Inspired by the work of Yinka Shonibare, students in FAH245A Renaissance Art reworked masterpieces by Jan van Eyck, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli and others, to present a more diverse representation of 16th century Europe. Shonibare reinterpreted sculptures by Michaelangelo and Donatello with the inclusion of African sculpted forms, everyday objects and African batik fabrics.
To see evidence of the diverse cultural engagements and people’s experiences with ethnic groups and artifacts beyond European shores, we look to the art and artists who recorded their world. For example, Albrecht Dürer noted in his 1520 travel journal that he visited an exhibit of Mesoamerican artifacts in Brussels, click here:
We know that Venice was a port of entry that brought travelers and goods from Africa, the Near East, and other parts of Europe, click here.
In addition, Hieronymous Bosch presented a vibrant and multicultural cast of characters in “The Garden of Earthly Delights” painted between 1490 and 1500. The works we created in class are now hung up around campus with the hashtag #Renaissance Reconsidered. Enjoy!
Submitted by: Yvonne K. Widenor, M.A., visiting assistant professor and art history program director , Fine Arts Department
