What Was Different New or Extraordinary About Art in the Renaissance?

The Renaissance was a fervent period of European cultural, creative, political and economical "rebirth" following the Middle Ages. Generally described as taking place from the 14th century to the 17th century, the Renaissance promoted the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature and art. Some of the greatest thinkers, authors, statesmen, scientists and artists in human history thrived during this era, while global exploration opened upward new lands and cultures to European commerce. The Renaissance is credited with bridging the gap between the Middle Ages and modernistic-day civilization.

From Darkness to Light: The Renaissance Begins

During the Middle Ages, a period that took place between the autumn of ancient Rome in 476 A.D. and the beginning of the 14th century, Europeans made few advances in science and fine art.

Also known as the "Dark Ages," the era is often branded as a time of war, ignorance, famine and pandemics such every bit the Black Expiry.

Some historians, withal, believe that such grim depictions of the Middle Ages were profoundly exaggerated, though many hold that there was relatively niggling regard for ancient Greek and Roman philosophies and learning at the time.

READ More: half-dozen Reasons the Night Ages Weren't And so Nighttime

Humanism

During the 14th century, a cultural motility called humanism began to proceeds momentum in Italy. Among its many principles, humanism promoted the idea that human being was the center of his own universe, and people should embrace homo achievements in teaching, classical arts, literature and science.

In 1450, the invention of the Gutenberg printing press immune for improved communication throughout Europe and for ideas to spread more quickly.

As a effect of this advance in communication, piddling-known texts from early humanist authors such as those past Francesco Petrarch and Giovanni Boccaccio, which promoted the renewal of traditional Greek and Roman civilization and values, were printed and distributed to the masses.

Additionally, many scholars believe advances in international finance and trade impacted civilization in Europe and set up the stage for the Renaissance.

Medici Family

The Renaissance started in Florence, Italia, a identify with a rich cultural history where wealthy citizens could afford to support budding artists.

Members of the powerful Medici family, which ruled Florence for more than 60 years, were famous backers of the movement.

Great Italian writers, artists, politicians and others alleged that they were participating in an intellectual and creative revolution that would be much different from what they experienced during the Nighttime Ages.

The movement first expanded to other Italian urban center-states, such as Venice, Milan, Bologna, Ferrara and Rome. Then, during the 15th century, Renaissance ideas spread from Italy to France and and so throughout western and northern Europe.

Although other European countries experienced their Renaissance later than Italy, the impacts were still revolutionary.

Renaissance Geniuses

Some of the most famous and groundbreaking Renaissance intellectuals, artists, scientists and writers include the likes of:

• Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519): Italian painter, architect, inventor and "Renaissance human" responsible for painting "The Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper.

• Desiderius Erasmus (1466–1536): Scholar from Holland who defined the humanist move in Northern Europe. Translator of the New Testament into Greek.

• Rene Descartes (1596–1650): French philosopher and mathematician regarded equally the father of modern philosophy. Famous for stating, "I call back; therefore I am."

• Galileo (1564-1642): Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer whose pioneering piece of work with telescopes enabled him to describes the moons of Jupiter and rings of Saturn. Placed under house arrest for his views of a heliocentric universe.

• Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543): Mathematician and astronomer who fabricated first modern scientific statement for the concept of a heliocentric solar system.

• Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679): English philosopher and author of "Leviathan."

• Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400): English poet and author of "The Canterbury Tales."

• Giotto (1266-1337): Italian painter and architect whose more realistic depictions of man emotions influenced generations of artists. All-time known for his frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua.

• Dante (1265–1321): Italian philosopher, poet, writer and political thinker who authored "The Divine Comedy."

• Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527): Italian diplomat and philosopher famous for writing "The Prince" and "The Discourses on Livy."

• Titian (1488–1576): Italian painter celebrated for his portraits of Pope Paul III and Charles I and his later religious and mythical paintings like "Venus and Adonis" and "Metamorphoses."

• William Tyndale (1494–1536): English language biblical translator, humanist and scholar burned at the stake for translating the Bible into English.

• William Byrd (1539/twoscore–1623): English composer known for his development of the English madrigal and his religious organ music.

• John Milton (1608–1674): English language poet and historian who wrote the ballsy verse form "Paradise Lost."

• William Shakespeare (1564–1616): England's "national poet" and the most famous playwright of all time, celebrated for his sonnets and plays like "Romeo and Juliet."

• Donatello (1386–1466): Italian sculptor celebrated for lifelike sculptures like "David," commissioned by the Medici family.

• Sandro Botticelli (1445–1510): Italian painter of "Nativity of Venus."

• Raphael (1483–1520): Italian painter who learned from da Vinci and Michelangelo. Best known for his paintings of the Madonna and "The School of Athens."

• Michelangelo (1475–1564): Italian sculptor, painter and architect who carved "David" and painted The Sistine Chapel in Rome.

Renaissance Art, Architecture and Science

Art, compages and science were closely linked during the Renaissance. In fact, it was a unique fourth dimension when these fields of study fused together seamlessly.

For instance, artists like da Vinci incorporated scientific principles, such equally beefcake into their work, so they could recreate the man body with extraordinary precision.

Architects such as Filippo Brunelleschi studied mathematics to accurately engineer and blueprint immense buildings with expansive domes.

Scientific discoveries led to major shifts in thinking: Galileo and Descartes presented a new view of astronomy and mathematics, while Copernicus proposed that the Sun, non the Earth, was the middle of the solar system.

Renaissance art was characterized by realism and naturalism. Artists strived to draw people and objects in a true-to-life way.

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They used techniques, such as perspective, shadows and calorie-free to add depth to their work. Emotion was some other quality that artists tried to infuse into their pieces.

Some of the near famous artistic works that were produced during the Renaissance include:

• The Mona Lisa (Da Vinci)
• The Final Supper (Da Vinci)
• Statue of David (Michelangelo)
• The Birth of Venus (Botticelli)
• The Creation of Adam (Michelangelo)

Renaissance Exploration

While many artists and thinkers used their talents to limited new ideas, some Europeans took to the seas to learn more well-nigh the globe around them. In a menstruation known as the Age of Discovery, several important explorations were made.

Voyagers launched expeditions to travel the entire world. They discovered new shipping routes to the Americas, Republic of india and the Far East and explorers trekked across areas that weren't fully mapped.

Famous journeys were taken past Ferdinand Magellan, Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci (later whom America is named), Marco Polo, Ponce de Leon, Vasco Núñez de Balboa, Hernando De Soto and other explorers.

READ More than: The Age of Exploration

Renaissance Faith

Humanism encouraged Europeans to question the role of the Roman Cosmic church during the Renaissance.

Every bit more people learned how to read, write and interpret ideas, they began to closely examine and critique religion equally they knew it. Besides, the printing printing allowed for texts, including the Bible, to be easily reproduced and widely read by the people, themselves, for the first time.

In the 16th century, Martin Luther, a German monk, led the Protestant Reformation – a revolutionary movement that acquired a split in the Catholic church. Luther questioned many of the practices of the church building and whether they aligned with the teachings of the Bible.

As a result, a new course of Christianity, known equally Protestantism, was created.

End of the Renaissance

Scholars believe the demise of the Renaissance was the result of several compounding factors.

By the end of the 15th century, numerous wars had plagued the Italian peninsula. Spanish, French and German language invaders contesting for Italian territories caused disruption and instability in the region.

Also, changing merchandise routes led to a menstruum of economic refuse and express the amount of money that wealthy contributors could spend on the arts.

Later, in a movement known equally the Counter-Reformation, the Catholic church censored artists and writers in response to the Protestant Reformation. Many Renaissance thinkers feared existence too assuming, which stifled creativity.

Furthermore, in 1545, the Council of Trent established the Roman Inquisition, which made humanism and any views that challenged the Catholic church an act of heresy punishable by death.

By the early 17th century, the Renaissance movement had died out, giving way to the Age of Enlightenment.

Fence Over the Renaissance

While many scholars view the Renaissance equally a unique and exciting time in European history, others argue that the period wasn't much different from the Center Ages and that both eras overlapped more traditional accounts propose.

Also, some modern historians believe that the Eye Ages had a cultural identity that'due south been downplayed throughout history and overshadowed past the Renaissance era.

While the exact timing and overall impact of the Renaissance is sometimes debated, there'southward little dispute that the events of the period ultimately led to advances that changed the mode people understood and interpreted the world effectually them.

Sources

The Renaissance, History Earth International.
The Renaissance – Why information technology Changed the World, The Telegraph.
Facts Most the Renaissance, Biography Online.
Facts About the Renaissance Period, Interestingfacts.org.
What is Humanism? International Humanist and Ethical Wedlock.
Why Did the Italian Renaissance End? Dailyhistory.org.
The Myth of the Renaissance in Europe, BBC.

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Source: https://www.history.com/topics/renaissance/renaissance

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