The Birth of the Renaissance

Proto-Renaissance simply means the pre-renaissance period and accounts for the period between the 1300s and 1400s. This was an era synonymous with new transcendence in the art, such as the practice of realism in painting and the use of light and value to create three-dimensional compositions (Davies, 2010). Artists of this era mimicked the art of their predecessors to build on and develop new and progressive art with artists who were also titled as progressive. They included artists like Duccio who painted Maesta, which was completed in Sienna. Other renowned artists of the era include Cimabue, Giotto, Simone, Pietro, and Ambrogio Lorenzetti. Some Proto-Renaissance influences of medieval art which was predominant with architecture and art. The medieval art era is also known as the Middle Ages and overlapped with part of the Proto-Renaissance period, hence the noticeable influences carried from the era to the birth of the renaissance. One of the major characteristics to be adopted from the Middle Age is the religious themes telling stories of the Bible and Christianity. These influences were predominant in the two eras because of the character of people commissioning the paintings. The Roman Catholic and their priests were the institutions wealthy enough to commission paintings and buildings. The paintings were done in church interiors and would give room for contemporary paintings. As such, they constrained the artists to religious themes as allowed by their faith. Gothic influence in Renaissance sculpture and architecture was also adopted from late medieval art. The gothic sculptures were used to decorate the exterior of cathedrals, even in the renaissance period. Therefore, it can easily be concluded that medieval art played a critical role in providing the Proto-Renaissance period with a strong platform to develop art to grander heights. 

Reference

Davies, P. J. E. (2010). Janson’s history of art: the western tradition . Pearson Learning Solutions.