Renaissance Literature and Humanism

A series of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the European Renaissance literature lecture notes, focusing on humanism, significant figures, and important cultural phenomena.

Renaissance

A period of revival in classical learning and wisdom, marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity, typically from the 14th to the 17th century.

Humanism

An intellectual movement during the Renaissance that emphasized the importance of human values and concerns, drawing from classical texts of Greek and Roman traditions.

Vitruvian Man

A drawing by Leonardo da Vinci illustrating ideal human proportions as described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius.

Anamorphosis

A distorted projection or drawing that appears normal only when viewed from a specific angle or with a certain mirror.

Memento Mori

A Latin phrase meaning 'Remember that you will die,' used to remind individuals of the inevitability of death and the transient nature of life.

'l’uomo universale' (The Renaissance Man)

A concept reflecting a person who is well-educated and cultivated in a variety of fields, adept in both arts and sciences.

Great Chain of Being

A hierarchical structure of all matter and life, thought in medieval Christianity to have been established by God.

Eschew

To deliberately avoid or abstain from something.

Affectation

An ostentatious display of a quality, often seen as artificial or exaggerated.

Sprezzatura

A term used to describe a nonchalant, effortless grace in performing actions, especially in social situations.

'studia humanitatis'

Humanistic studies involving the education in classical texts and languages which form the foundation of liberal arts.

Colonization

The act of establishing control over a foreign territory and its people, often justified by claims of 'civilizing' or 'improving' those lands.

Petrarch

An Italian scholar and poet of the 14th century, often considered the father of Humanism and a key figure in the early Renaissance.

Council of Trent

A major ecumenical council of the Catholic Church that addressed issues of Church reform and doctrine during the Protestant Reformation.

Print Revolution

The period following the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century, which drastically changed the dissemination of information.

Martin Luther

A German theologian whose 95 Theses sparked the Protestant Reformation and challenged the Catholic Church's practices.