Renaissance Key Concepts and Figures

Leonardo da Vinci

• Renowned artist who painted:
  • The Last Supper
  • Mona Lisa

Strategic Trade Cities

• Key cities:
  • Florence
  • Venice
  • Genoa
• Significant for their access to trade routes connecting Europe with Middle Eastern markets.

Usury

• Definition:
  • The practice of charging interest on loans.
• Important Note:
  • This practice was forbidden by the Catholic Church.

Michelangelo Buonarroti

• Notable works:
  • Sculpted David
  • Painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

Origin of the Renaissance

• The Renaissance began in Italy before expanding to other parts of Europe.

The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli

• Political treatise that suggested:
  • Sometimes doing evil is necessary for rulers.
  • The ends justify the means.

Francesco Petrarch

• Recognized as the Father of Humanism.
• Contribution:
  • Developed the sonnet form, influencing later writers.

Desiderius Erasmus

• Major work:
  • The Praise of Folly
• Contribution:
  • Combined humanism with religious ideas, impacting the Northern Renaissance thinkers.

Differences in Art Styles

• Medieval Art:
  • Focused on conveying religion and spiritual matters.
• Renaissance Art:
  • Emphasized realism and human experience, showcasing depth and perspective.