RENAISSANCE – “REBIRTH”

A period of great intellectual and artistic creativity

IntroductionThe Renaissance is often considered one of the great “turning points” in the history of Western Civilization.

It featured a new interest in learning about the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome.

The Big Questions:What was the Renaissance and why did it happen?

What were some of the new ways of thinking during the Renaissance?

Who were some of the key people and contributions of the Renaissance?

Background – The Renaissance began in ItalyLocation – centrally located in the Mediterranean Sea region

As trade increased, Italian cities became centers of banking, commerce, and industry

Merchants and nobles acted as patrons◦Supported artists, writers, and scholars◦Powerful leaders (because no single ruler had united the Italian peninsula)

Characteristics of the RenaissanceSecularism (non-religious) – increased as

people began to show greater interest in this world rather than the “here after”

Reason – used observation and experience to explain the world rather than Christian teachings

Humanism – emphasized dignity, worth, and uniqueness of individuals. (man is the focus of all things)

Christian Humanism – a movement in northern Europe that promoted reason through Christian teachings

Impacts of the RenaissanceArtistic IntellectualPoliticalEconomicScience and Technology

ARTISTIC:Art before the Renaissance was

greatly influenced by Byzantine styles◦Highly decorative◦Flat and not life-like◦Figures floated in space without

shadows◦Sized of figures were based on

importance, not where it was placed in the picture

Renaissance art featured new depth, dimension, and perspective

Painting and SculptureEarly Renaissance Artists

◦Giotto (1267-1337) – used scenes with figures in lifelike space, realistic shading, showed emotion and gestures, and figures receding in space grew smaller

◦Massacio (1401-1428) – used perspective (guidelines to calculate how things recede in the distance) and other realistic effects

Masters of the “High Renaissance”Leonardo Da VinciMichaelangeloRafaelDonatello

AKA: NINJA TURTLES

Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)

The epitome of the “Renaissance Man”

Painter, sculptor, inventor, scientist◦Dissected human bodies◦Kept a notebook of designs (machine

gun, helicopter, etc.)◦Last Supper, Mona Lisa

Michaelangelo (1475-1564)

Sculptor and artistPaintings and statues were

startlingly realisticDavid, Pieta, ceiling of the Sistine

Chapel

Rafael Donatello

ArchitectureStudied ruins of buildings from

ancient RomeAbandoned Medieval styles

(pointed arches, ornamentation)

Used columns and circular arches of the classical period

Demonstrated technical achievements of applying reason

One of the most famous architects was Filippo Brunelleschi

Intellectual ImpactScholarship and Literature

◦Petrarch – the “Father of Humanism”: collected and studied ancient texts

◦Erasmus – questioned the Church and used satire to criticise

◦More authors wrote on secular (non-religious) subjects Boccaccio wrote in the Italian vernacular

(local language, not Latin) Rabelais (French), William Shakespeare

(England), and Cervantes (Spain) also wrote in their native languages

Writers described the dignity of man, pleasures of the senses, and instructed nobles in how to behave at court

Intellectual Impact continued...

Science and Technology Copernicus – a polish scientist,

concluded that the Earth orbited the sun. His work was banned by the Church (Church taught that Earth was the center of the universe)

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) – Italian scientist, studied motion and laid the foundation for modern physics. Observed the heavenly bodies with one of the first telescopes and wrote about his belief in Copernicus’ theory. Was charged by the Catholic Church, ordered to appear before the Inquisition in Rome, was found guilty and confined to his home

Gutenberg and the printing revolution

Johann Gutenberg (German printer)◦Developed a printing press with moveable type

◦Moveable type, a special press, and oil-based inks allowed the mass production of printed books

◦Encouraged the spread of new ideas

◦Increased literacy

Political ImpactMachiavelli – a courtier and politician in

Florence◦Wrote “The Prince” – a guidebook in how to

secure and maintain political power◦Argued that the most successful rulers were not

those who acted according to laws or conscience, but those who were willing to do whatever was necessary to hold power (the end justifies the means)

Wealthy Italian city-states, weakening of the Church, and reasoning of writers led to the concept of “reason of state”

Rulers collected taxes, raised armies, hired professional soldiers, and exchanged ambassadors

Economic ImpactPeople wanted to improve their

material conditionsWealthy accumulated luxury

goodsIncreased trade in a greater

variety of products (clothes, foods, wines, and furnishings)

Continued growth of cities

LEFT SIDE ACTIVITYPretend you are an Italian Doge

(noble leader of a city-state). You are wanting to become a patron.

Create an advertisement seeking an artist, architect, etc. to work for your family. Be specific about what you want this person (or people) to accomplish.