Renaissance meaning
rebirth
What is the Renaissance?
revival of Greek and Roman culture and creativity during the 1400-1500s
Where did the Renaissance start?
Italy
What caused the renaissance?
Trade with the Middle East caused city-states, and wealthy merchants, easy access to Greek and Roman culture
Patrons
wealthy merchants who spend money on art
Michelangelo
Renaissance artist painted the Sistine Chapel and carved the Statue of David
Leonardo da Vinci
Renaissance man, artist, inventor, writer, mathematician, painted the Mona Lisa and Last Supper
Durer
painter who brought the Italian Renaissance to Germany and drew the Rhino
Raphael
Renaissance artist known for perspective, the Madonna and Child, School of Athens and the Marriage of the Virgin
Shakespeare
Northern Renaissance playwright, author of Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, MacBeth
Erasmus
Christian humanist author of The Praise of Folly, making fun of merchants, priests and scholars
Sir Thomas More
Christian humanist author of Utopia, an ideal place
Machiavelli
Renaissance author of The Prince, a guide book for princes to be effective rulers
Humanism
emphasis on the importance of the individual, study the humanities (history, philosophy, literature)
Secular
non-religious, worldly
Printing Press
invented by Gutenberg, printed books faster than they could be handwritten
Gutenberg
inventor of the printing press
Effects of the printing press
faster and cheaper books = more books = more literacy and reading = more knowledge and being able to make own interpretations
Effects of the Renaissance
leads to questioning the Church and the world around us, and exploring the world around us
Differences between Middle Ages and Renaissance
movement away from the Church, focus on the individual, time to be creative, more wealth, city states form
Italian art characteristics
Greek and roman clothes, realistic bodies, more emotion shown, subtle colors, used geometry and perspective, focus on individuals more than setting
Northern renaissance art characteristics
Drastic color from oil paints, lots of detail, focus on surroundings and detailed surroundings, less emotion, less perspective
Donatello
(1386-1466) Sculptor. Probably exerted greatest influence of any Florentine artist before Michelangelo. His statues expressed an appreciation of the incredible variety of human nature.
Van Eyck
Flemish painter who was a founder of the Flemish school of painting and who pioneered modern techniques of oil painting (1390-1441)
Christian Humanism
A branch of humanism associated with northern Europe. Like their Italian counterparts, the Christian humanists closely studied classical texts. However, they also sought to give humanism a specifically Christian content. Christian humanists like Erasmus w
Petrarch
(1304-1374) Father of the Renaissance. He believed the first two centuries of the Roman Empire to represent the peak in the development of human civilization.
Castiglione
wrote The Courtier, sought to fashion the young gentleman into the courtly ideal, trained in physical, spiritual, intellectual and artistic pursuits
Miguel de Cervantes
Spanish writer best remembered for 'Don Quixote' which satirizes chivalry and influenced the development of the novel form
Medici Family
powerful banking family who ruled Florence in the 1400s, patrons of the arts
Book of the Courtier
Written by Castiglione, this was a practical guide for the nobility at the court of Urbino. It embodies the highest ideals of Italian humanism: knowledge of languages and history, athleticism, military skills, musical skills, and chivalry.
Renaissance Man
someone who excels in many areas, including arts, academics, athletics, etc.