1. The Northern Renaissance
Chapter 17 Section 2
The Northern Renaissance

2. The Northern Renaissance Begins
By the late 1400s, Renaissance ideas had spread to Northern Europe
Especially: England, France, Germany, and Flanders (now part of France and the Netherlands).
End of Hundred Years War in 1453 sparks growth in Flanders

3. The Northern Renaissance Begins
England and France were unified under strong monarchs
Francis I of France invited Leonardo da Vinci to retire in France
Fontainebleau castle became a showcase for Renaissance art
artists were especially interested in realism

4. Artistic Ideas Spread
War in Italy resulted in artists moving to Northern Europe for safer lifestyle
N. European artists who studied in Italy carried Renaissance ideas back to their homelands

5. German Painters 1494-Albrecht Dürer studied in Italy
woodcuts and engravings
emphasis upon realism
Hans Holbein the Younger
portraits almost photographic in detail
Emigrated to England
Painted portraits of King Henry VIII

6. Flemish Painters Flanders-the artistic center of northern Europe
Jan van Eyck
Used oil-based paints
layers of paint
created a variety of subtle colors in clothing and jewels
Pieter Bruegel the Elder
skillful in portraying large numbers of people
everyday peasant life

7. Northern Writers Try to Reform Society
Italian humanists were very interested in reviving classical languages and classical texts
Northern humanists were critical of the failure of the Church to inspire people to live a Christian life
Christian humanism focused on the reform of society

8. Christian Humanists Desiderius Erasmus wrote The Praise of Folly
in order to improve society, all people should study the Bible
Thomas More wrote Utopia
an imaginary land where greed, corruption, and war have been weeded out
More wrote in Latin, but later translated when popular

9. Women’s Reforms formal schooling - usually sent only their sons
Christine de Pizan
First woman to earn a living as a writer
Wrote in French
Men frequently made objections to educating women
She questioned different treatment of boys and girls

10. The Elizabethan Age Renaissance spread to England in the mid-1500s
known as the Elizabethan Age, after Queen Elizabeth I
Well-rounded education
She supported the development of English art and literature

11. William Shakespeare
People regard him as the greatest playwright of all time
He revealed the souls of men and women through scenes of dramatic conflict
Tragedies: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, and King Lear
Comedies: A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Taming of the Shrew

12. Printing Spreads Renaissance Ideas
Around 1045, Bi Sheng of China invented movable type
most Chinese printers found movable type impractical due to large number of characters
Gutenberg Improves the Printing Process
13th century - blockprinted items reached Europe from China.
Too slow and laborious for demand

13. Johann Gutenberg improved process Gutenberg Bible first full-sized book printed with movable type

14. The Legacy of the Renaissance
Changes in Society
• Printing changed society by making more information available and inexpensive enough for society at large.
• A greater availability of books prompted an increased desire for learning and a rise in literacy throughout Europe.
• Published accounts of new discoveries, maps, and charts led to further
discoveries in a variety of fields.
• Published legal proceedings made the laws clear so that people were more
likely to understand their rights.
• Christian humanists’ attempts to reform society changed views about how
life should be lived.
• People began to question political structures and religious practices
Changes in the Arts
• Art drew on techniques and styles of classical Greece and Rome.
• Paintings and sculptures portrayed individuals and nature in more realistic and lifelike ways.
• Artists created works that were secular as well as those that were religious.
•Writers began to use vernacular languages to express their ideas.
• The arts praised individual achievement.