Renaissance (1300s – 1600s)

… or how Italy kick started the entire world into the Modern Era

Italy

Birthplace Renaissance

means “rebirth” Began in Italy and

later spread north

Italy’s three advantages

Thriving cities Overseas trade helped the growth Population shrank due to bubonic plague

Advantages cont’d

A wealthy merchant class Patrons Universities founded Medici family ruled Florence

Advantages cont’d

Classical Heritage Wanted to return to the learning of the Greeks

and Romans Scholars drew from ruins of Rome

3 cultural philosophies that epitomize the Renaissance

1- Classicalism

2- Secularism

3- Humanism

Classicalism

• A greater understanding of and admiration for Greek and Roman literature and learning

• Europe was exposed to these writings through the translations done by Jews and Arabs

Secularism

Worldly The view that consideration for the present

well-being of mankind should predominate over religious consideration in civil affairs, public education, and cultural expressions.

Humanism-The most important philosophy to come out of the Renaissance

The concept that to be human is, in and of itself, worthwhile- that to be alive as a human being is something to celebrate and rejoice. (this is counter to the religious teachings of the Church)

It was taken from the study of ancient Greek and Roman texts

What Humanism really means…

….the seeking to balance worldly pleasure (secularism)

with religious piety

A Renaissance Man

The epitome of the Renaissance ideals: Highly educated A variety of interests Worldly

The Northern Renaissance

Started in the late 1400s

Artistic Spread of Ideas

War broke out between southern and northern Italy

As safe haven, many artists fled to northern Italy

Many artists studied in Italy also traveled up north

The “flavor” of the Northern Renaissance

Christian Humanist Spiritual/religious

themes and ideas Looked at the

relationship between humanity and the divine

The Northern Renaissance

By 1450, population was recovering from plague

As Renaissance spread out of Italy, it mingled with northern traditions

Famous Northern Artists

German painter- Durer Flemish painters- Jan van Eyck, Pieter

Bruegel the Elder Christian Humanists- Thomas More,

Desiderius Erasmus William Shakespeare

Most Important Invention for the Renaissance

The Printing Press by Johann Gutenberg

Based on the idea of Chinese movable printing

Allowed ideas to spread faster

Literacy increased Opened the door for the

Reformation

Renaissance Art

What the Renaissance is really known for…

To explain why the names Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael are important…

And it is NOT because of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles….

Characteristics of Renaissance Art

Decrease use of religious subjects and increase use of real world subjects (people, places, landscapes, even nudity)

Use of “perspective”, a technique to show 3 dimensions (3D) or give depth to the picture

These characteristics were not limited to visual art but was used in literature and other art forms

Change of subject matter from Religious to Secular

Perspective (and depth)

Different mediums of Renaissance Art

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?    Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,    And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,    And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines,    By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade,    Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,    When in eternal lines to time thou growest; So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Renaissance Artists

Painters Leonardo da Vinci Raphael Rembrandt Sofonisba Anguissola

Sculptors Donatello Michelangelo

Writers William Shakespeare Thomas More Niccolo Machiavelli

Musicians Guilliaume Dufay Giovanni de Palestrina Orlando Di Lasso William Byrd

Pick a Renaissance Man/ Woman

The End

….now you can go to an Art museum and understand what is going on or you can go impress Mr. Wodzainski with your deep

knowledge of Art

Leonardo da Vinci

The ultimate “Renaissance Man”

Inventor, artist, scientist Epitome of experimental

tradition Regarded as a genius Began modern scientific

method Best works occurred during

1496- 1506 Designs of inventions-

parachutes, flying machines, etc.

Mona Lisa

Do you see any commonalities between the two????

The Last Supper

…from his sketchbook

“Michelangelo” Buonarroti

Pupil of Donatello Considered himself a sculptor

above all Worked on Sistine Chapel for

4 years Seems to be ultimate

embodiment of the achievements of his age

Each one of his works has his distinct signature on it (sense of striving)

David

Sistine Chapel

Raphael

Most famous work- “School of Athens”

For his patrons, he painted Madonnas and flattering portraits

Paintings give impression of pure relaxation

Combined religious art with a Renaissance spirit

Used perspective to create a sense of spaced and balance in his paintings

School of Athens

A Madonna

Donatello

Made free-standing statues like those of ancient Greeks and Romans

First European sculptor since ancient times to make a large, free-standing human figure in the nude

Wanted his figures to seem real and alive

Wanted to show strength and grace of human form

David

Sofonisba Anguissola

One of the 1st women to gain an international reputation as a painter

Prolific painter- 50 works to her credit

An inspiration for many young women to become painters

A Double Portrait

Rembrandt van Rijn

A Northern Renaissance Artist meaning he was a Christian Humanist

Greatest Dutch artist of the period

Works realistically captured moments of drama

Most famous group painting “The Night Watch”

Fascinated with human character

The Night Watch

William Shakespeare

Shared interest in ancient world

Master at revealing nature in all its forms- good, evil, wise, etc.

People doubt that one man could produce this amazing body of works

Thomas More

Central figure in English humanism

Implies that a society based on Christian principles can attain a greater good

Idea of “Utopia”

Niccolo Machiavelli

Served Florence (born there) as a diplomat

Tried to understand why one ruler succeeded while another failed

“The Prince” is about power- ruler might have to trick enemies and even his own people