Reformation and Renaissance in Northern Europe The Northern

Reformation and Renaissance in Northern Europe

The Northern Renaissance Kings, Commerce and Columbus Northern Renaissance Courts: Francis I of France and Leonardo da Vinci; Henry VIII of England Hans Holbein Francis I’s Chateau de Chambord

The Reformation Martin Luther: 1483 -1546. 95 Theses or complaints against the Church. Reformation: split Western Christianity into the Catholic Church and the Protestant faiths. Appealed to Germans who disliked the Church’s taxes

Luther’s Challenge: 1520 “Only scripture, only grace, only faith”: rejecting Catholic doctrine not biblically based. Salvation only through grace, not works Individual’s direct connection to God without priests’ intercession Pope Leo ignored Luther When threatened with excommunication, Luther burned the document

The Appeal of the Reformation Peasants’ revolts bloodily put down by German rulers with Luther’s blessings Faith accessible to common believer Luther translated the New Testament into German Hymns in German, not Latin Simple worship

The Protestant Ethic Paradox: Merchants became rich yet condemned rich popes Wealth: sign of God’s “elect” for Calvinists. Work and wealth; no pleasure-seeking activities

Calvinism John Calvin (1509 -64) Swiss Forced to leave Catholic France Predestination: God determines who will gain salvation. Hard work and wealth: signs of election No dancing, drinking, dissent: “Blue laws” Rigid and intolerant social discipline

Calvinism The religion for which they sacrificed so much was a severe one. Calvinism frowned upon 'dancing, dicing, cards and indecent songs. ' Calvin's 'Blue Laws' required the host of a French public inn to keep a Bible on the premises should anyone wish to read it and his customers were to be put out promptly at nine o'clock at night.

The Elizabethan Age The Reformation in England: Henry VIII requested divorce from his wife Catherine of Aragon; pope did not agree; Henry broke away from Church and founded Anglican Church. Anglican faith prevailed under Elizabeth I Repressed Puritans (Calvinists) who came to America

Religions in Europe after the Reformation Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, southern Germany, Austria, Hungary: Catholic Northern Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Scandinavia: Protestant England, Scotland, Wales: Anglican Ireland: Catholic

Northern Renaissance Art Intense visual realism--Jan van Eyck: jewel-like detail and vivid colors Oil on wood: better to reflect light than fresco Altarpiece of Ghent; Marriage of Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna Cenami ( symbols: dog, fidelity, candle, light of Christ, fruit, fertility, mirror reflects artist) Mastery of light, color and pictorial space

Faith and Humanism in the Northern Arts Matthias Grunewald’s Crucifixion : Bubonic plague Durer : Self- Portrait Pieter Bruegel : Painter of country Life: The Parable of the Blind, The Hunter’s Return Genre paintings: scenes of daily life

Humanism in the North Erasmus: satire; opposed Luther’s views Montaigne: essays Thomas More: Utopia

Theater in Elizabethan Age Theater above all arts 1576: Theater of London, later Globe Shakespeare: Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello and King Lear. Psychological epics Blank verse: five stressed poetic line or pentameter Hamlet

Palestrina and the Counter. Reformation Catholic reaction against the Reformation: Council of Trent Palestrina: attuned to the changes in the Church, who returned to religious conservative music Purification of music; music based on plainchant

Renaissance Theater in Italy From three to five acts; realistic Staging design and machinery; backdrops Palladio’s Teatro Olimpico Camerata: revived Greek tragedies and incorporated Gabrieli’s music: opera was born! Commedia dell’arte: comic theater with invented dialogue

Camerata Fiorentina Opera started in Florence at the end of the XVI century by a group called Camerata fiorentina (literally, those who met in a chamber), comprised of artists, musicians and writers of the time. The very first opera seems to be the Euridice by Rinuccini and Peri, first performed on the 6 th of October 1600 to compliment Maria de Medici who was getting married to Henry V, King of France.

Venetian Music Gabrieli: instruments that doubled choral voices: soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass The different vocal parts united in a final chord or cadences, which provided finality or resolution to the piece End of polyphony and Renaissance music

Palladio, Architect of Venice Andrea Palladio: Country estates, classical styles that influenced architects into 19 th century Villa Rotonda Textbook for architects for two centuries

Late Renaissance Painting Venetians preferred oil paint; more durable than fresco in humidity of Venice Veronese’s Marriage at Cana Giorgione’s The Tempest (mystery) Titian’s Bacchus and Ariadne Parmigianino’s Madonna with the Long Neck

Mannerism Exaggeration, distortion and expressiveness in an elegant and inventive play on Renaissance style Tintoretto’s Last Supper Michelangelo’s Rondanini Pieta