How is the art of the Northern Renaissance different from the art of the the Italian and Spanish Renaissance? Think about the influence of religion and politics in art.

The art of the Northern Renaissance differed from the art of the Italian Renaissance in several ways. The Italian Renaissance has more of a focus on secular ideas, when the Northern Renaissance focused on religious ideas leading to the Protestant Reformation.

In Italy, the merchants, like the Medici family, were becoming very rich and powerful, and they were the patrons of the artists who made the greats works of art. Since they were determining which works of art were made, they wanted a more human style, paintings, and sculptures took on a common and natural feel. While the Italian artists painted religious scenes, they used ancient mythology as well.

However, the Northerners wanted to expand their Christian beliefs and understanding. They felt that the Italians’ focus had gone too far astray from Christian values that hey honored and the Northern Renaissance was more concerned with religious reform. This focus showed in the their art. The nobility were still the leading power in the North and they wantd their art to contain more theological views to decorate their palaces with. Most of the works were oils on wood due to the climate and materials available in the Northern area.

Esaak, Shelley. "The Renaissance in Northern Europe - Art History 101 Basics." About.com. The New York Times Company, 2010. Web. 5 May 2010. (http://arthistory.about.com/cs/arthistory10one/a/north_ren.htm).

Navarette, Yasser. "Renaissance." Ap History Online. 2008. Web. 5 May 2010. (http://ap_history_online.tripod.com/apeh2.htm).