Transcript Ch. 17 Sections 1 & 2 The Renaissance

European Renaissance
and Reformation
Unit 4
Chapter 17
(p.468-502)
I. The Renaissance
A. Description
What? Revival of art and learning
When? 1300-1600
Where? Italy
Why? Middle Ages brought plague and war,
the survivors wanted to celebrate life.
Educated men and women hoped to
bring back the culture of classical Greece
and Rome. Led to NEW styles of art and
lit. & the importance of the individual
The Renaissance (cont’d)
B. Italy’s advantages
1. Thriving cities
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Crusades spread trade which led to cities,
especially in Northern Italy.
Ideal breeding ground for an intellectual
revolution
Crusades killed 60% of those people.
Survivors could demand higher wages.
Merchants pursued other interests=ART
The Renaissance (cont’d)
2. Wealthy Merchant Class
• Developed in each city-state
• b/c they were small, lots of people could
participate in political life
• Individual achievement became important
• Medici family ruled Florence
 Banking family
 Ruled as dictators with appearance of being a
republic
The Renaissance (cont’d)
3.
Heritage of Greece and Rome
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Wanted to Return to the learning of ancient Greece and
Rome
Drew inspiration from the ruins of Rome
Studied ancient Latin manuscripts
Christian scholars had fled to Rome in 1453 with Greek
manuscripts when the Turks conquered Constantinople
The Renaissance (cont’d)
C. Values
 Humanism: focused on human
potential and achievements
 Secular: worldly rather than spiritual
 Patrons: financially supported artists
 The Renaissance Man: a man who
excelled in many fields (art, literature,
athletics, educated, etc.)
 The Renaissance Woman: upper class
women were expected to be educated
and charming as well
II. Art Revolutionizes
A. Styles Change
1. Perspective: 3-d
2. Individuals emphasized; prominent
people being painted (realistic looking)
Art Revolutionizes (cont’d)
B. Artists
1. Leonardo da Vinci
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Painter, sculptor, inventor, and scientist
Mona Lisa
The Last Supper
Art Revolutionizes (cont’d)
2. Michelangelo
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Sculptor, poet, architect; realistic style to
portray human body
Statue of David
Sistine Chapel
Art Revolutionizes (cont’d)
3. Raphael
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Learned from Michelangelo and Leonardo
School of Athens
Painted Mic, Leo, and himself
Art Revolutionizes (cont’d)
4. Anguissola and Gentileschi
 Famous women painters
Art Revolutionizes (cont’d)
C. Literature
changes
1. Vernacular: native
language
2. Machiavelli:
famous author,
The Prince
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Imperfect conduct
of people
Most are selfish,
fickle, and corrupt
Prince must be
strong and shrewd
III. Northern Renaissance
A. Renaissance
Spreads North
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1494, French king
claimed throne in
Naples, war
erupts.
Renaissance
writers and artists
fled North and
took their ideas
with them
Northern Renaissance (cont’d)
1. France:

da Vinci invited to retire in France and
hired to paint king’s palace
2. Germany:

Hans Holbein paints portraits with picture
like quality
3. Flanders:

Starts oil-based painting still used today;
portrayed everyday peasant life including
weddings, dances, and harvests
Northern Renaissance (cont’d)
B.
Northern writers try to reform
society
1. Christian Humanists:
• wanted to reform society; encourage people to
live a Christian life
• Promoted the education of women and founded
schools attended by both girls and boys
• Thomas More: Utopia; tried to show a better
model of society
Northern Renaissance (cont’d)
2. Women’s reforms

Christine de Pizan; very educated for the
time; wrote books, manuscripts, short
stories and questioned treatment of boys
and girls
IV. Elizabethan Age
What? Renaissance in
England
 Queen Elizabeth
reigned 1558-1603
 Very well educated,
spoke French,
Italian, Latin,
Greek; wrote
poetry and music
 Huge supporter of
art and lit
Northern Renaissance (cont’d)
William Shakespeare: most famous
writer of Elizabethan Age
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Regarded as greatest playwright of all time
Works display masterful command of the
English language and a deep understanding of
human nature
Macbeth, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, King
Lear, A Midsummer’s Night Dream
V. Printing Press

Johann Gutenburg
• 1440; developed printing press
that incorporated new technologies;
made it possible to produce books
quickly and cheaply
• Produce hundreds of copies
• Went from producing 1 book in 5
months, to producing 500 books in 5
months
• Perhaps the most important invention of
all time!!
Legacy of the Renaissance

Changes in Art
• Drew on techniques
from Greece and Rome
• more realistic
• Writers used vernacular
• Praised individual
achievement

Changes in Society
• Printing made more info
available for society
• Increased desire to
learn
• New maps & charts
further discoveries
• Made laws clear so
people able to
understand rights
• Christian humanists
changed views on how
society should be
• People begin to
question political
structures and religious
practices