Exam 1 Tiffany Thomas1
1. The invention of Gutenberg’s movable-type press revolutionized the circulation of
information in the 15th century. The technology would drastically reduce the cost of
printing books and would eventually lead to higher literacy rates throughout Europe.
These books were often illustrated with woodcuts or engravings. How did works like
the Nuremberg Chronicles (19–29) impact the graphic arts?
The Nuremburg Chronicles was the product of collaboration with scholars, artists and
investors that landmarked the history of printed books. This specific book had so many
more options than in the past for purchase such as binding, language and paper type.
The woodcut illustrations and prints together were able to publish 2,500 editions and set
the bar for future publications.
2. Lorenzo Ghiberti was commissioned to complete two sets of bronze doors for the
Florence Baptistery, which had first been decorated with bronze doors by Andrea
Pisano in the 14th century. Compare a panel from Ghiberti’s Gates of paradise with one
from Pisano’s original doors (18-4 and 20-17). How does each one represent the
developments of Renaissance art and humanism? What changes are seen over the
course of these commissions?
Pisano’s panel The Baptism of the Multitude shows natural settings within their
quatrefoil frame that are still composed in rectangular fashion. Pisano was able to
