Elements of Art in the Uffizi

The fortunate congruence of artistic genius, the spread of humanism and economic prosperity nourished the Renaissance, forever changing the course of art in the Western world. Many different elements of art began evolving, the most important perhaps being the development of highly realistic linear perspective. In Sandro Botticelli’s The Virgin and Child with Four Angels and Six Saints (1445-1510) and Filippino Lippi’s Madonna and Child Enthroned with St John the Baptist, St Victor, St Bernard and St Zenobius (1486), both artists take great care in their use of the artistic element of line in all aspects. Implied lines take great prominence in these paintings, not only creating depth on the two dimensional canvas but also sparking emotion and thought.

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In Botticelli’s piece, the architecture, both brief and regal, point towards the art of the sixteenth century, and is certainly the best example of his mastery in this field. Ten figures crowd around the throne, six saints, two angels at either side of the throne carry a crown of thorns and nails, referring to the passion of Christ, and two others flanking the throne and holding back the curtain of the altar. The same delicate features that are used for the angels, Saint John the Baptist and the young warrior Michael are also used for the Virgin.

The prominent element of line in Lippi’s piece is the implied line that connects all the figures in the painting to Christ. This is portrayed in either in the direction of their gaze, such as St Zenobius, or the direction of their hands, such as Ss. John, Bernard, and Victor. This is a stark contrast to Botticelli’s work in which all figures appear to be purposefully looking away from the child.

Both Lippi and Botticelli’s pieces have the same subject matter and focal point: Mary enthroned holding the baby Jesus. In addition both paintings are systematically balanced with Botticelli splitting his piece with five figures on either side of the Madonna and Lippi with three. The various lines created by the altars crown molding not only draw the eye from foreground to background, but also draw the eye to Marys’ face.  These horizontal and angled lines not only create a focal point for the piece but also create stability.  Both artists have utilized the triangle shape in order to move the viewers’ eye around the piece. These triangles have been formed out of implied lines between the figures with Mary at the apex, and the saints at the base of the triangle. The depth created by the lines of the altar in both pieces create a deeper sense of space and achieve what many painters fail to do, make a two-dimensional space come alive.