THE RENAISSANCEChapter 11

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RENAISSANCE

WHAT IS THE RENAISSANCE?

The Renaissance is the period of change in Europe from the fourteenth century through the sixteenth.

The foundation for the Renaissance was laid in the Middle Ages.

Renaissance means “rebirth.” What do you think was “reborn?”

HOW IS THE RENAISSANCE DIFFERENT FROM THE MEDIEVAL ERA?

DIFFERENCES IN PERSPECTIVE

MIDDLE AGES RENAISSANCE

concerned with afterlife (future)

unconcerned with the “dusty” past

emphasized the importance of the group

zeal for living in the present

gloried in the past emphasized human

individuality, ability, and dignity

HUMANISM

Renewed focus on man’s capacities, but did not abandon belief in God.

Its overemphasis on human worth and ability leads man to glorify himself instead of God.

Humanism put too much emphasis on human ability and led to the idea that man is basically good.

MAN IS FALLIBLE.

Romans 3:23-24 …for all have sinned and fall

short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

ALL GOOD THINGS COME FROM GOD.

James 1:17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…

GOD GAVE MAN DOMINION.Psalm 8:3-6,9

When I consider they heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou has ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou has made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things under his feet…O Lord our Lord, how excellent is they name in all the earth!

REVIVAL OF LEARNING

Need for a well-rounded education Renewed business activity Business contracts/legal documents Search for classical literature

Humanities/Liberal Arts – history, science, grammar, literature, philosophy Prepared for life in the secular world rather

than the church

Humanists believed they could reshaped their own age according to classical values.

REVIVAL OF LEARNING

The ideal Renaissance Man was a well-rounded individual, knowledgeable and skilled in many fields.

The humanities were characterized by questioning instead of passive acceptance and a quest for knowledge.

Renaissance humanists admired the classical age of ancient Greece and Rome and sought to imitate it.

REVIVAL OF LEARNING

All this stimulated the “rebirth” of interest in the literature, art, and philosophy of the classical age.

It also led to an intense search for ancient manuscripts.

These manuscripts had been preserved by The Byzantine Civilization The Muslim Civilizations

COURSE OF THE RENAISSANCE

THE RENAISSANCE BEGAN IN ITALY.

Italian cities rose to prominence because of their close contact and trade with the Byzantine and Islamic Empires.

Wealthy citizens who commissioned artists to decorate their cities and homes were called Patrons.

After 1500 the Renaissance spread to other parts of Europe by students who had studied in Italy.

THE MEDICI

The Medici family was the most famous of the Renaissance patrons who promoted learning and art.

Lorenzo de Medici (Il Magnifico) was the most notable and most generous of all.

Under Il Magnifico, Florence became the most influential city of the Renaissance movement. He was the patron of Michaelangelo.

THOUGHT AND LITERATURE

Petrarch, the Father of Humanism – a Florentine poet and scholar who collected classical documents and led the way in reviving interest in classical literature.

THOUGHT AND LITERATURE

Castiglione – In The Courtier, he describes the ideal Renaissance gentleman as a man of character, well-educated, courageous, and courteous.

The Courtier became the standard for courtly behavior in Renaissance Europe. (See inset page 259 Rules for Proper Conduct.)

THOUGHT AND LITERATURE

Machiavelli – Florentine thinker and writer who wrote The Prince, an essay reflecting on the political conditions of his day. It promotes the idea that a prince must do whatever it takes to take and maintain power.

He also wrote Discourses on the First Ten Books of Livy, which favors a republican form of government with checks and balances.

THOUGHT AND LITERATURE

Erasmus – from Rotterdam (Holland), wrote The Praise of Folly using satire to point out the evils and follies of Renaissance society.

He became an advocate for church reform and prepared the world for the Protestant Reformation.

Erasmus by Holbein

THOUGHT AND LITERATURE

Sir Thomas More – English humanist who wrote Utopia, a story of an imaginary perfect state.

He served as Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor.

Henry VIII had him beheaded for treason because he refused to acknowledge Henry as Head of the Church of England.

“I die the king’s loyal servant, but God’s first.”

Sir Thomas Moreby Holbein

THOUGHT AND LITERATURE

Miguel de Cervantes – Spanish writer of Don Quixote, a satirical story of a Spanish gentleman who imagines himself to be a knight and makes a fool of himself.

The story pokes fun at the chivalric literature popular in Spain at the time and at outmoded medieval ideas.

Don Quixote and Sancho Panza by Picasso

Miguel de Cervantes

THOUGHT AND LITERATURE

William Shakespeare – English poet & playwright (1564-1616)

Globe Theatre Histories, Tragedies, Comedies Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, MacBeth A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado

About Nothing, A Comedy of Errors

Globe Theatre

Literary Genius

CHANGING THE WORLD

Johannes Gutenberg – German Put moveable-type printing into use in

Europe.

EFFECTS OF THE PRINTING PRESS

Cost of books dropped dramatically More books available Errors were reduced Helped ideas spread rapidly New universities and colleges

established. Bible produced in large quantities.

THE VISUAL ARTS

THE VISUAL ARTS

MEDIEVAL RENAISSANCE

Emphasized the spiritual realm.

Artists were supported by the Church of Rome.

Artists worked for the glory of God.

Flat, 2-dimensional Subjects were church

leaders, saints, Bible characters.

Primary medium was architecture.

Emphasized the present physical world.

Artists were supported by private patrons.

Artists were proud of work and signed their names.

Realistic, 3-dimensional Subjects were kings,

merchants Media were painting &

sculpture.

THE VISUAL ARTS

Giotto- Father of Renaissance painting

Frescos – painting on wet plaster

Strove for realism

THE VISUAL ARTS

Masaccio – Florentine who used shading to create a 3-dimensional effect

Noah

THE VISUAL ARTS

Botticelli – painted figures with flowing hair and wispy garments giving his figures an appearance of movement.

The Birth of Venus

Botticelli’s The Adoration of the Magi

THE VISUAL ARTS

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) – best example of The Renaissance Man

Sculptor, architect, painter, musician, poet, engineer, mathematician, medicine, botanist, et al

MONA LISALeonardo da Vinci

THE LAST SUPPER

In a state of decay

A reproduction

THE VISUAL ARTS

Raphael – painted Madonnas in which he idealized motherhood

Famous for painting frescoes, especially portraying a peaceful, joy-filled life.

Raphael’s The School of Athens

THE VISUAL ARTS

Michelangelo – probably the most famous artist in history

THE VISUAL ARTS - MICHELANGELO

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican

Creation of Adam

MICHAELANGELO’S DAVID

Michelangelo’s La Pieta

THE VISUAL ARTS

Albrecht Dürer – a well-rounded Renaissance man of Germany

Writer, designer, engraver, painter, woodcarver

Nature, classical, religious themes

Knight, Death and Devil, 1513

THE VISUAL ARTS

Hans Holbein – German, finest portrait painter of the Northern Renaissance

Official court painter of Henry VIII

Portraits of Erasmus and Sir Thomas More shown earlier were Holbein’s

Henry VIII & Catherine of Aragon

THE VISUAL ARTS

Jan van Eyck – Flemish painter who was one of the first to use oils.

The Arnolfini Marriage

ARTS- ARCHITECTS & SCULPTURERS

Donatello – leading sculptor of Early Renaissance Italy

MUSIC OF THE RENAISSANCE

Medieval music was “plainsong,” Gregorian chants sung in church.

Renaissance music was more secular and was sung in homes and palaces.

More people played musical instruments.

Most popular instrument was the lute.

MUSIC OF THE RENAISSANCE

Joaquin Depres – Flemish composer who wrote masses, hymns, and chansons which were lighthearted poems set to music.

Giovanni Pierluigi, aka Palestrina – master of polyphonic music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh9yFaECCuA

Lute music: http://www.youtube.c

om/watch?v=K63Z_abB314&feature=related

CONSEQUENCES OF THE RENAISSANCEPositive Provoked a spirit of

inquiry Revived interest in the

literature & languages of antiquity

Developed moveable-type printing

Made education more widely available

Stresses the importance of the individual

Negative Weakened moral

restraints Revival of

heathenism in religion and morality