Definition for High Renaissance
From Biology Forums Dictionary
High Renaissance (late 15th to early 16th centuries) painting sought a universal ideal through impressive themes and styles. Figures became types rather than individuals as painters sought to capture classical qualities without copying classical works. The impact is stability without immobility, variety without confusion, and definition without dullness. Composition is meticulous and based almost exclusively on geometric devices such as a triangle or an oval. Composition is closed—that is, line, color, and form keep the viewer’s eye continually redirected into the work. This style is the style of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. High Renaissance sculpture also sought a universal ideal through impressive themes and styles. Figures became types rather than individuals and measurement became subordinate to judgment when establishing proportions. Surface texture takes on the soft luster of actual flesh in its high polish. The dominant figure of this style is Michelangelo.
