THE RENAISSANCETHE RENAISSANCE

European Middle Ages

Mr. Blais

1. Renaissance means ‘rebirth’

2. The Renaissance began in Italy

3. The Renaissance was a time of political, social, economic, and cultural change and creativity

1. What does the word ‘Renaissance’ mean?

2. Where, in Europe, did the Renaissance begin?

3. What is the Renaissance?

Ideas of the RenaissanceIdeas of the Renaissance• This was a time of

reawakened interest in classical learning, classical art, and Ancient Rome

• People developed new attitudes towards culture and learning.

• People changed their focus from the afterlife to the life in the here and now and developed a new emphasis on individual achievement.

Italian Beginnings Italian Beginnings • Since Italy was the center of

Roman history Italy was a natural place for this reawakening of classical learning and culture to take place.

• Italy was also divided into many separate city-states with strong guilds and wealthy merchant classes (No central King) which gave them a strong sense of independence and a lot of wealth to explore new learning opportunities.

Humanism Humanism • Humanism was an intellectual

movement of the Renaissance which focused on worldly subjects and human achievements rather than religious issues. (Very secular)

• Humanists studied the classical subjects such as literature, poetry, philosophy, and history.

• They used Greek and Roman texts as their sources of information and combined those with their own history and experiences.

Humans

VS

Religion

Renaissance Art Renaissance Art • Renaissance art reflected

humanistic ideals combined with Greek and Roman styles.

• Many Renaissance sculptures were modeled after ancient Greek and Roman designs.

• Artists also developed new techniques such as perspective, the ability to make paintings look three dimensional. (Some objects look closer than others.)

• Their studies of human anatomy also allowed for some of the most realistic paintings and sculptures people have ever seen to this point.

Francesco Petrarch Francesco Petrarch • He was an early

Renaissance humanist and a Poet (Called the father of Renaissance Humanism

• He helped assemble a library of Greek and Roman texts in order to expose others to these works.

• He also wrote poems called Sonnets to Laura.

Donatello Donatello • He was mainly a

sculptor

• He made an early statue of David (Biblical boy who would become a great king.

• This statue was the first European free standing nude sculpture since ancient times.

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo da Vinci • He was a painter,

sculptor, inventor, architect, and engineer.

• He his well known for painting the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

• He is also very well known for his sketch of the Vitruvian Man and many of these other inventive sketches. (Flying machines, parachutes, mechanical machines)

Michelangelo Michelangelo • He was a sculptor,

engineer, painter, architect, and poet.

• Some of his best known sculptures are the Pieta and his statue of David.

• He is also known for his work in the Sistine Chapel

Raphael Raphael • He was mainly a

painter.

• He is known for his painting called School of Athens.

• He is also well known for his portraits of Mary, the mother of Christ and his painting called Betrothal of the Virgin.

Filippo Brunelleschi Filippo Brunelleschi

• He was mainly an architect.

• He constructed a magnificent dome on the top of the Santa Maria Cathedral in Florence.

• He modeled it after the Pantheon in Rome.• His dome = 42 m• Pantheon = 43 m

Baldassare Castiglione Baldassare Castiglione • He was a Renaissance

writer

• His most famous book was The Book of the Courtier.

• Ideal courtier or “Renaissance Man” is well-educated, well-mannered, and has mastered many fields including poetry, music, and sports.

Niccolo Machiavelli Niccolo Machiavelli • He was a Renaissance

writer• His most famous work

was called The Prince.• He discussed real world

politics, he claimed:• That the end justifies the

means• Results were more

important than promises• Rulers should use all

necessary means to achieve their goals

Jan Van EyckJan Van Eyck

• He was a Flemish painter

• Was one of the first painters to use oil paints.

• These allowed for bright vibrant colors and the use of subtle variations in color schemes throughout the painting

Pieter BruegelPieter Bruegel• He was a Flemish

painter.

• Most famous work is a Peasant Wedding.

• Was well known for his sophisticated use of oil paint.

• Used rich color, vivid and realistic detail of each individual in his paintings

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare• He was an English

playwright

• Drew his inspiration from Greek, Roman, and English history.

• Had a deep understanding of human nature and human beings.

• Works such as Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Hamlet, Othello, etc

ErasmusErasmus• He was Dutch writer

and theologian

• Most famous work was The Praise of Folly, which attacked the corrupt Church leaders and practices.

• Believed people should study the Bible to improve society and that being a good Christian came from the heart.

Thomas MooreThomas Moore

• He was an English writer

• His most famous work was Utopia

• He described his idea of a prefect society without greed, corruption, war, or even a currency of any kind.

Johann GutenbergJohann Gutenberg• He was a German

inventor• His most famous

invention was the Printing Press

• This allowed for the quick reproduction of books

• Made books cheaper and more readily available which increased literacy and education throughout Europe