Early Renaissance Art Analysis

This is a great example of Early Renaissance Art in the late Florentine Era for art, created 1448-1449 by Fra Angelico to adorn the Vatican Palace in Rome. In this Fresco, St. Lawrence is giving away Alms, or money, to the needy at the Vatican (Hood, 2014). At first look, it paints a saintly picture of the Friar as the artist gives him a halo around his head, and he is giving away things to needy people. It is light, colorful, and somewhat wispy in nature, presenting an ethereal, or godly feel. This, at the time, would make the populous who viewed the fresco to admire the church for doing caring deeds for them. This helped paint, and solidify the power of the church during the early Renaissance period; which, per historical documents proved

Looking at the individual characters in the picture, we can see a narrative about who deserves help from the church; and who does not. Looking at the friar himself, we can see that his is opulently dressed, with a halo around his head, adorned in gold and red robes. He has a white feather robe skirt underneath, and appears clean, and non-dirty. These messages relate to the viewer of the time, that those who are penitent or in the graces of the church will be well taken care of. The red, symbolizing power, represents one who is able to use that power to affect change, and the gold, symbolizing wealth and prosperity, represents a man who is willing to give away what he has to help others (Henderson & Flemming, 2006). This helps solidify the churches view, at least to the people, that they are there to help in times of

It is adorned, on the top, with what appears as a wreath of oak or maple leaves, with marble florets, symbolizing strength and wealth (Protas, Brown & Smith, 2001), solidifying again, the power of the church. The perspective of the opening is angled downwards (a low vanishing point), making visitors look upwards at the friar and symbol of Christ in the ceiling behind him (Werbel, 2005). Finally, the columns are marble inlaid with natural symbols such as leaves and vines that grow skyward pointing to the high heavens, to remind those who attend the friar that they, too are of God, and should remember where their care and faith comes