The European Renaissance…Chapter 17 Section 1 1350- mid 16th century
Causes of the Renaissance
During the Late middle ages, Europe
suffered from both war and plague.
Those who survived need something
to live for, to make them happy again.
They wanted to celebrate the life and
the human spirit
Also following the crusades, trade
opened back up through the
Mediterranean Sea
European Renaissance (1300-1600s): Renaissance means “rebirth”,
rebirth of ideas and culture reminiscent of Greece & Rome
Started in Italy
Why Italy?1. Thriving cities
2. A wealthy merchant class
3. Classical heritage of
Greece and Rome
Florence, Italy main Italian city-state where
Renaissance began (think
Hollywood, CA)
Became wealthiest city-state
due to wool production in the
1300’s
Had a republic form of
government Renaissance ideas spread from
Italy to other European locations
Crusades re-opened up trade in
the Mediterranean Sea
Renaissance…Political Importance:
Florence was an independent city-state with a republican form of government. The
republic was controlled by wealthy merchants and artisans making it an ideal place to
do business.
-ex: The Medici Family-The development of the financial institutions of Florence
was orchestrated by the Medici family who established a bank in Florence with
branches in Flanders, London and other cities of Italy. The Medici bank made
major advances in financial services including checking accounts and lending.
Economic Importance:
Guilds regulated trade and manufacturing to ensure economic benefit and limited
risk for members.
-The vast wealth held by the residents of Florence funded major cultural
developments in art and architecture.
-traded w/ Byzantine & Islamic Empires, England & the Netherlands
Renaissance…Social Importance:
time of recovery from Black Plague & political instability
Italian thinkers emphasized humanism
Humanism: focus on importance of the individual & positive human qualities
The Renaissance put more emphasis on the work and worth of the individual
“Renaissance Man” During this period Renaissance writers introduced the idea
that all educated people were expected to create art. In fact, the individual should strive to excel in almost every area of study.
Someone who excels in multiple fields/ has many talents is considered a ‘Renaissance Man’
He should be charming, witty, and well educated in the classics. He should dance, sing, play music, and write poetry. In addition he should be a skilled rider, wrestler, and swordsman!
Modern Day examples
Will Smith
Justin Timberlake
Who else can you think of ?
To Sum it Up:
The Renaissance Started for these reasons
Increased trade with Asia and other regions
Growth of large, wealthy city-states in Italy
Renewed interest in the classical learning of ancient
Greece and Rome
Rise of rich and powerful merchants, who became
patrons of the arts
Increased desire for scientific and technical knowledge
Desire to beautify cities
What helped spread these ideas?A German blacksmith by
the name of Johannes
Gutenburg introduced
movable-type printing to
Europe.
Effects:
• It played a key role in the
expansion of written
works during the age of
the Renaissance
• increased an interest in
learning to read.
• Made books more
affordable
Heroes in a Half Shell
When you think Renaissance artists think
of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,
because they were named after them.
Michelangelo
Donatello
Leonardo
Raphael
They were sculptors, poets, architects and
painters
Medieval art
During the Medieval period sculpture and painting were considered the work of
tradesman.
Most of the work was commissioned by the church and was limited to the
depiction of scenes from the bible. Most was considered elementary and simple.
Renaissance Art
School of Athens painted by Raphael
Madonna in a Meadow- Raphael
St. John the Baptist- da Vinci
Focuses of Renaissance Art
Classical- found inspiration in the Greek and Roman
use of realism
Religion- images of infant Jesus with mother Mary-
known as Madonna (medieval Italian for ‘My
Lady’); shows importance of religion during the
Renaissance
The individual- time of selfies portrayed the
importance of individuals not just kings and Jesus
and conveyed the beauty of human emotions
Beauty- detailed designs, scenery, shading, use of
light and shadows
Donatello Made sculptor more realistic by
carving natural postures and
expressions that reveal personality.
Considered the greatest
sculptor before Michelangelo
RaphaelYounger than Michelangelo and Leonardo
Famous for his use of perspective-shows
3 dimensions on a flat surface
Leonardo da Vinci
Original “Renaissance Man”
Expert in painting, sculpting,
engineering, physics, anatomy, etc.
Interested in how things worked
He studied the human body and how it
works and then incorporated his
findings into his art.
Thought of many inventions that
couldn’t actually be built until the 20th
century
Leonardo da Vinci…
Most famous works of art:
Mona Lisa The Last Supper
The
Vitruvian
Man
Michelangelo
Renaissance artist
Best known for idealized
paintings & sculptures of the
human form
Created human images to reflect
the “divine beauty of God”
The Sistine
Chapel
David
Sistine Chapel
Official residence of the Pope in Vatican City
Michelangelo painted 12,000 sq. feet of the chapel ceiling from 1508-1512
Originally the ceiling was painted blue with gold stars
Michelangelo was originally intimidated by the whole thing and preferred to decline- he considered himself more of a sculptor than a painter
It took Michelangelo 4
years to complete the
Sistine Chapel
I've already grown a goiter (swelling in the neck)
from this torture,
hunched up here like a cat in Lombardy
(or anywhere else where the stagnant
water's poison).
My stomach's squashed under my chin,
my beard's pointing at heaven, my
brain's crushed in a casket, my breast
twists like a harpy's. My brush,above
me all the time, dribbles paint so my
face makes a fine floor for droppings!
My haunches are grinding into my guts,
my poor ass strains to work as a
counterweight, every gesture I make is
blind and aimless.
My skin hangs loose below me, my
spine's all knotted from folding over
itself. I'm bent taut as a Syrian bow.
Because I'm stuck like this, my
thoughts are crazy, perfidious tripe:
anyone shoots badly through a
crooked blowpipe.
My painting is dead.
Defend it for me, Giovanni, protect my
honor.
I am not in the right place—I am not a
painter.
-Michelangelo to a friend 1509
Some theorists think the scene also
contains the unmistakable outline of a
human brain, formed by the angels and
robes surrounding God.
They believe that Michelangelo meant to
evoke God’s bestowal of intelligence on
the first human.
Review Time
1. How did Italy’s cities help make it the
birthplace of the Renaissance?
2. What does it mean to be a “Renaissance
man”?
3. What are the main characteristics of
Humanism?
4. Give me one cause of the Renaissance.
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