Do Now (Silent Work)

Renaissance Means “rebirth” From 1300 to 1600 it was the rebirth of art and learning Historians consider the Renaissance to be the beginning of modern history

The Renaissance began in northern Italy and then spread through Europe. Italian cities such as Naples, Genoa, and Venice became centers of trade between Europe and the Middle East.

It influenced painting, sculpture, literature, and architecture. Paintings became more realistic and focused less often on religious topics. Rich families became patrons and commissioned great art. Artists advanced the Renaissance style of showing nature and depicting the feelings of people.

Humanism A person who studied the classics (Greece and Rome) was called a humanist. Humanists recreated classical styles in art, literature, and architecture. Humanists believed that by studying the classics, they could understand people and the world better. The humanists emphasized individuality instead of religious beliefs.

Renaissance Art The Renaissance patrons wanted art that showed joy in human beauty and life’s pleasures. Renaissance artists studied perspective, or the differences in the way things look when they are close to something or far away

Michelangelo Michelangelo was one of the greatest artists of all time Michelangelo was a “Renaissance Man” of many talents He was a sculptor, a painter, and an architect

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452 in the village of Vinci Leonardo began his career working for a master painter in Florence By 1478, Leonardo left his master and set up his own workshop People have been trying to guess the secret behind the smile of his Mona Lisa ever since he painted it around 1505 His Last Supper shows clearly the different feelings of Jesus and his followers Leonardo was truly a “Renaissance Man”

Niccolo Machiavelli Niccolo Machiavelli was one of the most influential writers of the Renaissance. He believed Italy could not be united unless its leader was ruthless. In 1513, he wrote The Prince, where he advised rulers to be kind only of it suited their purposes. Otherwise, he warned, it is better to be feared than loved.

Northern Renaissance Begins The rebirth of the Italian cities attracted visitors from all over western Europe. Merchants and bankers hoped to make their fortunes in the Italian city-states. Artists and students sought knowledge and fame. When these travelers returned home, they brought Renaissance ideas with them. In time, the ideas of the Renaissance influenced people far from the Italian peninsula.

William Shakespeare Began writing plays and poems in 1592 Wrote Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Othello

Printing Press Spreads Renaissance Around 1440 Johannes Gutenberg created a machine that allowed him to move small blocks of letters in such a way that written material could be printed and mass-produced Before the printing press, few people outside the clergy could read, but with inexpensive books, literacy spread through Europe In 1455 he printed the Gutenberg Bible

Albrecht Dürer German painter, engraver, printmaker, mathematician, and theorist

Warm Up “In essence the Renaissance was simply the green end of one of civilization's hardest winters.” – John Fowles What is the “winter” that John Fowles is referring to? “The natural desire of good men is knowledge.” – Leonardo da Vinci “Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation ... even so does inaction sap the vigour of the mind.” – Leonardo da Vinci How do these two da Vinci quotes exemplify the Renaissance? What effect do you think this attitude has on a society? “Our culture has kind of let the concept of the Renaissance Man die out. We don't really tell the kids that it's okay to bounce around the world, work odd jobs, and do six different things.” – Ronan Farrow Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not? Is the concept of a Renaissance Man (Woman) something we, as a society, should see as important? Or is it better to only focus on specializing in one area?