Renaissance Painting Analysis: The Adoration of the Shepherds and Feast of the Gods


The students are analyzing and teaching each other about some of the beautiful Renaissance paintings that we'll see when we visit the National Gallery of Art.

Here are some of the comments and questions about The Adoration of the Shepherds, by Giorgione:

Jackson: There are two different bodies of water in the painting, but they have different colors. The smaller body of water is closer and a clear, glassy color, and the other one is farther away and blue ... I like how the shepherds have rips in their clothes, and that to me gives off a very realistic and plausible wardrobe for a poor shepherd.

Jack K.: I like how there are little details that are hard to notice unless you pay attention -- like the cherub in the top left corner and the man looking at it ... the trees are so detailed that you can see every single leaf on them.

Polina: Why is there a building that looks like a church in the background, if Jesus is just getting born?

Tatiana: This painting shows lots of details of nature. For people during the Renaissance, nature represented Heaven.

Lyra: I like the background of this painting - it's very detailed and colorful, and it could be its own painting ... The clothing is very detailed, but why do Mary and Joseph's clothing look so nice, but the shepherds' clothes are very beat up? Also, why does Joseph look so old?


And here's some analysis of The Feast of the Gods, by Bellini and Titian (and with a special guest appearance, in the tree, by their patron!):

Nicholas and Taylor: This painting is clearly from the Renaissance because:
  1. It's more realistic than medieval paintings
  2. The setting is in the middle of nature
  3. There is good linear perspective
  4. It is based on Roman gods -- it has nothing to do with Christianity
  5. There are lots of vivid colors.
Izzy, Maggie and Spicer: The facial features of the people are not as meticulously detailed as the human bodies. The accessories -- such as the barrel, the chalice, the bird, and the bowls -- are incredibly detailed.  

Gus: Why did the artists choose to put their signatures in such an interesting place (on the wooden tub)?

Abby: I don’t like how the artists used so many browns, but they do make the clothing on the people pop.

Cole: I like the mysterious animals in the background, but what is the mysterious animal behind Zeus? And is the mountain supposed to be Mt. Olympus, or is there some city on top of it?

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