The European Renaissance

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The European Renaissance
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I. Beginnings

• Late Middle Ages people began to question
  popular traditions and institutions, including
  the Church
• New ideas about art, religion, and philosophy
  began to take hold
• Renaissance means rebirth, refers to a
  revival in art and learning
• Began in Italy, eventually moved north, lasted
  from 1300-1600
• Why did it begin in Italy? 3 reasons
• More urban (more cities) than rest of Europe
  more people more/better exchange of ideas

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I. continued

• Wealthy merchant class merchants and
  businessmen became as or more powerful than
  nobles
• Patrons of the arts supported artists
  financially, became a way to display wealth and
  power
• Example the Medici family of Florence, Italy
• Connection to ancient Greece and Rome
• Renaissance scholars looked to the works and
  ideas of ancient Greeks and Romans for
  inspiration

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II. New Outlook On Life

• Scholars started thinking in new ways
• Humanism an intellectual movement that focused
  on human potential and achievements
• Based on the study of classical Greek texts
• Society was becoming more secular worldly,
  rather than spiritual and concerned with the here
  and now
• The Renaissance Man/Woman
• Men should be well educated and excel in many
  different areas of learning, should be a skilled
  fighter
• Women were expected to be educated and charming.
• Inspire art, but not encouraged to create it

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III. Changes in Art Literature

• Renaissance artists continued to use religion as
  inspiration, but used realistic styles based on
  classical Greek and Roman ideas
• Developed perspective shows three dimensions on
  a flat surface
• New emphasis on the individual
• Common for wealthy and prominent citizens to have
  their portrait done by a well-known artist
• Writers began writing in the vernacular their
  native language, instead of Latin

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IV. The Renaissance Spreads North

• Northern Renaissance began in 1400s
• Began in Flanders (now part of France and
  Netherlands), quickly spread to England, France,
  Germany
• Many Italian artists/scholars left Italy because
  of war, headed north bringing their ideas with
  them
• Wealthy northern merchants and monarchs (kings
  and queens) became patrons of the arts
• Many artists and writers worked to reform society
  based on these new ideas
• Focus on education of the individual

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IV. Continued

• Moveable type used to spread ideas quickly
• 1300s, moveable type reached Europe from China
• 1440s Johann Gutenberg creates the first
  European printing press, can print whole books
  quickly and cheaply
• Bible was first book to be printed using these
  new techniques (1455)
• Books became cheap enough that almost anyone
  could buy them
• not limited to just nobility and church
  officials

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V. Impact of the Renaissance on Society

• This period of time marked many changes from the
  ideas of the early Middle Ages in both art and
  everyday life
• Some changes in society
• Printing press made information more widely
  available
• Learning and education became more commonplace
• People began to question/change traditional
  political and religious structures

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5-Minute Response

• How did the artists and thinkers of the
  Renaissance help change society as a whole?

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Perspective Renaissance vs. Medieval Art
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Spread of Renaissance Ideas