Download
1 / 24
E N D
Renaissance series of literary and cultural movements in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. These movements began in Italy and eventually expanded into Germany, France, England, and other parts of Europe. Participants studied the great civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome and came to the conclusion that their own cultural achievements rivaled those of antiquity. Their thinking was also influenced by the concept of humanism, which emphasizes the worth of the individual. Renaissance humanists believed it was possible to improve human society through classical education. This education relied on teachings from ancient texts and emphasized a range of disciplines, including poetry, history, rhetoric (rules for writing influential prose or speeches), and moral philosophy
renaissance means “rebirth.” The word renaissance means “rebirth.” The idea of rebirth originated in the belief that Europeans had rediscovered the superiority of Greek and Roman culture after many centuries of what they considered intellectual and cultural decline. The preceding era, which began with the collapse of the Roman Empire around the 5th century, became known as the Middle Ages to indicate its position between the classical and modern world.
A. Rediscovery of Classical Literature and Art During the Middle Ages there was a lively interest in classical literature, especially Latin and Latin translations of Greek. This attention was mostly confined to the professional activities of theologians, philosophers, and writers. In the Renaissance, however, people from various segments of society—from kings and nobles to merchants and soldiers—studied classical literature and art. Unlike the professional scholars of the Middle Ages, these people were amateurs who studied for pleasure, and their interest in art from the past was soon extended to contemporary works. Medieval art and literature tended to serve a specialized interest and purpose; Renaissance works of art and literature existed largely for their own sake, as objects of ideal beauty or learning.
B Curiosity and Objectivity The Renaissance was marked by an intense interest in the visible world and in the knowledge derived from concrete sensory experience. It turned away from the abstract speculations and interest in life after death that characterized the Middle Ages. Although Christianity was not abandoned, the otherworldliness and monastic ideology of the Middle Ages were largely discarded. The focus during the Renaissance turned from abstract discussions of religious issues to the morality of human actions
C. Individualism • In the Renaissance, the unique talents and potential of the individual became significant. The concept of personal fame was much more highly developed than during the Middle Ages. Renaissance artists, valuing glory and renown in this world, signed their works. Medieval artists, with their focus on otherworldliness and on glorifying God, were more humble and remained largely anonymous.
Topic I: Humanists took a new approach to thought and study Detail A: They displayed a critical approach to learning and sought to verify information through investigation. Detail B: They believed that it was important to understand how things worked, and therefore emphasized education. Detail C: Believed that life on Earth had a purpose, and respected individual achievement.
. Topic II: Petrarch revived interest in the work of the classical writers Detail A: Petrarch believed the best way to learn was to study the classical writers. Detail B: The study of Greek and Roman literature came to be known as classical education. Detail C: Knowledge of Greek and Latin became the mark of an educated person.
. Topic III Artists brought realism and scenes of everyday life to their work Detail A: They depicted the Italian countryside that they were familiar with. Detail B: They used a technique called perspective to make their paintings appear more lifelike.
POST-READING QUICK CHECK After you have finished reading the section, in the space provided, explain why Italy’s wealth was important to the achievements of theRenaissance.
Without the funds provided by wealthy Italian patrons, artists of the Renaissance would not have been able to create the abundance of works that they did
Niccolò Machiavelli writer who argued that rulers should pursue only power and success
Baldassare Castiglione wrote The Book of the Courtier, a book of manners
(1265-1321), Italian poet, and one of the supreme figures of world literature, who was admired for the depth of his spiritual vision and for the range of his intellectual accomplishment. artist who used science to make paintings more realistic Leonardo da Vinci
Is a 16th-century portrait painted in oil on a poplarpanel by Leonardo Da Vinci during the Italian Renaissance The painting, a half-length portrait, depicts a woman whose gaze meets the viewer's with an expression often described as enigmatic. The ambiguity of the sitter's expression, the monumentality of the half-figure composition, and the subtle modeling of forms and atmospheric illusionism were novel qualities that have contributed to the painting's continuing fascination. Mona Lisa, or La Gioconda (La Joconde)
Giotto early realist painter
Francesco Petrarch poet and teacher who believed in learning by studying classical writers
(1475-1564), Italian painter, sculptor, architect, and poet whose artistic accomplishments exerted a tremendous influence on his contemporaries and on subsequent European art. Michelangelo considered the male nude to be the foremost subject in art, and he explored its range of movement and expression in every medium. Even his architecture has a human aspect to it, in which a door, window, or support may refer to the face or body, or the position of architectural elements may suggest muscular tension. Michelangelo
The Pietà (1498–1499) by Michelangelo is a marble sculpture in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the first of a number of works of the same theme by the artist This famous work of art depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion. Pietà
Medici powerful Italian family and patrons of the arts
Isabella d’Este • In the Renaissance times a Renaissance Woman was supposed to marry well, be loyal to her husband and give birth to boys. A Renaissance Man, on the other hand, had to be well-educated, have cultural grace, be a gentleman and understand the arts and sciences. He also had to have refinement, be of noble birth and have courage. Many women did not fit the mold of what they called a "Renaissance Woman." Many of them would fit in as more of a "Renaissance Man" or what we would call a "Renaissance Woman" in our day and age.
Raphael Sanzio, usually known by his first name alone (in Italian Raffaello)[1] (April 6 or March 28, 1483 – April 6, 1520)[2] was an Italianpainter and architect of the High Renaissance, celebrated for the perfection and grace of his paintings and drawings. Together with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci he forms the traditional trinity of great masters of that period Rafael
Humanism: • In addition to the focus on art and beauty, the Renaissance was also known as an intellectual revival. The Renaissance promoted a school of thought which focused on the humanities, and centered on ancient texts. Humanism gave West the basis for the "liberal arts" education — a plan of study for well-rounded individuals.
