European Renaissance

The Renaissance The rebirth of learning in Europe Began in Italy around 1300 CE. Why? Italy was the center of trade & economic growth (spread North) Roman and Greek influences were abundant

Factors that helped start the Renaissance Patronage: rich merchants, bankers had money to spend on artists Towns: drew people with artistic talents together Crusades helped increase knowledge of the world outside Europe.

Factors that helped start the Renaissance Economic independence: people with money had time to read, learn, experiment, create Moveable print: printing press created by Johann Gutenberg helped spread knowledge; most important invention of Renaissance

Factors that helped start the Renaissance As a result, the attitude of common people towards life changed Humanism developed –dignity and worth of all people People concerned themselves with enjoying life, solving problem, questioning everything

Medieval Man vs Renaissance Man Religious-minded (concerned with afterlife) Men felt like a member of a group People accepted authority(king & pope) God & the Bible hold all answers Concerned with life on Earth Man as an individual was important Man begins to question and investigate Creativity & Artistic beauty are encouraged

Society Art –Renaissance art is more life-like –use of perspective (depth) –use of light and shadows –more secular (non- religious) topics Education: still mainly for the sons of the rich; new philosophy: respect for individual differences in students

Renaissance or Medieval? Why?

Renaissance or Medieval? Why? What influences do you see?

Society Women: peasant & middle class women still lived harsh life with little or no education Upper class women had private tutors; fathers arranged marriages for daughters; men received a dowry (land or cash) from family of the bride

Spread of Renaissance The Renaissance spread to the rest of Europe by students who studied in Italy. France Spain Netherlands England

Spread of Renaissance France: King Francis I brought the Renaissance to France: –brought artists to France (da Vinci) –Built the College of France –Built the palace of the Louvre

Spread of Renaissance Spain: Painters: El Greco: View of Toledo; Velazquez: Four Maidens Miguel de Cervantes: wrote Don Quixote de La Mancha

Spread of Renaissance Netherlands: Rembrandt: painted Man with Golden Helmet, Night Watch Erasmus: wrote In Praise of Folly which criticized the Catholic Church for its greed, corruption, & superstitions

Spread of Renaissance England: supported by Queen Elizabeth Thomas More: wrote Utopia which criticized society by creating a utopia, perfect society Shakespeare: humanist playwright who dealt with love, tragedy, hate, desire; greatest writer of the English language of all time

Scholars Petrarch: the “Father of Humanism” wrote sonnets about love, nature, enjoyment of life writing caused a change in the direction of education; teachers started to teach students to seek answers not just to memorize the classical works of the past stressed history, grammar, philosophy To be able to say how much you love is to love but little. Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together

Scholars Machiavelli: humanist writer who served as a diplomat for Florence; wanted to unify Italy wrote The Prince: a lesson on how to gain & hold power without moral concern for justice or honesty “Ends Justify the Means.”

Artists Leonardo da Vinci: painter, sculptor, architect, scientist, inventor Painted Mona Lisa, The Last Supper Inventor: parachute, aqualung, canons, pumps Drawings of human anatomy still used today

Artists Michelangelo: painted ceiling of Sistine Chapel (Vatican); sculpted 9 foot statue David & La Pieta

Questions What is the Renaissance? Name two famous Renaissance artists Where did it begin? What are two reasons it started there? What is Humanism? How did Humanism conflict with religious beliefs? How does this era represent a change from the previous period of Europe? How does art change during this period? Define the following terms: Renaissance, Patronage, Dark Ages, Feudalism, Printing Press