AP World History: The Northern RenaissancePeriod 3

Europe 1500 CE

I Northern Europe during the RenaissanceA) At the time of the Renaissance (15 – 16th centuries), northern Europe was largely controlled by the Hapsburg family.B) The Hapsburg rulers in northern Europe sponsored many Italian artists, helping to spread the renaissance north. (In addition to the Gutenberg printing press!)

The Hapsburgs ruled the Holy Roman Empire for almost 4 centuries! They kept their

power by selective marriage (often within the family).

Maria Theresa, a famous Hapsburg ruler and mother of Marie

Antoinette.

II Northern Renaissance ArtA) With sponsorship from the Hapsburg family, many Italian artists moved to northern Europe. B) In Flanders (modern day northern Belgium), renaissance artists developed a new style, known as the Flemish School. The Flemish School was known for its realistic oil paintings.

Northern Renaissance Art Continued…

C) Flemish School Artists1. Jan van Eyck (1390 – 1441)His most famous painting was The Marriage of Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna Cenami, 1434.

Jan van Eyck

Details from The Marriage of Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna Cenami, 1434

Arnolfini was a wealthy merchant who lived in Bruges. Look for signs of wealth in this painting. One of the figures in the mirror may be the painter himself. The Latin sign says “Jan van Eyck was here 1434”.

Northern Renaissance Art Continued…2. Hieronymus Bosch (1415 – 1570)

The Garden of Earthly Delights, 1504Painted on a triptych (3 part altar-piece), depicting the Garden of Eden,

the fall of man, and finally, hell (a result of the fall of man).

The Garden of Earthly Delights DetailsLeft Panel

The Garden of Earthly Delights DetailsCenter Panel

The Garden of Earthly Delights DetailsRight Panel

The Garden of Earthly Delights Details Right Panel

Northern Renaissance Art Continued…3. Johannes Vermeer (1632 – 1675)

Girl with the Pearl Earring, 1665

Vermeeer, The Milkmaid, 1658

Vermeer Continued…The Astronomer, 1668

II Northern Renaissance Writers A)Desiderius Erasmus (1466 – 1536)Erasmus was a Dutch humanist and priest. He called for the Bible to be translated into the vernacular.

“[Those who] don’t want the holy scriptures read in translation by the unlearned… as if the chief strength of the Christian religion lay in people’s ignorance of it [should be scorned]”

“He who allows oppression shares the crime.”

Northern Renaissance Writers Continued…

1. English playwright who wrote about humanist themes and ideas2. Wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets and various other poems, dealing with humanist and timeless ideas3. 1599 Shakespeare & his acting company built the Globe Theatre on the banks of the Thames river

- 3 stories, open-air, sat 3000 people *The audience surrounded the stage on 3 sides

Poet Ben Jonson, a contemporary of Shakespeare said that Shakespeare “…

was not of an age, but for all time.”

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616)

Romeo & Juliet

Two households, both alike in dignity,    In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

    From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,    Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

Stratford upon Avon (Shakespeare’s House)

The Globe Theatre

III Northern Renaissance Architecture

Antwerp Town Hall, Belgium

Chambord Castle, Loire Valley, France

Chambord Castle Interior

HW Questions1. How/why did the Renaissance spread to northern

Europe?2. How did Northern Renaissance art reflect

Renaissance and humanist ideals?3. How did Erasmus and Shakespeare reflect

Renaissance and humanist ideals?4. Was the northern Renaissance different from the

Italian Renaissance? Explain your answer.

Key VocabularyHieronymus BoschChambord CastleErasmusFlandersFlemish SchoolHapsburg FamilyShakespeareThe Garden of Earthly DelightsThe Girl with the Pearl EaringThe Globe TheatreThe Marriage of Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna CenamiJan van Eyck Johannes Vermeer