Transcript The Renaissance

The Renaissance
The Age of Rebirth
The Renaissance
 Around 1300, western European scholars
developed an interest in classical writings
 This led from the thinking of the Middle Ages to
a period of “rebirth” called the Renaissance.
 People became less concerned with the mysteries
of the heavens and more interested in the world
around them.
 The period of the Renaissance was 1300-1600.
Renaissance
 These states had grown rich from trade and many
powerful families took control of the area that
was originally ruled by guilds.
 These powerful families wanted to be
remembered as wise, generous rulers.
 They ordered for palaces and churches to be
built. They also set up schools so that male
children of wealthy families could educate their
minds as well as their bodies.
City Life
The center of city life during the
Renaissance was the piazza or central
square.
Markets were set up, merchants traded
goods and people gathered there.
The Italian Renaissance began in Florence
which was ruled by the Medici family.
Renaissance Italy
City Life cont.
 Problems began to develop in Florence and a
monk named Savonarola accused the Medici's of
not ruling justly.
 Savonarola with the backing of the people
overthrew the Medici family 1494.
 He ran Florence in a very strict way. He did not
believe in the way of life that the Renaissance
had brought to Florence.
 By 1498, the people of Florence grew tired of
Savonarola’s ways. He was hung and the Medici
family returned to power.
The Papal States
During the 1300s and 1400s, the power of
the Popes declined.
Most Popes were not very religious. They
acted more like political leaders.
Due to the actions of Pope Alexander VI,
Rome replaced Florence and the center of
the Renaissance.
Venice
 The Renaissance did not reach Venice until the
late 1500’s. Before this time, Venetians had
always looked to Constantinople rather than
western Europe for art and literature.
 Venice was different than any other city. It was
built on 117 islands all connected through a
network of canals and bridges.
 In Venice the ruler was called the doge.
 The business district of Venice was called the
Rialto.
Renaissance Art:
Techniques and Themes
 Increasing focus on
secular rather than
religious subjects
 Realistic-looking
figures and scenes
 Perspective/depth
 Sense of movement,
activity
 Symmetry/
proportionality
Art
 Artists of the time were considered to be very
important people.
 Nobles and merchants wanted artists to produce
works that increased the fame of their cities.
 Renaissance artists carefully studied ancient
Roman and Greek art, science and mathematics.
 Artists became interested in perspective and
chiaroscuro (using light and shade to show depth
or dramatic effect) and began to pay close
attention to the details of nature.
Art cont.
 Artists began to study the structure of the human
body.
 They began experimenting with light, color and
shade.
 Their art is displayed all through Europe in
churches and museums.
•Based on what you’ve read, identify these two paintings
and their artists.
•How do these two paintings represent the Renaissance
techniques of perspective and chiaroscuro?