landscapes, demonstrating a shift in focus to the real and natural world rather than divine objects. Renaissance artists drew attention to feelings and emotions, adding a more realistic feel to human subjects. Warmth, serenity and harmony emerged as key Renaissance art traits. Renaissance works also emphasized proper proportion of humans in landscapes to emphasize the importance of realism over illusion.
