THE RENAISSANCE 1300 1600 WHY DID THE RENAISSANCE

THE RENAISSANCE 1300 - 1600

WHY DID THE RENAISSANCE HAPPEN? �Christian Crusaders attempting to conquer the “Holy Land” (Jerusalem) and becoming exposed to new goods of the “far east” �Mongols invading Asia pushing populations around and forcing new trade movements

WHY DID THE RENAISSANCE FIRST HAPPEN IN ITALY? �Italian merchants were doing most of the trading with the Middle East �Italy is the first stop on the way back from the Middle East �Italy has the “leftovers” of the Roman Empire �Italy has the wealth (through trade) to sponsor art and learning

MERCHANTS �Wealthiest/powerful class & dominated politics �Wealth based on success of their business �Felt they deserved power based on achievements �Florence, Italy ruled by MEDICI family (trade/banking merchants) for 30 years �Medici family: major PATRON (supporter) of the arts

The Black Plague… �Starts in Mongolia �Carried along the Silk Road to the Middle East by merchants and travelers

The Black Plague… �Caught by Italian merchants…who fled back to Italy trying to avoid the disease, and ended up spreading it throughout Europe

How did people fight it? ? ?

The Black Plague… Impact on Europe: �Loss of population � 1/3 of Europeans die � 25 to 50 million…. about 8 million per year � Which social class was hit hardest? �Loss of faith in the church…why? �Loss of faith in feudal lords…why? �Previous serfs now able demand higher wages and freedoms less power for the wealthy

RENAISSANCE BEGINNING �Most people VERY religious, but too many suffering & dying! Started to pull away from Catholic Church �Looking to SECULAR (worldly) ideals of the here and now vs. life after death �Studied humanism

WHAT IS HUMANISM? �Study of human potential & achievement

NEW ARTISTIC TECHNIQUES �Renaissance is bringing back art & literature from Greek & Roman times known as “classical” �In Italy, now painting/sculpting SECULAR arts, NOT RELIGIOUS arts more realistic people in classical settings �Despite differences, both Renaissance and Medieval art still portray religious subjects

PERSPECTIVE � 3 Dimensional �Distant objects are smaller

SHADING �Helps objects to look more realistic; 3 -D look VS

SCULPTURES �Study of human anatomy to paint & sculpt better �More natural postures & expressions

NINJA TURTLES: DONATELLO �DONATELLO: sculptor & painter; �Revealed personality in his art �One of 1 st to do a nude statue �First bronze statue, St. Louis of Toulouse

NINJA TURTLES: LEONARDO �LEONARDO DA VINCI: painter, sculptor, inventor, & scientist a true “Renaissance Man” �Mona Lisa �The Last Supper �Vitruvian Man

NINJA TURTLES: MICHELANGELO �MICHELANGELO: sculptor & painter � Sistine Chapel � Statue of David

NINJA TURTLES: RAPHAEL �RAPHAEL studied from Michelangelo & Leonardo; painter � Madonna and Child � School of Athens

RENAISSANCE WRITERS �DESIDERIUS ERASMUS: �In Praise of Folly – said to improve society, all should study Bible �SIR THOMAS MORE: �Utopia – imaginary land inhabited by peaceful people; no use for money; means “no place”, but in English means “ideal place”; no war, greed, corruption, starvation, etc

RENAISSANCE WRITERS, PART II �WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE �Greatest playwright of all time: sonnets, plays, essays �Romeo and Juliet �Hamlet �Othello �Macbeth �Midsummer Night’s Dream �Julius Caesar �King Lear

PRINTING SPREADS RENAISSANCE IDEAS �Chinese 1 st invent block printing �JOHANN GUTENBERG: reinvents moveable type & comes up with printing press �Gutenberg Bible: first full size book printed �Came in English, French, and German VERNACULAR (own language) increased �Can produce 100’s of copies �Encouraged people to learn to read! RISE IN LITERACY & IDEAS SPREAD FASTER

NORTHERN RENAISSANCE VS. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE �Northern Europe stayed more religious; Italy became more secular and moved faster �North had more oil paintings, while south had more sculptures �Both focused on the effects of art and learning in the new age

Crash Course Video The Renaissance: http: //www. bing. com/videos/search? q=renaissance%20 video&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=renaissance%20 video&sc =8 -17&sp=1&sk=#view=detail&mid=541 A 4 FB 4 E 5 D 9 B 3 D 3 E 49 B