Renaissance Achievements

Crusades and the Renaissance—Renaissance Achievements—Notes#5

The Main Idea

The Renaissance was a period of striking achievements in many areas

Key Terms and People

vernacular-a native language

skepticism-The practice of examining everything to check assumptions

BACKGROUND: The ideas and innovations introduced during the Renaissance had far-reaching effects. The way people interacted with their world was profoundly altered. Some Renaissance innovations laid the foundation for global changes in the years that followed

• The European Renaissance was a period of great artistic and social change

• It marked a break with the medieval ideals that were focused around the Church

• The Renaissance belief in the dignity of the individual played a key role in the gradual rise of democratic ideas

• Furthermore, the impact of the movable-type printing press was tremendous

• Some historians have suggested that its effects were even more dramatic than the arrival of personal computers in the 20th century

• During the Renaissance, artistic styles changed as artists incorporated humanistic ideas in their work

• Medieval artists had used religious subjects to convey a spiritual ideal, often arranging saints and Biblical figures in stiff groups

• Renaissance painters often portrayed religious subjects, but they used a realistic style copied from classical models

• They used light and shadow (called chiaroscuro) to give scenes added depth and fullness

• As well as creating religious works, painters created secular works

• Greek and Roman subjects also became popular

• New techniques and media also changed art

• One important change was the introduction of paint that used oils as a binding agent

• Earlier types of paint used binders such as eggs, which dry quickly

• The longer drying time of oil paint meant artists could continue to add detail to a work for a longer period of time

• A key technique was the use of perspective to show three dimensions on a flat surface

• Following the new emphasis on the individual, painters began to paint prominent citizens

• These realistic portraits revealed what was distinctive about each person

• In addition, artists used a realistic style when depicting the human body

• Sculptors made sculpture more realistic by carving natural postures and expressions that reveal personality

• Renaissance writers produced works that reflected their time, but they also used techniques that writers rely on today

• Some followed the example of the medieval writer Dante

• He wrote in the vernacular, or his native language, instead of Latin

• Dante’s native language was Italian

• Writing in the vernacular meant that books could be read by anyone, not just people who had been taught Latin

• In addition, Renaissance writers wrote either for self-expression or to portray the individuality of their subjects

• In these ways, writers of the Renaissance began trends that modern writers still follow

• The study of classical texts showed that the Greeks and Romans used ratios and proportions to give structure to their art

• By focusing on ratios, or the relationships between numbers, Renaissance architects created designs that feel balanced and harmonious

• Many cities, especially in Italy, are dominated by the impressive domes of Renaissance architecture

• The Palladian style, inspired by the work of Andrea Palladio, influenced architecture throughout Europe and in the United States

• As the classical style spread to other countries, it was combined with local traditions

• In France, architects combined classical style and French traditions to create a more elaborate French Renaissance style

• This stylespread from western Europe through northern and central Europe

• In Russia, which was strongly influenced by the Byzantines, the new ruler hired Italian architects and builders to rebuild Moscow

• The resulting style was a blend of Italian, Byzantine, and Russian traditions

• In Spain, during the centuries of Islamic rule, a style known as Moorish had developed

• Elements of Moorish and classical style were combined to create a distinctive Spanish style, with intricately detailed surface ornamentation

• The development of moveable type had a profound effect on society

• Within a few years of the introduction of the printing press, the cost of books had fallen dramatically

• More people had access to books, which prompted an increase in literacy rates

• Also, printing made it easy for people to share new ideas

• This facilitated some important changes and reforms in the early modern age as people began to challenge some of the structures of established religion and government

• Printing also made it easier to share new information and discoveries, which often led to further discoveries as other people built on what they read

• The ability to print maps and charts made it possible for others to follow in the tracks of explorers

• The artists, writers, and thinkers of the Renaissance produced many extraordinary works that still command attention today

• However, the Renaissance spirit led to still more advances in the decades that followed

• One of the hallmarks of the Renaissance was a questioning attitude

• People were no longer willing to blindly follow tradition and accept authority

• They wanted to form their own opinions and make up their own minds

• As Renaissance humanists rediscovered Greek philosophy, some were drawn by the tradition of skepticism

• Where medieval thinkers accepted many ideas without questioning them, skepticism questioned everything

• The practice of examining everything to check assumptions became part of the scientific method that transformed medicine, physics, and other branches of science

• It also led to questions about religion and faith and prompted an upheaval within Christianity

• There was also an increased curiosity about the world

• Over the course of the Crusades, thousands of Europeans traveled to the eastern Mediterranea

• Crusaders who returned with silk and spices created a market for these items

• Merchants addressed this market by extending their trade networks still further

• Stories about far-away places made some people wonder what else was out there

• As navigational tools improved, this curiosity led to the Age of Exploration

• Because of these fundamental changes, Renaissance ideas continued to have a profound influence on European thought in the decades that followed