What is perspective? The use of perspective creates an illusion. It makes you think that there is depth in the painting. It gives a feeling of 3-dimensions (height, width and depth) even though it is painted on a 2-dimensional (height, width) surface. The use of perspective was one of the most important developments in Renaissance art.
What other changes did the Renaissance bring about in painting?
Paints
In the Middle Ages, pictures were usually painted using egg yolk mixed with coloured pigments. This was called tempera. This dried quickly so changes could not be made to the painting. In the Renaissance, oil was mixed with coloured pigments. This dried more slowly so changes could be made, and shading could be used.
Massacio’s The Trinity (1427–28)
What is the illusion here? How did the artist create this illusion?
How do you think the coloured pigments were created?
Wooden panels and canvas In the Middle Ages, pictures were painted on wooden panels and on walls. In the Renaissance, pictures were also painted on wooden panels and walls. But paintings were also done on canvas.
Frescos A fresco was a painting done on wet or damp plaster. The paint soaked into the plaster and became part of it. Frescos were painted in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, and also in the Middle Ages. Some of the most important paintings of the Renaissance were frescos.
