Northern Renaissance Art: Similarities Between The Northern And Southern Renaissance

Although both the Northern and Southern Renaissance have a strong focus on religion, there are still distinct difference between the two. The Southern Renaissance Art began in the 1300's while the Northern Renaissance Art is believed to have started in the 1500's. Southern Renaissance art was heavy on symmetry and balance. While the Northern Renaissance art, while more realistic than previous movements, focused heavily on the surface details and naturalism. When looking at The Last Judgment from Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, created during the Northern Renaissance, the focus is on the Kingdom of Heaven and the saints who are with God. His art is focused more on the common man and everyday realities of life like most work at this time. In The
Last Judgment by Hieronymus Bosch, created during the Southern Renaissance, the focus is clearly on the suffering of man and is much darker, both in content and color. The way I imagine the renaissance are idea changing across Europe. The Renaissance begins in the 1300’s and has certain ideas and as it spread through Europe and time goes on these idea change. Creating the difference between the Northern and Southern Renaissance. From this I was able to learn there were two different parts to the renaissance, in addition to how art was able to progress through time based on the importance the citizens felt at the time.