HUMANISM AND RENAISSANCE

NEW CHANGES IN EUROPE…

• At the end of the 15th century, a period of recovery began:

– Good harvests.

– Innovation in navigation and sciences.

– Invention of the printing press (~ 1440). (See The

Printing Press sheet).

– Developing of HUMANISM between scholars and

leaders.

HUMANISM

• In the Middle Ages, people believed that God was responsible for everything that happened.

THEOCENTRISM

HUMANISM

• Others started looking for new explanations of how the world worked.

• These people were known as humanists.

• The Humanists were more interested in the role of human beings.

• They were also curious about the world around them.

• Their ideas changed European culture.

HUMANISM

Intellectual movement,

characterised by its admiration of the

Classical Age.

Human beings are the center of the Universe = Anthropocentrism.

Using of reason and experience to explain the reality

Main humanists: Erasmus of Rotterdam and Thomas More.

THE RENAISSANCE

• The artistic style that developed in the 15th and 16th centuries is called RENAISSANCE.

• The name comes from the inspiration in the classical architecture and art of Ancient Greece and Rome.

THE RENAISSANCE

• Features of the new style:

– Use of the linear perspective.

– Anthropocentrism became a central theme in art: Man became the subject of the Renaissance sculptures and paintings.

– The social status of artists improved. They were sponsored by patrons (=mecenas), such as kings, popes, nobles and the bourgeoisie.

ARCHITECTURE

• At the beginning of the 15th century, the architect Brunelleschi and the sculptor Donatello visited Rome to study the buildings and sculptures of ancient Romans.

• Brunelleschi developed a new style of architecture, which shared many characteristics with Classical Roman architecture (dome of Florence Cathedral).

Florence Cathedral - Façade - Dome

Semicircular arch Domes

Greek architectural orders

Latin-cross plan, Greek-cross plan, circular plan…

The new buildings were characterised by the use of

features inspired by the ancient world.

Renaissance buildings, like the Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore in Venice, are often symmetrical. The churches has many other Classical elements (columns, triangular pediment).

Soon the new style spread right across Europe, gradually replacing the Gothic architecture. This is the Renaissance-style Chapel of El Salvador in Úbeda, Spain.

Triangular pediments

Classical colums

Sculpture in niches

Arch

ACTIVITY

1. Do a “Ficha técnica de arte”, using the How to analyze architecture sheet. Choose one of the following authors and their works:

- Leon Battista Alberti – Santa Maria Novella.

- Donato Bramante – San Pietro in Montorio.

- Michelangelo – Saint Peter’s Basilica.

SCULPTURE

• Sculptors started producing works of art inspired by the Greeks and Romans:

– They studied anatomy very carefully (realistic).

– They sculpted famous military and political leaders.

– They sculpted religious and mythological themes.

SCULPTURE

• Some of the important Renaissance sculptors:

– Ghiberti

• Gates of Paradise for the baptistery of Florence Cathedral.

– Donatello

• David.

• Condottiero Gattamelata.

– Michelangelo

• Pietà.

• David.

• Moses.

Gates of Paradise for the baptistery of Florence Cathedral – GHIBERTI.

DONATELLO

David Condottiero Gattamelata

Pietà - MICHELANGELO

David - MICHELANGELO

Moses - MICHELANGELO

PAINTING

• The main techniques were fresco (on walls) and oil painting or tempera (on canvas and wood panels).

• Themes:

– Religious.

– Mythological.

– Historical.

– Portraits.

• Naked people became more common.

Paid by rich patrons, like the Medicis of Florence.

• Figures are natural and realistic.

• Scenes appear to have depth (perspective –three-dimensional objects are projected onto a flat surface).

Main artists • 15th century:

– Fra Angelico.

– Masaccio.

– Piero della Francesca.

– Botticelli.

• 16th century:

– Hieronymus Bosch, “El Bosco”.

– Leonardo da Vinci.

– Rafael.

– Michelangelo.

The Garden of Earthly Delights – EL BOSCO

Annunciation – FRA ANGELICO

The Tribute of the Money – MASACCIO

Portrait of Federico of Montefeltro – PIERO DELLA

FRANCESCA

The birth of Venus – BOTTICELLI

Mona Lisa or La Gioconda – LEONARDO DA VINCI

The School of Athens – Rafael

Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – MICHELANGELO

The Garden of Earthly Delights – HIERONYMUS BOSCH, “EL BOSCO”

El jardín de las delicias – El Bosco

• Una de las obras más importantes y famosas de la historia de la pintura.

• Para saber más:

– https://tuinderlusten-jheronimusbosch.ntr.nl/en Es un tour gratuito listo que explica con detalle toda la obra, en alta resolución.

– http://www.abc.es/cultura/arte/abci-secretos-jardin-delicias-201601240311_noticia.html

THE END

By Daniel Quijano Ramos

Geography and History teacher

IES Puerta de la Axarquía