1

The

Renaissance

The Renaissance was a time of renewed interest in learning and culture.

It was a “rebirth” of ideals of the Roman and Greek cultures.

The Renaissance took place in Europe between 1350 and 1550.

What is the Renaissance?

The influence of the Greeks can be seen in this Renaissance painting, School Of Athens, by Raphael. It shows famous Renaissance men such as Leonardo da Vinci with famous Greek scholars such as Aristotle and Plato.

The Milan Cathedral

Renaissance Defined The Renaissance

began when merchants in Italy became wealthy from international trade.

They financed the arts, literature, architecture, and culture.

City-states began competing to make each of their cities the most famous.

The The RenaissanceRenaissance brought many changes to Europe: brought many changes to Europe:People moved from the countryside to People moved from the countryside to townstowns..

The Middle Ages was dominated by religious beliefs and fears The Middle Ages was dominated by religious beliefs and fears of eternal punishment. of eternal punishment. Renaissance was a more worldly ageRenaissance was a more worldly age

Middle Ages – church dominated artMiddle Ages – church dominated artRenaissance – art focused on nature and humansRenaissance – art focused on nature and humans

Middle Ages – learning focused on religion & the relationship Middle Ages – learning focused on religion & the relationship between man and Godbetween man and GodRenaissance – Greek and Roman classicsRenaissance – Greek and Roman classics

The Silk Road reopened in the 1200s when the Mongols took control of China. Kublai Khan reopened the Silk

Road and made it safe for travel and trade.

How did trade expand?

By the 1300s, the Italian city-states had become major trading centers.

The Silk Road

Expansion of Trade

Humanism Literature

The LastJudgment, byMichelangelo

Petrarch Shakespeare CervantesReturn to elements ofGreek and Roman architecture

DanteAlighieri

Romeo andJuliet

DonQuixote

The Duomodesigned by Brunelleschi

TheDivineComedy

Architecture

Recoveredclassical texts,translated theminto Italian

Columns, pillars, arches, domes, niches

Dante and The Divine Comedy, by Michelangelo

Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci

The Last Supper, by Leonardo da Vinci

Painting

Renaissance

MichelangeloLeonardoda Vinci Raphael

SistineChapel

MonaLisa,LastSupper

Linearperspective

Marco Polo returned home to Venice in 1295. He wrote a book that inspired many traders to travel to

Asia.

Expansion of Trade

Marco Polo spent Marco Polo spent almost 20 years almost 20 years traveling in Asiatraveling in Asia with his family.with his family.

He worked for Kublai Khan for 17 years as a minor government official in China.

In 1295 the Polo family returned home from China and settled in Venice.

Marco Polo

Top: portrait of Marco Polo

Left: Kublai Khan

Statue of Marco Polo in Hangzchou, China

Later Marco Polo was taken prisoner in a minor naval battle between Venice and Genoa. He spent several months in prison in 1298 dictating a book of his travels to a fellow prisoner.

Marco Polo

The book was titled The book was titled ll Milione,ll Milione, The Million.The Million. It told of the wealth and riches PoloIt told of the wealth and riches Polo had seen in China.had seen in China. ll Milione was instantly successful, in a time before the invention of the printing press.

Travels of Marco Polo: Left: The Polo family leaving Constantinople in 1259 for China.Middle: A Polo family meeting with Kublai Khan. Right: Marco’s father and uncle take a letter to the Pope at Kublai Khan’s request.

Marco Polo

A page fromIl Milione.

What did Renaissance emphasis?What did Renaissance emphasis?

importance of the individualimportance of the individual individual wealth and power demonstrated individual wealth and power demonstrated

by Machiavelli’s The Prince which by Machiavelli’s The Prince which encourages rulers to use any means to encourages rulers to use any means to protect their powerprotect their power

One of the most significant ideas of the the Renaissance was humanism.

Humanism was an intellectual movement that started in Florence.

Humanism taught that man was the centerHumanism taught that man was the center of the universe and that he had dignity and of the universe and that he had dignity and value.value.

Humanism focused on individual worthHumanism focused on individual worth.

It changed European people’s view of the world.

Famous humanists

Petrarch

Erasmus

DanteAlighieri

What is Humanism?

Famous humanists

Petrarch

Erasmus

DanteAlighieri

Humanism Religion and the afterlife were still

important, but the humanists felt that life on earth was also important.

The humanists felt that man had dignity The humanists felt that man had dignity and worth and could achieve anythingand worth and could achieve anything.

The humanists stressed that life on earth was meaningful and important.

Humanism was based on the teachings of Humanism was based on the teachings of the Greek philosopher Plato and the Romanthe Greek philosopher Plato and the Roman statesman Cicerostatesman Cicero.

Humanism Masaccio's paintings are considered to be the earliest

expressions of humanism in the arts. Below: Masaccio’s The Tribute Money

Humanism

Petrarch was a scholar and and poet who was responsible for the recovery of manuscripts and works of Greek and Roman writers.

He traveled throughout Europe recovering manuscripts of Cicero and other Roman authors that had been lost in monastery libraries.

Petrarch, like other writers of the time, wrote in Latin.

Francesco Petrarch

Petrarch:“Father of Humanism”

HumanismHumanism

••3 main Greek & Roman ideas3 main Greek & Roman ideas::

••Improvement through study and Improvement through study and reflection reflection

••Commitment to public serviceCommitment to public service

••Life long learning (Well - Rounded)Life long learning (Well - Rounded)

educationeducation Italy- mid 1300s, Italy- mid 1300s, humanist teachershumanist teachers replace clergyreplace clergy

source of education.source of education. people began to write in their people began to write in their own languagesown languages, ,

literary works became availableliterary works became available to the to the massesmasses people wanted to be a “Renaissance man”, people wanted to be a “Renaissance man”,

completely skilled in all areascompletely skilled in all areas know Greek and Latin writingsknow Greek and Latin writings be physically fitbe physically fit

horseback and with a sword (especially men); horseback and with a sword (especially men); be able to dance, play an instrument or sing, be able to dance, play an instrument or sing,

and write poetry. and write poetry. limited, as were most benefits of the Renaissance, to limited, as were most benefits of the Renaissance, to

the upper classthe upper class

printing pressprinting press

vehicle of the Renaissancevehicle of the Renaissance movable type introduced, along with movable type introduced, along with

paper, from China via Moorish Spainpaper, from China via Moorish Spain Bible first book published in Europe by Bible first book published in Europe by

Johann GutenbergJohann Gutenberg Italian books published and sent to Italian books published and sent to

northern Europe which spread northern Europe which spread Renaissance out of ItalyRenaissance out of Italy