Renaissance Synthesis Question Ash.P4.T5

In the Renaissance Period, most artists created art pertaining to the prevalent religion. The Catholic Church gave the most funding to the artists, for it was the richest institution in its time. Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinchi were of the many artists that painted biblical events or pictures that referenced Christianity on grand scales. Despite that Da Vinci held steady to scientific and skeptic beliefs, his paintings were primarily based on religion. In his art, the central focus was on the humans depicted. The secular asceticism is synthesized with religious asceticism by appealing to the Catholic church by painting artwork that was relevant to Christianity, but drawing attention and focus to the humanism of the art, not the otherworldly concepts that would emphasize what lies beyond life on Earth, faith, and religion. In “The Last Supper” painting, Di Vinci paints a scene of the dinner before Jesus is betrayed by Judas, but he does not allude to the future resurrection or ascension of Jesus. Many paintings of Jesus also depict him with a halo around his head, but Da Vinci leaves this out, keeping the painting strictly of human nature. Likewise, Michelangelo created paintings that stood in opposition to the counter-Reformation movement of the Catholic Church. In his painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the story of creation, prophets, and the downfall of man were depicted with nude persons. This led to conflict between Michelangelo and the church authorities that prohibited nudity in religious art. This reflects the changing philosophical and religious conceptual theories within Michelangelo pertaining to humanism, for he did not settle into the Catholic or Christian culture, but rather pushed his boundaries to focus on the humanistic aspects of his art by creating masterpieces that depicted nudity. Both he and Di Vinci reflected the evolving society in the Renaissance as the personal, spiritual relationship with God during the Medieval Era was being pushed away and human nature without religion gained popularity.