Essence of Films: Renaissance Paintings

      Being an audience means being in search of clues about our own life in the works of art that we look, be it a painting, a musical composition, a film or ballet. To become engaged in a work, we need to find things that reflect some parts of our lives in it. Renaissance paintings are known for their ability to draw the audience inside the painting, and make it possible to offer various interpretations.

      Antonello de Messina's painting "St. Jerome in His Study" is an example that presents many details from our everyday life; although the painting was completed hundreds of years ago, it reflects common details from the contemporary living. The flying birds seen through the windows, a little messiness on the table and the bookshelves, taken off slippers before the entrance, the symbolic lion which reminds us about our cats, and even the cracks on the walls and shelves contributes to the realistic effect the painting offers. Nevertheless, in my humble opinion, what makes this painting more engaging for us is the open door that frames the painting. Thanks to this open door, we feel like we have found a chance to have a glance over the other people's daily lives; it evokes wonder and gratitude, especially if the door opens up to a saint's life. This wonder and gratitude constitute the essence of the contemporary filmmaking and is why we fill the cinema halls. John David Rhodes believes that in both paintings and films"we can enter into a world and apprehend a world, if only with our eyes". He suggests that the essence of Renaissance Paintings and films are the same and the film industry takes Renaissance Paintings as an example in terms of engaging the audience by leaving them an 'open gate' or a chance for witnessing others' lives.

      In my opinion, the reason for the engagement of the audience lies in the details. According to what Roland Barthes' theory l'effet de reel, we become engaged in the work because the little details make the work seem more real and like a part of our lives. Indeed, we cannot feel connection to any work if it is completely unfamiliar to us and simply too perfect to be realistic. This is the case with both Renaissance Paintings and films, as well. It is the Renaissance period in which the painters cracked the secrets of painting such as the effects of light and shadows, light glows on metallic surfaces, the sublime feeling created by the height and magnitude, all of which adds up to the realistic effect that draws the audience in for centuries, and is contemporarily used in the film industry.