#3. Early Italian Renaissance Art.

                                                                                               theheavenly.tumblr.com

  In the Art History by Marilyn Stokstad, at chapter 19 in page 608 , we can see ‘The Delivery of the Keys to St. Peter’ by Perugino and painted from 1481. It is place in Fresco on the right wall of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican, Rome. This painting is really big that height length is 3.45m and width is 5.70m. This painting depicts the situation that delivery guy gives the key to St. Peter with interesting perspective. Firstly, we could know that this painting is made with schematic drawing, also we could see that orthogonal and vanishing point. As Perugino designed, when I saw this painting, firstly I saw the middle of the building and the entrance. After that, I saw the two people and key in the foreground. I guess that in the composition, Perugino intentionally focused on linear perspective. Basically, linear perspective is based on the observation that all parallel lines that drift apart into the distance at the same angle (called orthogonal) appear to gather toward a single point (called vanishing point). And this point appears along a horizontally which corresponds with the point of viewer. Linear perspective makes this flat painting look more three-dimensionally. Controlling by diminution of scale as structures move back toward the vanishing point, artist could make optical illusion. On the ground, there are lines as pattern and it looks same as perspective line. So it makes this painting more like three-dimensional structure.

Horizontally, the composition is well divided by foreground, middle part, and background. In the background, three buildings look solid structure with mountains and trees. Two same buildings are placed by symmetrical architectural forms on either side. By standing stability on either side, this painting looks more well-balanced. Center building of the background is also looks symmetry. This structure made with eight angles and it called octagonal. It looks rigid but I think it looks simply and beautiful. The octagonal dome and decoration have gorgeous gold color. It looks like some kind of sacred church. Even though this church placed in background, actually it is center of this painting. And in the vanishing point of this painting, which is the entrance of the church, there are two people in there and it feels like some story could be in there. Because this painting focused on linear perspective, the landscape was of little importance. In the middle part, many people look really small and that’s because of the distance, also it makes depth of this painting. Some kids are playing around and other people are just look around it. All the people in this painting are wearing colorful clothes. And in the foreground, there are many people look central figures. As we can see, St. Peter just got the key from the delivery and other people look at it. The lines created detail on their face, clothes are exquisite and it makes more depth. Winkles on the clothes seem like photo and each people's hair detail is also great. Most of people have long curly hair and it seems like elegant somehow. Also, their all standing position is different. It could have expressed each person's personality. Even few people barely show their face and standing by seeing back side. Because all the people focused on the key, I was curious about the story of what is that key for. If I know about the story of this scene, that would be more helpful to understand this painting. However, I think that this painting looks gorgeous and fabulous just what it seems like.  Also, the key seems like bigger than any other keys. So I guess that the key should be something special. Maybe it could have connected with god or that church.

All the texture and lines are solid and it makes beautiful artwork. Also, Perugino used deep primary colors, especially on clothes, and it gives us feeling like reliable. I think that in this painting, stillness and movement are beautifully harmonized. I guess that  this kind of color and perspective painting became popular from early Italian Renaissance art period. This painting style gives me reliable, stability and sacred. I think that linear perspective is interesting type of skill. And I learned how important it is.