Middle Art Vs. Renaissance Painting

1. There are many similarities as well as differences between Middle Age and Renaissance depictions of the Madonna and child. One thing that stays the same between them is that Mary is wearing blue; this helps to make it obvious that she is Mary since she always wears blue. Also in both paintings are the people kneeling before Mary and Jesus that make them the center of attention of the painting. Both paintings have some sort of halo around Mary and Jesus. The Middle Ages painting makes the halos quite obvious, while the Renaissance painting gives them more of a general glow. Also both paintings show Mary and Jesus as above everyone else in the painting. The Middle Ages painting has them sitting on a throne surrounded by kneeling people, and the Renaissance painting shows them in the clouds, possibly meant to be in heaven. A major difference is that in the Middle Ages painting, baby Jesus looks less like a baby and more like a small, creepy man, while in the Renaissance painting he actually looks like an actual human baby. Mary’s expression and posture is markedly different as well. In the Middle

In the Middle Ages, art was more about symbolism than realism. As a result people didn’t really look human and don’t really interact in art. This is why Jesus does not look like a baby; you’re supposed to know it’s him from the halo and from Mary holding him. Art in the Middle Ages was also just a bunch of copies of the same people in the same positions, they didn’t care about being original. The Renaissance brought a new appreciation for the human body and spirit. As a result, art started to look more realistic while also keeping the symbolism. Artists also were more original in their work; images of the Madonna and child were no longer copies of each other. Renaissance paintings make people look softer, and they actually interact with each other the way real people