Louvre Musée Introduction about the Early European painters also called the Primitive painters or Early Renaissance
Introduction about the Early European painters also called the Primitive painters or Early Renaissance.
The word “primitive” used to describe these painters is not an appropriate word. It has a pejorative meaning. We must think of these painters as the first in their skill.
It refers to a transition period between the middle-ages and the renaissance that means from the 13th to 15th century. And it refers to specific techniques and media used during this period.
During the middle-ages the techniques in painting are frescoes, stained glass and illumination.
During this period, the new media are wood panels such as reredos and crucifixes and easel paintings for portraits. The technique is firstly tempera painting (the tempera painting is pigment mixed with water and binder such as egg-yolk or egg white, gum, glue etc), then oil painting on canvas.
The novelty also comes from the style of these painters.
The important difference is that the Primitive painters represent religious subjects and begin to represent portraits. The Renaissance painters are inspired by Antiquity and represent historical facts and subjects linked with the Roman times.
There are two main areas: Italy and Flanders
The first changes appear in Italy with a painter named Cimabue (ca 1240 – 1302) in the 13th century. Even if the Byzantine influence is still important his style is a breaking with the Byzantine tradition: he brings movement, relief and expression. (Louvre – Virgin in Majesty)
But the real innovation was brought by Giotto Di Bondone (1267 – 1337). He is the first one to insert landscape in his paintings. He also brings naturalism and emotion in his paintings and expresses the feelings of the humans and the animals as well. He also proposes the first attempts in depth and space.
Two main areas are concerned: Florence and Sienna
In the beginning of the 15th century, a great number of painters will follow Giotto step: Masaccio, Fra Angelico, Fra Filippo Lippi, Paolo Ucello, Verrochio. Their characteristic is a representation more expressive of the personages. These artists want to represent reality. Personages are represented in a realistic way, not only for symbolism.
And they all announce the explosion of the Renaissance.
Flanders
In northern Europe, the Flemish painters also make a revolution in paintings: the most famous is Jan Van Eyck (1390 – 1441). He is the greatest painter in northern countries and his fame is linked with the use of the technique of oil painting. His skill in using oil painting was so outstanding that the invention of the medium was at one time attributed to him. Van Eyck exploited the qualities of oil using the transparency of oil painting to give a special light. His second skill is in the representation of space. Its mastery of the perspective using pieces of architecture in his frames designs him as one of the precursor of modern painting.
The delicacy of the details, the sumptuous garments, reminder of the importance of the industry of the fabric in Flanders are representative of these paintings and will have a great influence on many painters of that period.
Following Van Eyck, the painters of the late 15th century are Roger Van der Weyden, Hugo Van der Goes and Hans Memling. Their paintings still represent religious allegories and symbolism, from the medieval tradition.
France
In France many easel paintings have disappeared. But the production was not as important as in Italy. The illumination is still vivid and the “riches heures du duc de berry” (1412-1416) by the Limbourg brothers are the most impressive example.
The oldest painting on wood known nowadays is the portrait of French king Jean le Bon (1319-1364), father of Charles V. It is known as the first painting of a real portrait.
But the most famous artist of that period is Jean Fouquet. He was born in Tours in 1415 and died in 1480. He was influenced both by the Flemish and the Italian painters, and he mixes the geometrical perspective of the Italians and the Flemish innovation in perspective, reflections and materials. He is famed for his portraits, especially king Charles VII’s portrait.
We must also speak about an area located in France, but not depending on the French king, that means the Provence. Thanks to the installation of the Pope in the 14th century, Italian painters came to the court. But after the departure of the papal court in the 15th century, painters coming from Northern France or Flanders settle in Provence and develop an original art, known as “School of Avignon”. Two names must be remembered: Barthélemy d’Eyck and Enguerrand Quarton.