Duccio
The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew, 1308/11
Tempera on panel, 43.5 x 46 cm (17 1/8 x 18 1/8 in.)
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Samuel H. Kress Collection
Image courtesy of the Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art
The Renaissance transformation of the medieval artisan into someone closer, though not identical, to the modern conception of the artist is a swelling leitmotif in this unit. The Renaissance marks an important transition in the perception of the artist and the growing acceptance of the artist’s work as being on a par with philosophy, literature, rhetoric, and the other liberal arts. This unit explores artistic training and practices; the organization of workshops, guilds, and academies; and (most importantly) the creation of an entirely new way of looking at art and artists.