Cracking the Code of Renaissance Art Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Many different types of objects were used as symbols in Renaissance art, but let's start with some fruits to whet our appetite. Often taken to be the fruit consumed by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the apple is used to symbolise temptation and the fall of man. Which artist of the Northern Renaissance painted that biblical pair in 1507, three years after creating an engraving of the same scene?

Answer: Albrecht Durer

Whilst the Renaissance typically conjures up thoughts of the Italian masters, it was also a major movement in the north of Europe. This regional rebirth is often called the 'Northern Renaissance', combining the traditional Gothic art of Northern Europe with the art witnessed by Jean Fouquet and others when they visited Italy in the late 15th Century.

Albrecht Durer is perhaps the foremost artist of the Northern Renaissance. He is best known for his revolutionary woodcutting and engraving techniques, but was also a skilled painter. Durer's painting 'Adam and Eve' hangs in the Prado in Madrid.

2. A symbol of both eternal life and of prosperity, the pomegranate is often seen in Renaissance art. Found in the Uffizi in Florence alongside his best-known works, which Italian painter loved them so much he created a 'Madonna of the Pomegranate' in 1487?

Answer: Sandro Botticelli

Working in Florence during the late 15th Century, Botticelli was patronised by the Florentine leader Lorenzo de' Medici. His best known works are the large-scale 'Birth of Venus' and 'Primavera', both of which are also found in the Uffizi gallery.

In 'Madonna of the Pomegrante', the infant Jesus is carrying a pomegranate, evoking a multitude of potential symbols. It can be taken to represent the virtues of Mary, the resurrection of Christ or even just fertility in general.

3. Right, that's enough fruit for now, let's have a look at some animals. The lamb can have a huge variety of meanings including peace and innocence, as well as being a direct symbol for Jesus Christ (the Lamb of God). In which Belgian city can you view the multi-panel altarpiece known as the 'Adoration of the Mystic Lamb'?

Answer: Ghent

The 'Adoration of the Mystic Lamb' is alternatively known as the 'Ghent Altarpiece', and is one of the largest and most impressive works of Renaissance art. It consists of multiple panels, including two foldable wings that are painted on both the inside and the outside. When the wings are extended, the altarpiece is around 15 ft wide!

Despite being one of the most discussed works of Jan van Eyck, the Ghent Altarpiece was actually a joint project between Jan and his brother Hubert. In fact, the overall multi-panel design is thought to have been conceived by Hubert, with the majority of the painting done by Jan.

4. Thanks to their distinct multi-stage existence, butterflies are used to symbolised the cycle of life and resurrection. Which Roman god has laid down his lightning bolt to paint some butterflies in a painting by the Italian artist Dosso Dossi?

Answer: Jupiter

The full title of Dossi's painting is 'Jupiter Painting Butterflies, Mercury and Virtue'. It depicts the Roman god Jupiter painting a picture of some butterflies which, thanks to his godly powers, are springing into life as he paints them. The messenger god Mercury sits next to Jupiter, shushing the allegorical figure of Virtue. The way in which Virtue is being silenced suggests that creativity is more desirable than virtue - controversial!

Dosso Dossi came from the School of Ferrara and often collaborated with his younger brother Battista.

5. Snakes are rarely portrayed in a positive light in Renaissance art, often symbolising Satan, the fall of man, or just evil in general. Which student of Albrecht Durer made these negative connotations abundantly clear in his early 16th Century painting 'Eve, the Serpent and Death'?

Answer: Hans Baldung

Born in 1484 in the German town of Schwabisch Gmund, Hans Baldung developed a wide range of talents, perhaps unsurprising given that he learnt from the artistic polymath Albrecht Durer. Despite learning under Durer, Baldung has a distinct style, often said to be more expressive than the restraint of his teacher.

In 'Eve, the Serpent and Death', a serpent is coiled around a tree, whilst Eve is holding the tail of the serpent. The haunting musculoskeletal figure of Death stands behind the tree, holding an apple in one hand and Eve's forearm in the other.

6. We could talk about animals all day, but there are a couple of floral symbols lining up for our consideration. Exemplified by Botticelli's 'Cestello Annunciation', which flower is used to symbolise the purity and virginity of Mary?

Answer: Lily

The Annunciation is a much-depicted scene in Renaissance Art. It is the event in which the angel Gabriel visits Mary to inform her that she has been chosen by God to bear his son.

The 'Cestello Annunciation' by Sandro Botticelli was painted for the monastery of the same name, but is now housed in the Uffizi. Gabriel is depicted on the left of the painting, holding some white lilies in one hand and reaching for Mary with the other. Mary is also reaching out from the right of the painting, and a quote from the Gospel of Luke is inscribed on the frame - "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee".

7. Particularly in the north of Europe, tulips were a symbol of prosperity and wealth. Originating in the late Renaissance, which of the following is a type of painting that contrasts such symbols with those of transience and death?

Answer: Vanitas

Perhaps one of the most sobering of all genres of art, vanitas paintings serve to remind the viewer that accumulation of wealth in life is pointless in the face of the certainty of death. They are usually still lifes, and often feature a skull in a prominent position within the composition.

An example from the Renaissance is 'Vanitas' by Jan Sanders van Hemessen, in which an angelic figure with butterfly wings cradles a skull. After the Renaissance, vanitas paintings became ever more popular, mirroring the rise in the popularity of still life during the Dutch Golden Age.

8. Given the prominence of religious subjects in Renaissance art, it can often be difficult to tell who's who. Thankfully, many religious figures have commonly-used symbols to help you pick them out of a crowd. Perhaps the most famous saintly symbol are is the keys of St. Peter, exemplified in the Renaissance by Pietro Perugino's 'The Delivery of the Keys to Saint Peter' and El Greco's 'The Repentant Peter'. To which domain is he traditionally holding the keys?

Answer: Heaven

In the New International Version of the Bible, Jesus tells Peter "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven". This verse is one of the main reasons why Peter is often depicted with the keys to Heaven, a pretty unique accessory!

Pietro Perugino was born in Umbria in the middle of the 15th Century, and is perhaps best known for being the teacher of Raphael. His 'The Delivery of the Keys to Saint Peter' can be found in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City.

9. An open book is often used to symbolise learning and knowledge, whilst a closed or torn book represents the rejection of knowledge. As in Antonello da Messina's painting of this name, which saint is often depicted 'in his study' with an open book?

Answer: Jerome

St. Jerome was born in the Roman province of Dalmatia, probably in modern-day Croatia or Slovenia (the exact location of Stridon, his birthplace, is unknown). He translated the Bible into Latin (known as the 'Vulgate') and wrote extensive commentaries on the Gospels, hence his often being depicted 'in his study'. Other common depictions of St. Jerome include him 'in the wilderness', wearing a cardinal's robe or accompanied by a lion.

Antonello da Messina was, unsurprisingly, from Messina in Southern Italy. However, he spent some of his life in Venice and is believed to have made a major impact in the city. In his 'Lives of the Artists', Giorgio Vasari credits Antonello da Messina with the introduction of oil painting to Italy. His 'St. Jerome in His Study' can be found in the National Gallery in London.

10. Found in the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Bologna, which saint is shown casually carrying an entire organ in an altarpiece painted by Raphael?

Answer: St. Cecilia

The clue here was that St. Cecilia was the patron saint of music, and thus it would make sense for her to be seen with a musical instrument. In 'The Ecstasy of Saint Cecilia', Raphael doesn't stop at an organ, a variety of other musical instruments lie at her feet.

In the painting, Cecilia is listening to a choir of angels and is surrounded by several other saints including St. Mary Magdalene and St. John the Evangelist.

Source: Author pagea

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

The world of art is laden with symbolism, and knowledge of what an artist may be suggesting can greatly enhance the enjoyment of a painting or sculpture. Come along and see if you can work out what on Earth these Renaissance artists were trying to say!

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>