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Why are pre-Renaissance paintings 2 dimensional?

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Because they are not. All painting, by its nature, is two-dimensional, color and shape rendered on a flat surface. All painting is both representation, and illusion. read more

The assumption that pre-Renaissance art is two-dimensional is a cliche that is essentially false. The use of vanishing point perspective (pace the Giotto enthusiastic below) is a tool. It does not make a painting great by itself (nor does our astonishment at its effective use in great paintings diminish because of photography), nor does its lack make a painting less great. read more

To say that pre-Renaissance peoples were 'bad' at depicting 2d figures assumes that these peoples were attempting realism in their art. Many cultures were not attempting realism and yet managed to produce wonderful art. read more

The early Renaissance paintings weren't really much more realistic than frescoes painted in ancient Rome, such as those found in the ruins of Pompeii. This is because the materials hadn't really changed all that much. Art of the Middle Ages was largely symbolic, and the message became more important than the image. read more

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