The Renaissance

Renaissance

“rebirth”; from 1300s to 1500s

Attitudes:

• People want to make own era 

  • New era = rebirth 

• Emphasis on individual goals 

  • Wanted other human experiences 

Values:

• Monks + scholars = classical heritage 

• Latin language survived in church 

• Medieval scholars (Euclid = math; Ptolemy = astronomy; Aristotle)

Causes of the time period

the cause was…

• the plague

  • trying to rebuild themselves

Old Order

the time when the church was in full power

Greco-Roman culture

• philosophy

• education

• arches + domes

• architecture

Patron

 a financial supporter

Significance: Lorenzo (grandson of Cosmo; a politician; held Florence together)was this which helped support people that enjoyed art

The Medici Family

• family of Florence organize banking business

  • Extended to wool manufacture +  mining  

  • Richest merchants/ bankers 

  • Money = cultural + political power 

    • Cosmo de’ Medici 

      • Control Florence govt + was a uncrowned ruler 

Florence

• Symbolize energy of Italian renaissance 

• Had lots of poets, artists, architects scholars, + scientists

• in the middle of trade between the east and west which allowed them to have money and people started to promote capitalism.

Humanism

A lifestyle that focuses on worldly subjects rather than on the religious issues; believed = using wisdom from ancestors to increase their knowledge of times

Humanities

the subjects taught in ancient Greek and Roman Schools; studies = grammar, poetry, history on Greek + roman texts; asked lots of questions;

Secularism

a movement towards the separation of religion and government, often termed the separation of church and state.

Perspective

•  making distant objects smaller than closer objects = view painting 3-dimensional 

  • Used shading = make objects real 

  • Studied human anatomy = wanted to portray the human body accurately 

• linear perspective - you don’t see the lines but they are the to draw your attention to a specific part of the painting 

Chiarascuro

Strong contrast between light & dark forces the eye to a certain place

Sfumato

• Subtle blending or smokiness used to transition between light to dark 

• Makes images more realistic

Francesco Petrarch

“The Father of Humanism” 

• Wrote sonnets to Laura (love poems inspired by a woman from a distance)

• 1300s Florentine- An early Renaissance humanist 

• Assembled a library of Greek and Roman manuscripts 

• Developments and writing influence later writers

Pieter Bruegel

A famous painter in the Northern Renaissance; valued realism and detail in people; would paint peasant daily life such as weddings, dances, and harvest; used rich colors + balance in the space —> sense of life and feeling

Leonardo da Vinci

• Mono lisa + Last supper

  • portrayed the apostles (one person not reacting + the others in distress)

  • depicted the apostles in reacting as real people

• The quintessential “Renaissance Man”

  • Music, art, architecture, engineering, inventor 

• Freshness & realism emphasized in his work

• Studied & emphasized the human body

Michelangelo

Painter, architect, engineer, poet, etc.

• created: statue of David:

  • Before sculpting

    • studied anatomy by dissecting human corpses

  •  non-religious

• the Sistine chapel

• la pieta (the pity)

Baldassare Castiglione

• Discusses the ideal man and woman; humanism

• The Book of the Courtier - describes the manners, skills learning that a person at the court should have

Machiavelli

florentine diplomat(works and travels for rulers) with experience in observing rulers; was attacked giving “cruel advice”

Features of Northern Renaissance art

Details, realism > idealism; Greater focus on religion than the Italian Renaissance;

Vernacular

language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region.

Shakespeare

he revolutionizes communication in the English language, invented 1700 words; wrote poems and plays; valued English language + wanted to understand human beings

Miguel de Cervantes

A famous author; wrote Don Quixote —> a poor Spanish nobleman who went crazy after reading too many books on knights; book may be idealistic of a person or he was making fun of chivalry

Johann Gutenberg

German; used metal letters instead of wood + redesigned wine press = printing press; first book completed was the Latin bible named, Gutenberg Bible; printed more books=replacing the hand-copied manuscripts + printing writings of Greek and Roman authors = inspired classical learning; Religious texts printed;

Erasmus

wanted a major change for the church; made big request —> wants the Bible to be printed in the vernacular (thought this would improve society)

Utopia

the idea of a perfect and ideal society; Thomas More fixes society with book his idea —> no money needed, no idea of property, no laws are needed)

Effects of the Renaissance

• manufacture increase

• books printed

• Education increase

• More art —> realism + humanism

Which factors were responsible for causing the Renaissance?

• increase in trade

Why did the Renaissance emerge in the Italian city-states?

• center of Roman empire 

• Survived through middle ages 

• many cities (Milan, Florence, Venice) for trade + manufacturing

• Home of the renaissance is in Florence; wealthy merchants bc lots of trade is happening; Italian city states have rich historical items; humanism

What were the features of the Renaissance?

What themes and techniques did the Renaissance writers and artists explore?

Renaissance artist explored:

• realism

• Religion

• Humanism

How are aspects of the Renaissance reflected in art/literature of the day?

The acts of the Renaissance were reflected on art by

• Art becoming more personal than religeous —> a change in perspective of wanting personal gain

  • Books about stories

What impact did the printing press have on Europe and the world?

This invention allows…

• allowed literature

• Curiosity

• Leads to manufacturing era

What were the contributions of the writers and artists in the Northern Renaissance?

Which change that occurred during the Renaissance was the greatest break with society of the Middle Ages? (A Revival of Europe, A focus on the non-religious, or A emphasis on the individual)

How did the Renaissance change European culture and society?

Raphel

• Learns from Michelangelo & Da Vinci

• Combines Christian & classical styles

created: Transfiguration + school of Athens

The Bubonic Plague

a disease that was transmitted from fleas on rats; killed lots of people

The Plague’s Origins & Impact

Origin: can from fleas off rats (rats came from boats that were used for trade)

Impact:

• quarantine was created (40 days of staying away from everyone)

• Many died —> less labor

  • People asked for higher wages since there were few survivors

• People praying for god to forgive them

  • Pope could not help stop plague —> less faith in religion

• God: God was punishing them → beat themselves with whips to show repent for sins

• Scapegoats: Christians blame Jews (revenge: poisoning wells)

The Babylonian Captivity

a time when ancient Isrelites’’ were held captive by Babylon

• Pope Clement V

  • Moved papal court to avignon (border of south france)

    • Remained for 70 yr 

• Reformers wanted to end captivity 

  • Reformers elected pope  to rule Rome 

  • Revolt: french cardinals chose own pope as well 

  • schism(split) church in two for years → 1417: church council at constance enter rivalry 

The Western Schism

The Babylion Captivity caused this; The revolt of electing many popes at once;

John Wycliffe

• a teacher at Oxford; attacked church corruption

  • Insisted bible was source for Christian truth 

  • Followers translated bible to English people can read rather than rely on clergy 

    • Czech students at Oxford followed ideas 

  • Church response: persecuted Wycliffe + followers + suppressed Hussites 

    • Found guilty = burned at stake (idea survived)

Jan Hus

Persecuted him for translating the Bible in English which would weaken the church bc people wouldn’t need Pope to teach them the ways of the lord

The Hundred Years’ War Cause and Effects

• England + France fought fought; Cause of this war… = English been fighting French for years abt Norman ancestors

• Edward III of England took throne of France → chaos 

  • Fighting economic rivalry + national pride = hard for either side to give up

Joan of Arc

 a 17 yr woman; told Charles VII God sent her to save France → persuaded king to let her lead army against English

• inspired troops to fight against English 

• victories

• taken captive by allies of English + turned to enemies for trial → English want to discredit her + tried for witchcraft = burned at the stake (later declared a saint) 

  • Execution made French mad = took canon and attacked English castles → English had only port of Calais in North western France 

Long bow

six feet long; discharge 3 arrows in time a man fired one; arrows pierced heaviest armor 

Cannons

A weapon when a ball out of iron and steel would be put in a thing and shot out