RenaissanceRenaissance

series of literary and cultural movements in the 14th, 15th, series of literary and cultural movements in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. These movements began in Italy and and 16th centuries. These movements began in Italy and eventually expanded into Germany, France, England, and eventually expanded into Germany, France, England, and other parts of Europe. Participants studied the great other parts of Europe. Participants studied the great civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome and came to the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome and came to the conclusion that their own cultural achievements rivaled conclusion that their own cultural achievements rivaled those of antiquity. Their thinking was also influenced by those of antiquity. Their thinking was also influenced by the concept of the concept of humanismhumanism ,, which emphasizes the worth which emphasizes the worth of the individual. Renaissance humanists believed it was of the individual. Renaissance humanists believed it was possible to improve human society through classical possible to improve human society through classical education. This education relied on teachings from ancient education. This education relied on teachings from ancient texts and emphasized a range of disciplines, including texts and emphasized a range of disciplines, including poetry, history, rhetoric (rules for writing influential prose or poetry, history, rhetoric (rules for writing influential prose or speeches), and moral philosophyspeeches), and moral philosophy

renaissance renaissance means “rebirth.”means “rebirth.”

The word The word renaissance renaissance means “rebirth.” The means “rebirth.” The idea of rebirth originated in the belief that idea of rebirth originated in the belief that Europeans had rediscovered the superiority Europeans had rediscovered the superiority of Greek and Roman culture after many of Greek and Roman culture after many centuries of what they considered intellectual centuries of what they considered intellectual and cultural decline. The preceding era, and cultural decline. The preceding era, which began with the collapse of the Roman which began with the collapse of the Roman Empire around the 5th century, became Empire around the 5th century, became known as the known as the Middle Ages Middle Ages to indicate its to indicate its position between the classical and modern position between the classical and modern world.world.

Characteristics of the Characteristics of the RenaissanceRenaissance

A. Rediscovery of Classical A. Rediscovery of Classical Literature and ArtLiterature and Art

During the Middle Ages there was a lively interest in During the Middle Ages there was a lively interest in classical literature, especially Latin and Latin translations classical literature, especially Latin and Latin translations of Greek. This attention was mostly confined to the of Greek. This attention was mostly confined to the professional activities of theologians, philosophers, and professional activities of theologians, philosophers, and writers. In the Renaissance, however, people from writers. In the Renaissance, however, people from various segments of society—from kings and nobles to various segments of society—from kings and nobles to merchants and soldiers—studied classical literature and merchants and soldiers—studied classical literature and art. Unlike the professional scholars of the Middle Ages, art. Unlike the professional scholars of the Middle Ages, these people were amateurs who studied for pleasure, these people were amateurs who studied for pleasure, and their interest in art from the past was soon extended and their interest in art from the past was soon extended to contemporary works. Medieval art and literature to contemporary works. Medieval art and literature tended to serve a specialized interest and purpose; tended to serve a specialized interest and purpose; Renaissance works of art and literature existed largely Renaissance works of art and literature existed largely for their own sake, as objects of ideal beauty or learning.for their own sake, as objects of ideal beauty or learning.

B B Curiosity and ObjectivityCuriosity and Objectivity The Renaissance was marked by an intense interest in The Renaissance was marked by an intense interest in

the visible world and in the knowledge derived from the visible world and in the knowledge derived from concrete sensory experience. It turned away from the concrete sensory experience. It turned away from the abstract speculations and interest in life after death that abstract speculations and interest in life after death that characterized the Middle Ages. Although Christianity was characterized the Middle Ages. Although Christianity was not abandoned, the otherworldliness and monastic not abandoned, the otherworldliness and monastic ideology of the Middle Ages were largely discarded. The ideology of the Middle Ages were largely discarded. The focus during the Renaissance turned from abstract focus during the Renaissance turned from abstract discussions of religious issues to the morality of human discussions of religious issues to the morality of human actions actions

C. IndividualismC. Individualism

In the Renaissance, the unique talents and In the Renaissance, the unique talents and potential of the individual became potential of the individual became significant. The concept of personal fame significant. The concept of personal fame was much more highly developed than was much more highly developed than during the Middle Ages. Renaissance during the Middle Ages. Renaissance artists, valuing glory and renown in this artists, valuing glory and renown in this world, signed their works. Medieval artists, world, signed their works. Medieval artists, with their focus on otherworldliness and on with their focus on otherworldliness and on glorifying God, were more humble and glorifying God, were more humble and remained largely anonymous. remained largely anonymous.

The Italian RenaissanceThe Italian Renaissance

Topic I: Humanists took a new Topic I: Humanists took a new approach to thought and studyapproach to thought and study

Detail A: They displayed a critical Detail A: They displayed a critical approach to learning and sought to verify approach to learning and sought to verify information through investigation.information through investigation.

Detail B: They believed that it was Detail B: They believed that it was important to understand how things important to understand how things worked, and therefore emphasized worked, and therefore emphasized education.education.

Detail C: Believed that life on Earth had a Detail C: Believed that life on Earth had a purpose, and respected individual purpose, and respected individual achievement.achievement.

.. Topic II: Petrarch revived Topic II: Petrarch revived interest in the work interest in the work of the of the

classical writersclassical writersDetail A: Petrarch believed the best way to Detail A: Petrarch believed the best way to

learn was to study the classical writers.learn was to study the classical writers.Detail B: The study of Greek and Roman Detail B: The study of Greek and Roman

literature came to be known as classical literature came to be known as classical education.education.

Detail C: Knowledge of Greek and Latin Detail C: Knowledge of Greek and Latin became the mark of an educated person.became the mark of an educated person.

.. Topic III Artists brought realism Topic III Artists brought realism

and scenes of everyday life to their and scenes of everyday life to their work work

Detail A: They depicted the Italian Detail A: They depicted the Italian countryside that they were familiar with.countryside that they were familiar with.

Detail B: They used a technique called Detail B: They used a technique called perspective to make their paintings appear perspective to make their paintings appear more lifelike.more lifelike.

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the section, in the the section, in the space provided, space provided, explain why Italy’s wealth was explain why Italy’s wealth was

important to the achievements of important to the achievements of thethe

Renaissance.Renaissance.

Without the funds provided by wealthy Italian patrons, artists of the Renaissance would not have been able to create the abundance of works that they did

Niccolò MachiavelliNiccolò Machiavelli

writer who argued that writer who argued that

rulers should pursuerulers should pursue

only power and successonly power and success

Baldassare CastiglioneBaldassare Castiglione

wrote wrote The Book of theThe Book of the

Courtier, a book of mannersCourtier, a book of manners

Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci

(1265-1321), Italian poet, and one of the (1265-1321), Italian poet, and one of the supreme figures of world literature, who supreme figures of world literature, who was admired for the depth of his spiritual was admired for the depth of his spiritual vision and for the range of his intellectual vision and for the range of his intellectual accomplishment. accomplishment.

artist who used science to make paintings artist who used science to make paintings more realisticmore realistic

Mona LisaMona Lisa, or , or La Gioconda (La La Gioconda (La Joconde)Joconde) Is a 16th-century Is a 16th-century portraitportrait painted in painted in oiloil on on

a a poplarpoplar panelpanel by by Leonardo Leonardo DaDa Vinci Vinci during the during the Italian RenaissanceItalian Renaissance

The painting, a half-length portrait, The painting, a half-length portrait, depicts a woman whose gaze meets the depicts a woman whose gaze meets the viewer's with an expression often viewer's with an expression often described as enigmatic.described as enigmatic.

The ambiguity of the sitter's expression, The ambiguity of the sitter's expression, the monumentality of the half-figure the monumentality of the half-figure composition, and the subtle modeling of composition, and the subtle modeling of forms and atmospheric illusionism were forms and atmospheric illusionism were novel qualities that have contributed to novel qualities that have contributed to the painting's continuing fascination.the painting's continuing fascination.

GiottoGiotto

early realist painterearly realist painter

Francesco PetrarchFrancesco Petrarch

poet and teacher whopoet and teacher who

believed in learning bybelieved in learning by

studying classical writersstudying classical writers

MichelangeloMichelangelo

((1475-1564), Italian painter, sculptor, architect, and poet 1475-1564), Italian painter, sculptor, architect, and poet whose artistic accomplishments exerted a tremendous whose artistic accomplishments exerted a tremendous influence on his contemporaries and on subsequent influence on his contemporaries and on subsequent European art. Michelangelo considered the male nude to European art. Michelangelo considered the male nude to be the foremost subject in art, and he explored its range be the foremost subject in art, and he explored its range of movement and expression in every medium. Even his of movement and expression in every medium. Even his architecture has a human aspect to it, in which a door, architecture has a human aspect to it, in which a door, window, or support may refer to the face or body, or the window, or support may refer to the face or body, or the position of architectural elements may suggest muscular position of architectural elements may suggest muscular tension. tension.

PietàPietà

The The PietàPietà ( (14981498––14991499) ) by by MichelangeloMichelangelo is a is a marble sculpturemarble sculpture in in St. Peter's BasilicaSt. Peter's Basilica in in Vatican CityVatican City, the first of a , the first of a number of works of the number of works of the same theme by the artist same theme by the artist

This famous work of art This famous work of art depicts the body of depicts the body of JesusJesus on the lap of his mother on the lap of his mother MaryMary after the after the CrucifixionCrucifixion. .

MediciMedici

powerful Italian family andpowerful Italian family and

patrons of the artspatrons of the arts

Isabella d’EsteIsabella d’Este

In the Renaissance times a Renaissance Woman was In the Renaissance times a Renaissance Woman was supposed to marry well, be loyal to her husband and supposed to marry well, be loyal to her husband and give birth to boys. A Renaissance Man, on the other give birth to boys. A Renaissance Man, on the other hand, had to be well-educated, have cultural grace, be a hand, had to be well-educated, have cultural grace, be a gentleman and understand the arts and sciences. He gentleman and understand the arts and sciences. He also had to have refinement, be of noble birth and have also had to have refinement, be of noble birth and have courage. Many women did not fit the mold of what they courage. Many women did not fit the mold of what they called a "Renaissance Woman." Many of them would fit called a "Renaissance Woman." Many of them would fit in as more of a "Renaissance Man" or what we would in as more of a "Renaissance Man" or what we would call a "Renaissance Woman" in our day and age. call a "Renaissance Woman" in our day and age.

RafaelRafael

Raphael SanzioRaphael Sanzio, usually , usually known by his first name alone known by his first name alone (in Italian (in Italian RaffaelloRaffaello))[1][1] ( (April 6April 6 or March 28, 1483 – April 6, or March 28, 1483 – April 6, 1520)[2] was an Italian painter 1520)[2] was an Italian painter and architect of the High and architect of the High Renaissance, celebrated for Renaissance, celebrated for the perfection and grace of his the perfection and grace of his paintings and drawings. paintings and drawings. Together with Michelangelo Together with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci he and Leonardo da Vinci he forms the traditional trinity of forms the traditional trinity of great masters of that period great masters of that period

HumanismHumanism::

In addition to the focus on art and beauty, In addition to the focus on art and beauty, the Renaissance was also known as an the Renaissance was also known as an intellectual revival. The Renaissance intellectual revival. The Renaissance promoted a school of thought which promoted a school of thought which focused on the humanities, and centered focused on the humanities, and centered on ancient texts. Humanism gave West on ancient texts. Humanism gave West the basis for the "liberal arts" education — the basis for the "liberal arts" education — a plan of study for well-rounded a plan of study for well-rounded individuals. individuals.