The Renaissance What was the Renaissance Means Rebirth

The Renaissance

What was the Renaissance? • Means “Rebirth” • Rebirth of. . . – Culture – Art – Science – Ideas & Learning Marked by a renewed interest in Greek and Roman literature and life. • Begins in the 1300 s.

Question: What brought about the Renaissance? The Black Death and the Crusades

Florence, Venice, & Genoa (important Italian Renaissance cities) • Were initially independent city-states governed as republics. • Had access to trade routes connecting Europe with Middle Eastern Markets. • Served as trading centers for the distribution of goods to northern Europe

Humanism • Study of humans and humanity • Celebrated the individual • Stimulated the study of Greek and Roman literature and culture • Was supported by wealthy patrons (people who supported artists and writers)

How did the arts and literature of the Renaissance differ from those of the Middle Ages? • Medieval art and literature focus--the Church and salvation • Renaissance art and literature focus-individuals & worldly matters, along with Christianity.

Perspective • Renaissance artists begin to use linear perspective

Artistic and literary creativity: • Leonardo da Vinci • True Renaissance man: Architect, engineer, painter, sculptor, scientist Mona Lisa http: //www. ibiblio. org/wm/paint/auth/vinci/joconde/

Da Vinci’s The Last Supper http: //www. cicsworld. org/blogs/jngant/909 -Last-Supper-Large. jpg

Artistic and literary creativity: • Michelangelo • Painter and Sculptor • Helped design St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome • Sculptor—ex. David • Painted frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel http: //mv. vatican. va/3_EN/pages/CSN_Main. html

St. Peter’s Basilica Sacred Destinations www. sacred-destinations. com

Michelangelo’s David http: //www. bluffton. edu/~sullivanm/micheldavid/david. html

Artistic and literary creativity: • Petrarch—sonnets • Humanist http: //www. themiddleages. net/people/petrarch. html

Machiavelli’s The Prince • Early modern treatise on government • Supported absolute power of the ruler • Maintains that the end justifies the means • Advises--one should do good if possible, but do evil when necessary http: //www. esoteric. msu. edu/Volume. VII/Images/machiavelli. jpg

Northern Renaissance • Growing wealth in Northern Europe supported Renaissance ideas. • Northern Renaissance thinkers merged humanist ideas with Christianity.

Johannes Gutenberg • The movable type printing press and the production and sale of books helped spread ideas.

Gutenberg’s Bible http: //molcat 1. bl. uk/treasures/gutenberg/record. asp

Northern Renaissance Writers Desiderius Erasmus 1466 -1536 Dutch Humanist Wrote The Praise of Folly (1511)—poked fun at the Church and the State Good friends w/ Sir Thomas More http: //www. historyguide. org/intellect/erasmus. html

Northern Renaissance Writers • Sonnets • Plays • Essays

Northern Renaissance Writers Sir Thomas More 1478 -1535 London, England Chancellor to Henry VIII (executed by Henry VIII) Christian Humanist Wrote Utopia (1516) Model for a perfect society http: //www. law. umkc. edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/more 1530. jpg

Northern Renaissance Artists • Portrayed religious and secular (nonreligious) subjects. Flemish School Jan van Eyck (1395 – 1441) The Virgin and Chancellor Rolin, 1435

Northern Renaissance Artists • Albrecht Dürer (German 1471 -1528) • Famous for copper engravings and wood cuts The Last Supper woodcut, 1510