North Carolina's state motto: "to be rather than to seem." It represents some portions of Platonic ideology in the sense that the senses and "seeming" of an object could be deceptive and different from its actual form. This then would surely be a present and powerful force in the Italian Renaissance, would it not? The primary link to the past thoughts so heavily linked to Renaissance worldview would at least suggest so. Yet somehow, the latter Renaissance years present a fascinating phenomenon. In applying Aristotelian principles of observing reality and imitating reality and the Platonic appreciation for arithmetic representations, proportions, and calculations to represent the ideal form of reality, a shift occurred from just imitating reality in art and reflecting the higher forms therein, to actually creating a new reality, a new way to trick the eye. Therefor the Renaissance peoples took a departure from "Esse quam videri" to "Videri quam esse." The ultimate product generates an entirely different aesthetic that is entirely wonderful and pleasing, if not an utter departure from conveying the real to a conveyance of illusion. This is perhaps my favorite product of the Renaissance and is a fantastic representation of the fundamentals of the Renaissance: humanism, in the capability of humanity to calculate and depict something that is so well crafted and carefully constructed that it supersedes reality and peoples' ability to perceive it, secularism, because the objects being depicted are not necessarily religious and usually are meant to develop an illusion focusing on this realm rather than in heaven, and even a certain historical self consciousness, in that Renaissance citizens recognize and appreciate that their Creativity is a new and distinct form of art that is shifting the nature and intent of humanity's inventiveness. The following examples evince my point well enough.
When the architects and constructors of this church came together to create this structure there were some conflicts in interest. The wealthy contributors to the church lived near by and wanted very much to maintain their sunny yards instead of being cast in the shade of a grandiose dome. But the architects wanted to maintain their creative integrity and thus came to the best compromise they could. Though this image is taken from the middle of the church floor, looking straight up at the ceiling, from specific points in the rest of the church, this appears to be a soaring dome above the church, a fantastic trick of the eye. The intent is not so much to deceive people but to convey what they wanted to be reality. This kind of depiction and shifting of the real to depict one's own ideal in architecture and the likes is an odd phenomenon of the mid to later Renaissance that seems a kind of departure from the traditional philosophical aims for deconstructing the constraints of this world (at least in a neoplatonists' worldview).
Here is yet another example of the capability and calculations intentionally strewn together to play a trickery on the eye, to form a sort of deception towards a preferred reality over the actual reality. It is solely the additional mythological figures that aid us with some hint that perhaps this painting is not the actual building itself raising higher and higher, but an elaborate hoax to goad the eye into amazement at the humanistic capability to trick the second greatest portal into the divine frenzy (the eye) into a frenzy over something entirely other than the true form. Though it is difficult to depict without being there in person, this image evinces a portion of the illusory capabilities of interdisciplinary Renaissance artists. Though the fresco is done at the top of the ceiling, the adornment tricks the eye into following the carefully calculated heights and proportions as something that they are no in actuality. Don't get me wrong. This is an impressive feat. Yet the product serves as a fascinating and peculiar example that is less than uncommon in the later Renaissance to prove a fascination with shifting ends. What was once done to lift up, glorify and honor the perfect unity of form and matter, now these things are brought together to rift the viewer from a higher depiction of reality into a newly constructed reality. It is no more important to be but only to seem, and very convincingly so!
This last fresco scene depicts a group looking through a hole in the ceiling, almost as if they are enjoying looking down at us just as much, if not more, than the audience. This follows in the same strain of depicting illusion to fool the eye. Along with these deceiving frescoes there were also physical constructs carefully crafted to fool the eye to seeing them as much longer or grander than they actually were: 20 foot hall ways mathematically proportioned to fool the eye and brain to perceiving their distance as something closer to 60 feet! Theatres were thrown up with proportionally deceptive hallways and backdrops so that, especially with proper illumination, the eye reads the sensory input as much more distant, grander, and altogether more impressive, especially for the backdrop of a theatrical tale!
What's more, there are documented literary trends that follow the same preference for seeming rather than being. "Old Nick Himself" (i.e. Machiavelli) has long been villainized for his better known work The Prince. This text encourages following a life style that is similarly "seemly" based. Though I agree with Machiavelli's end goals of Italian peace through unification, I do not see that his ends justify his means in the pursuit. He encourages those in power to seem to be all human (humanism anyone?), all faithful, and many other uncomfortably omni-esque imperatives. The intended result is to flaunt the prince's ability for governance and maintain his power over the state. He has to seem christian and religious but actually be able to shift those leanings at any time he deems as necessary for the betterment/protection of the state. The general trend then seems to be a movement away from ends of seeing depicting the forms (whether Aristotelean or Platonist) in either lives or art, but rather the focal point is constructing a kind of reality that can mislead its viewers. I don't know if this development is necessarily their actual intent but it certainly seems the end result they produce. Though, I am most impressed with this kind of art, literally and artistically speaking, because they are in many senses the basis for modern arts of these forms. Old Nick is said to be the progenitor of modern politics and much of modern art could hardly be said to be aimed at a clearer depiction of the forms/reality (i.e. cubism, abstract art, surrealism). Though I should probably cease my projections as of now, I know just enough on these matters to be dangerous and too little to prevent my embarrassment!
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