Chapter 13 The Early Renaissance Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Which best describes Renaissance humanism?

a. study of human nature

b. human-based culture

c. revival of Classical texts

d. a Christian bias

Answer: c
2. Leonardo Bruni was

a. a humanist.

b. chancellor of Florence.

c. a historian.

d. all of these: a humanist, a historian, and chancellor of Florence.

e. None of these answers is correct.

Answer: d
3. Which two cities were most at the forefront of early humanism?

a. Venice and Rome

b. Florence and Padua

c. Rome and Florence

d. Siena and Florence

e. Siena and Padua

Answer: b
4. In the 15th century, the ________ of Florence were the great patrons.

a. Urbini

b. Innocenti

c. popes

Answer: d

a. Its sculptor was Marzocco.

b. Lions are a part of its iconography.

c. It merges Christian and Classical motifs.

d. The effigy of Bruni lies on a bier.

Answer: a

a. Federico da Montefeltro

b. Sir John Hawkwood

c. Erasmo da Narni

d. Niccolò da Tolentino

e. Leon Battista Alberti

Answer: e
7. Which author goes with which text?

a. Dante – History of the Florentine People

b. Brunelleschi – Commentarii

c. Alberti – Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects

d. Masaccio – De Pictura (On Painting)

e. Bruni – Laudatio of the City of Florence

Answer: e
8. Which are some of the reasons for Ghiberti’s victory in the competition of 1401?

a. His relief was less expensive to cast and more monumental than Brunelleschi’s.

b. His relief was less expensive and more graceful.

c. His relief was more expensive, but also more elegant.

d. His relief was more monumental, more original, and he had political connections.

Answer: b

a. aligned by orthogonals of true perspective.

b. realistic.

c. classically inspired.

d. All these answers are correct.

Answer: d

a. reduction in scale

b. placing a smaller object in front of a larger object

c. a twist at the waist

d. depicting a form in perspective

Answer: d

a. arcades

b. round arches

c. Doric columns

d. pediments

e. bays

12. Brunelleschi did many things, but he did NOT

a. design the dome of Florence Cathedral.

b. study ancient buildings and monuments in Rome, rediscovering antique proportions and measurements.

c. work in Florence.

d. use the Colosseum as his model for the Ospedale degli Innocenti.

Answer: d
13. Which of the following is NOT a feature of Brunelleschi’s design for the Church of Santo Spirito?

a. Latin cross plan

b. a flat ceiling

c. chapels on three sides

d. stained-glass windows

e. round arches

Answer: d
14. ________ is credited with the Renaissance invention of linear perspective.

a. Ghiberti

b. Brunelleschi

c. Uccello

d. Leonardo da Vinci

Answer: b

a. Orthogonals converge at the vanishing point.

b. Orthogonals run from right to left on the picture plane.

c. Orthogonals are at right angles to the floor of the painted space.

d. Orthogonals are not used.

Answer: a

a. Piero della Francesca.

b. Mantegno.

c. Uccello.

d. Masaccio.

e. Brunelleschi.

Answer: c
17. The term paradiso as used in reference to Ghiberti’s doors means

a. the Garden of Eden.

b. the illustration of Dante.

c. the space between a cathedral and its baptistery.

d. the dome of the cathedral.

e. the dome of the baptistery.

Answer: c
18. The medal of John VIII Palaeologus was cast by

a. Alberti.

b. Matteo de’ Pasti.

c. the Byzantine emperor.

d. Pisanello.

Answer: d

a. a barrel-vault with coffers

b. architectural forms established by Brunelleschi

c. donors

d. a memento mori

e. one-point perspective

Answer: d
20. Masaccio

a. maintained strict monochrome paintings and avoided contrast in light and dark.

b. used complex, dramatic settings.

c. embellished his scenes with sumptuous drapery.

d. clearly defined his light sources so that shadows were logical and realistic.

Answer: d

a. atmospheric

b. linear

c. intuitive

d. herringbone

Answer: b

a. gradual shading

b. high contrast of light and dark

c. shadow

d. silhouetting

Answer: a

a. diminution in size.

b. increase in size.

c. degrees of clarity.

d. haziness in the sky.

Answer: c

24. Which of the following is a correct match?

a. Masaccio – Famous Men and Women

b. Brunelleschi – one-point perspective

c. Castagno – Holy Trinity

d. Alberti – medal of John VIII Palaeologus

e. Mantegna – Rucellai Palace

Answer: b

a. Rimini – Tempio Malatestiano

b. Brancacci Chapel – Florence

c. Sant’Andrea – Mantua

d. Gattamelata – Ravenna

e. Sir John Hawkwood – Florence Cathedral

Answer: d
26. Which is NOT a 15th-century development?

a. illusionism

b. mythological subject matter

c. one-point perspective

d. an increase in literacy

e. stained-glass windows

Answer: e
27. The Camera Picta (or Camera degli Sposi) of the Ducal Palace in Mantua decorated

a. an audience chamber.

b. the chapel.

c. a room for a wedding.

d. the marchesa’s private study.

Answer: a

a. Fra Filippo Lippi.

b. Andrea Mantegna.

c. Leonardo da Vinci.

d. Sandro Botticelli.

Answer: b

a. Apollo

b. Vulcan

c. Mars

e. Venus

a. Jan van Eyck.

b. Paolo Uccello.

c. Gentile da Fabriano.

d. Leonardo da Vinci.

Answer: a

a. The Adoration of the Lamb by All Saints

b. The figure of God/Christ

c. Christ on the cross

d. Adam and Eve

Answer: c

a. artists.

b. book binders.

c. weavers.

d. stonemasons.

Answer: a

a. rich colors and a somber mood.

b. a confined sense of space.

c. a flat, gold background worked with a pattern punch.

d. dim colors and a somber mood.

Answer: a

a. diptych.

b. panel.

c. polyptych.

d. triptych.

Answer: c

a. Cosimo de Medici.

b. Jan van Eyck.

c. Philip the Bold.

d. Rogier van der Weyden.

Answer: b

36. The most outstanding examples of the new Flemish style of painting included all of the following EXCEPT

a. Giovanni Bellini.

b. Jan van Eyck.

c. Hans Memling.

d. Rogier van der Weyden.

Answer: a

a. Robert Campin –Ghent Altarpiece

b. Botticelli –Mérode Altarpiece

c. Rogier van der Weyden – St. Luke Depicting the Virgin

d. Ghirlandaio –Portinari Altarpiece

Answer: c

a. imitation sculpture.

b. gesso.

c. foreshortening.

d. contrapposto.

e. oil painting.

Answer: a
39. Which does NOT appear in the Arnolfini Portrait?

a. a dog

c. sandals

d. fruit

e. a vase of lilies

Answer: e
40. Which does NOT appear in Botticelli’s Birth of Venus?

a. a scallop shell

b. the mother of Venus

c. waves

e. flowers

Answer: b


Key Works
Bernardo Rossellino, tomb of Leonardo Bruni, Santa Croce, Florence, 1444

Filippo Brunelleschi, Sacrifice of Isaac, competition panel for the east doors of the Florence Baptistry, 1401–1402

Lorenzo Ghiberti, Sacrifice of Isaac, competition panel for the east doors of the Florence Baptistry, 1401–1402

Thorn Puller (Spinario), Palazzo dei Conservatori, Rome, c. 1st century B.C.

Exterior of Florence Cathedral, begun late 13th century

Filippo Brunelleschi, Hospital of the Innocents, Piazza di Santissima Annunziata, Florence, begun 1419

Filippo Brunelleschi, interior of Santo Spirito, Florence, planned 1434

Lorenzo Ghiberti, Meeting of Solomon and Sheba, detail of the east door of the Baptistery (showing perspective lines), 1450–1452

Lorenzo Ghiberti, Self-Portrait, from the east door of the Florence Baptistery, 1424–1452

Lorenzo Ghiberti, Gates of Paradise, east door, Florence Baptistery, 1424–1452

Piero della Francesca, Flagellation, c. 1460

Leonardo da Vinci, perspective study for the background of the Adoration of the Magi, c. 1481

Paolo Uccello, perspective drawing of a chalice, c. 1430–1440

Andrea Mantegna, Dead Christ, c. 1500

Pisanello, medal of John VIII Palaeologus (obverse and reverse), 1438–1439

Masaccio, Holy Trinity, Santa Maria Novella, Florence, c. 1425

Masaccio, Holy Trinity, c. 1425, showing perspective lines

View of the Brancacci Chapel (after restoration), looking toward the altar, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence, 15th century

Left side of the Brancacci Chapel, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence (after restoration, 1989)

Masaccio, Expulsion from Eden, detail of the Brancacci Chapel, left pilaster

Medici Venus, 1st century A.D.

Masaccio, Saint Peter, detail of the Tribute Money from the left side of the Brancacci Chapel

Gentile da Fabriano, Adoration of the Magi, altarpiece, 1423

Donatello, Saint Mark, shown in its original Gothic niche on the outside wall of Or San Michele, Florence, with a teaching Christ above and the Evangelist’s lion symbol below, 1411–1415

Donatello, David, c. 1430–1440

Leon Battista Alberti, Rucellai Palace, Florence, c. 1446–1450

Leon Battista Alberti, exterior of the Tempio Malatestiano, Rimini, designed 1450

Matteo de’ Pasti, foundation medal of the Tempio Malatestiano, Rimini, 1450

Leon Battista Alberti, Sant’Andrea, Mantua, 1470–1493

Nave of Sant’Andrea, Mantua, 1470–1493

Andrea del Castagno, Youthful David, c. 1450

Andrea del Verrocchio, David, early 1470s

Andrea del Castagno, Famous Men and Women, Villa Carducci at Legnaia, 1450

Andrea del Castagno, Dante, detail of Famous Men and Women, Villa Carducci at Legnaia, 1450

Andrea del Castagno, Pippo Spano, detail of Famous Men and Women, Villa Carducci at Legnaia, 1450

Paolo Uccello, Sir John Hawkwood, Florence Cathedral, 1436

Andrea del Castagno, Niccolò da Tolentino, Florence Cathedral, 1455–1456

Paolo Uccello, Battle of San Romano, 1440s or 1450s

Donatello, Gattamelata (and detail), 1445–1450

Andrea del Verrochio, Colleone (and detail), c. 1481–1496

Piero della Francesca, Battista Sforza and Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino (after cleaning), after 1475

Piero della Francesca, Annunciation (after cleaning), c. 1450

Fra Angelico, Annunciation, c. 1440

Piero della Francesca, left wall of the Bacci Chapel, San Francesco, Arezzo, 1450s

Piero della Francesca, right wall of the Bacci Chapel, San Francesco, Arezzo, 1450s

Piero della Francesca, Dream of Constantine (after cleaning), Bacci Chapel, San Francesco, Arezzo, 1450s

Robert Campin (Master of Flémalle), Mérode Altarpiece (open), c. 1425–1430

Detail of the central panel of the Mérode Altarpiece

Filippo Lippi, Madonna and Child with Scenes from the Life of Saint Anne (Pitti Tondo), 1450

Filippo Lippi, Head of a Woman, study for Madonna and Child, c. 1449–1450

Andrea Mantegna, Camera Picta (also known as the Camera degli Sposi), Ducal Palace, Mantua, finished 1474

Andrea Mantegna, ceiling oculus of the Camera Picta, Ducal Palace, Mantua, finished 1474

Andrea Mantegna, Parnassus, c. 1497

Sandro Botticelli, Mars and Venus, c. 1475

Sandro Botticelli, Birth of Venus, c. 1480

Donatello, Mary Magdalen, c. 1455

Sandro Botticelli, Mystical Nativity, 1500 or 1501

Jan van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece (open), completed 1432

Jan van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece, detail showing the Cathedral of Saint Bavon

Jan van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece, detail of God’s crown

Jan van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece (closed)

Jan van Eyck, Man in a Red Turban (Self-Portrait?), 1433

Jan van Eyck, Arnolfini Portrait, 1434

Jan van Eyck, Arnolfini Portrait, detail of the convex mirror

Rogier van der Weyden, Descent from the Cross, c. 1435–1438

Rogier van der Weyden, Saint Luke Depicting the Virgin, c. 1435–1440

Hans Memling, Tomasso Portinari, c. 1470

Hans Memling, Maria Baroncelli Portinari, c. 1470

Hugo van der Goes, Portinari Altarpiece (open), c. 1470s

Domenico del Ghirlandaio, Adoration of the Shepherds, 1485

Plan of Florence Cathedral (after W. Blaser)

Axonometric section of the dome of Florence Cathedral

Filippo Brunelleschi, plan of Santo Spirito, Florence (after R. Sturgis)

Reconstructed plan of the foreground and praetorium in Piero della Francesca’s Flagellation; drawing by Thomas Czarnowski

Masaccio, The Holy Trinity, c. 1425, showing perspective lines

Plan of Sant’Andrea, Mantua

Map of northern and central Europe in the Renaissance

Wu Wei, Pleasures of Fishing, c. 1490