Question: Instructions: 1. Choose ONE of the prompts below to respond to for your original post. Each prompt can only be "used" or written about three times maximum among the class as a whole.
2. Once a prompt has been written about by THREE different people, it's used up, and you'll have to choose a different prompt to write on. This is intended to generate diverse discussion over the works and to help your overall understanding of the works. If you are not the first person to write on a prompt, read what others have written and do your best NOT to repeat what has already been said.
3. When you create a new thread, give it a title that clearly shows the topic of your post (example: "Prompt A: Venus of Willendorf" or an original title such as "The Woman of Willendorf -- Not a Venus")
4. Your answer to the prompt should be a minimum of 150 words and must use at least two quotations or other specific references to the original reading/media
5. If you quote, you must indicate any quotations with " ". All borrowed material must have citations at the end with ( ) according to MLA style.
6. Please also include a works cited-style entry at the end of your post for any sources you borrowed from, even if you put the ideas in your own words.
7. Reply posts (you need to do two each week) should be 100 words minimum.
Before you post, be sure you have read the following documents (in the "Start Here" Module):
• Requirements for Discussion Posts
• Important Notice on Plagiarism
For your original post, answer ONE of the following prompts (just click "Reply" to post below):
*Note: each prompt can only be answered in an "original" post by THREE people maximum.
Prompt A: Compare and contrast the Romanesque and Gothic styles of architecture in medieval European cathedrals. Explain at least two examples of the importance of stained glass in the cathedrals.
Prompt B: Why was the 1401 competition for the baptistery doors in Florence so important to Renaissance history? In what specific ways does this event mark the beginning of the Renaissance's new ways of thinking?
Prompt C: What are the major characteristics of Renaissance Humanism in art? Choose one artwork (painting, sculpture, or architecture) that was created in Italy between the years 1400-1550. Then identify three specific ways we can see the influence of Renaissance humanist thought in that work. (Hint: use the "Introduction to Renaissance Humanism" study sheet to find examples that you can see illustrated in the art.)
Prompt D: Discuss the architectural challenges facing Brunelleschi in completing the dome of the Cathedral of Florence. What influence did ancient Roman ruins have on Brunelleschi's design for the dome? Why was Brunelleschi's introduction of linear perspective so important during his time?
Prompt E: Why did the people of Florence see Donatello's 1440 statue of David (the biblical figure) as a representation of their city? How did the nudity and sensuality of the statue make sense in terms of the early Renaissance?
Prompt F: Analyze Raphael's painting School of Athens. Based on what we know about Renaissance ideals, identify three specific ways we see the influence of the Renaissance in this painting. (In other words, what makes it distinctly different from, say, a Medieval painting? See the "Introduction to Renaissance Humanism" handout for help)
Prompt G: In what ways did artists start to show their individuality during the Renaissance? Use three different human creations (art, architecture, etc.) from this week's content to illustrate your response. Keep in mind that most art in the Middle Ages went unsigned and unclaimed, since people believed it was against God to take credit for art. How do we see that change in the Renaissance?
Prompt H: Briefly read the PDF article in this week's module on Lucrezia Marinella. Discuss how her fiery response to sexist writings can be compared to a similar situation in today's society. (Be specific about the modern example, not just a generalization.)