ITALIAN PAINTING
By comparing works of art made around the same time and in the same place, you can learn about the society in which they were made. By looking carefully, you can find clues that tell you how people lived and what they valued and believed. The paintings in Galleries N201 and N204 were painted in Italy but at different times. Changes in artistic styles and themes often reflect changes in how a society sees and understands the world.

PART II—GALLERY N204

The paintings in Gallery N204
were made in Italy about 400 to
500 years ago. Looking carefully,
list three or more characteristics
that they have in common:

PART I—GALLERY N201

The paintings in Gallery N201
were made in Italy about 600 
to 700 years ago. Looking
carefully, list three or more
characteristics that they have
in common:

North Pavilion
Upper Level
Galleries N204
Italian Paintings 1500–1600

North Pavilion
Upper Level
Galleries N201 Italian Paintings 1300–1400 

PART III
Each box below contains a description of the art and culture in Italy at the time when the paintings in Galleries N201 and N204 were made. Draw a line connecting each description to the appropriate gallery above.

STYLE B

Style B developed in Italian art before the Humanist philosophy had fully developed. The art of the time focused on Christian people and stories. Artists sometimes used light and shadow to make objects appear three-dimensional, but they also used areas of shimmering gold for the background to suggest a heavenly realm.

STYLE A

Style A thrived in Italian art at a time when a philosophy called Humanism was at its height. Humanist philosophy focused on the dignity and importance of human activities and human reason. The subjects of art favored by humanists were often secular (non-religious) people and situations. Painters tried to create pictures that were as realistic as possible, using shadows and shading to create the illusion of three-dimensional objects.

Question: If someone discovered your house or your bedroom 1,000 years from now, what would they learn about the way you live? What would they see that would tell them about who you are, or what you like or value?