THE RENAISSANCE

RENAISSANCE:

Historical period in Europe from about 1300-1600 where a renewed interest in the classical culture of Greece and Rome led to changes in art, learning, and worldviews.

Renaissance (French for rebirth)

This time period is seen as a distinct passing from medieval to modern society.

A rebirth from the “Dark Ages” aka the Middle Ages

approximately 1,000 years between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance.

Some Ways to Describe It…

A time of creativity and great change

A rebirth from the disorder of the Middle Ages (Black Death, wars, etc…)

Why did the Renaissance occur? And why did it start in Italy?

Increased trade with Asia and other regions Italy – crossroads in Mediterranean Sea

Growth of large, wealthy city-states in Italy Rest of Europe – still rural

Renewed interest in the classical learning of ancient Greece and Rome

Why the Renaissance began in Italy (cont)…

Rise of rich and powerful merchants, who became patrons of the arts Ex: Medici family in Florence

Increased desire for scientific and technical knowledge

Desire to beautify cities Ancient ruins from the Roman Empire

Themes of the Renaissance

Individualism: Went against Christian humility of the

Middle Ages. Uniqueness, Personality Confidence in ability to achieve

greatness Genius, development of full potential Quest for glory

Humanism/Classicism

Education centered around the study of the Latin classics.

Studied these classics to understand human nature rather than only to understand God.

Focus on the humanities – grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, etc…

Secularism A basic concern with the material world

instead of the spiritual world. “Worldly” Attention on improving life in the here

and now, but did not abandon religion. More focus on education, business,

wealth More leisure time, art patronage, etc…

Important Writers/Literature

Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) “Father of Humanism” Poet Famous for writing sonnets – 14 line

poems to Laura

Other Humanists… Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536)

Orphan; joined a monastery Most famous work: The Praise of Folly

(1509) – used humor to expose immoral behavior of clergy

Key Beliefs: Education is key to moral/intellectual

improvement Christian attitude/study of the Bible

Other Humanists…

Thomas More (1478-1535) Lawyer, writer, counselor to Henry VIII Most famous work: Utopia (1516)

“nowhere” Ideal, nearly perfect society Very radical for its time Beheaded in 1535

Dante (1265-1321) From a noble family in Florence Wrote the Divine Comedy between

1313-1321. Journey of the soul through afterlife;

Inferno, Purgatory, Paradise Written in the Italian vernacular;

helped develop the language.

Writing in the Vernacular

Writing in the Vernacular Geoffrey Chaucer

(c. 1340-1400) Wrote The

Canterbury Tales in the English vernacular language.

Shakespeare

Renaissance Guidebooks

The Book of the Courtier (1528) Guide to becoming a Renaissance

gentleman The ideal Renaissance man should be:

Educated in many subjects Know how to sing, dance, play an instrument Able to compose a sonnet, wrestle, ride

expertly, and speak and write eloquently.

The Prince (1513) by Niccolo Machiavelli

About political power How the ruler should gain,

maintain, and increase it “Machiavellian” – use of deceit in

politics “the end justifies the means”

Renaissance Guidebooks

Renaissance Renaissance ArchitectureArchitecture

Return from the Gothic style of the Middle Ages to the Classical styles of Early Greece and Rome.

Architecture became simpler, more symmetrical: columns, arches, domes

New TechniquesNew Techniques Perspective: The linear

representation of distance and space on a flat surface.

How? By making distant objects smaller than those close to the viewer. Gives the illusion of depth.

Examples of Perspective

Techniques

Shading Illumination

The Geniuses of The Geniuses of Renaissance ArtRenaissance Art

1. Leonardo da Vinci2. Michelangelo3. Raphael 4. Donatello

Leonardo da Vinci

Painter, sculptor, inventor, scientist Mona Lisa The Last

Supper

The Last Supperhttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/leonardo-last-supper.html

The Mona Lisahttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/leonardo-mona-lisa.html

MichelangeloMichelangelo Famous works

include: Pieta statue of David ceiling of the

Sistine Chapel in Rome

Pietahttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/michelangelo-pieta.html

Statue of Davidhttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/Michelangelo-David.html

Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/sistine-chapel-ceiling.html

RaphaelRaphael

A student of Leonardo and Michelangelo

Famous painting: The School of

Athens

The School of Athenshttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/school-of-

athens.html

Donatello

Most famous for his sculptures

Most famous is his bronze statue of David