Botticcelli's Mary with child
The first perspective application of a circle in art is from Sandro Botticelli (1446-1500) in his "Mary with child". Botticelli plays with the effects due to different perspective views of a circle. The scene is viewed through a circular window, parallel to the picture plane, and which plays against the round carpet, perpendicular to the picture plane. Still there are rarely accurate representation of circles in Renaissance art.
"The last supper": A sterling example of renaissance perspective
The last supper, by Andrea del Castagno (in 1450).
The last supper, by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).
The last supper of Christ was a very popular theme among artists such as Andrea del Castagno (in 1450), Ghirlandajo (in 1480), Andrea del Sarto (in 1527), and Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). One observes striking similarities between the artists' representations of the scene. All of the paintings use one point perspective, which creates a specific space. Lines parallel to the canvas remain parallel and lines perpendicular (depth lines) converge to a point at the center. They are all symmetric with respect to this point. One point perspective is also obtained from a frontal view. So the typical renaissance set up in paintings is often called "symmetrical box" or "stage box" ( see Art and Space, by Aaron).
Leonardo's genius in the arrangement of his painting, as compared to older versions by other artists, lies in the clever position of Chist's head in front of the vanishing point. The result is that all the depth lines bring our attention to Christ. To accentuate the space between the vanishing point (infinitely far away) and Christ, he adds a window in the back of the room exactly behind Jesus. Simultaneously he plays with the effect of the chiaroscuro (= light and dark).
On the table in Leonardo's masterpiece, he obviously avoided plates A few plates are placed at the two edges of the table, outside the field of attention, and a big one sits in front of Christ. Kern said that Da Vinci uses different vanishing points for the diagonals of the sealing and the diagonals of the square approximating the plate at the center. Accurate perspective would have made the plate look much thinner. This was probably just an artistic choice.
To see Kern's perspective analysis of Leonardo da Vinci's Last supper, click here.
Personal selection of examples
Engraving, Vredeman de Vries
The set for comedies, from Serlino Le second livre de Perspectivre, Paris, 1545
Saint Jerome in his study, Antonello da Messina, 1479
Spring, Boticcelli, 1470/80
Go on to next section: IV. The role of perspective in art
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