the renaissance
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The Renaissance
(rebirth, reawakening or revival)
A transition from medieval to modern times. It was a glorious finale to the Middle Ages, ushering in the bright dawn of the modern era.
The European nations, already strengthened in
their faith in God, took a new
interest in the almost forgotten
cultures of Greece and
Rome, leading them to new
achievements in arts, sciences
and humanities.
Italy, Birthplace of the Renaissance
1. Italy is located halfway between the Middle East and Western Europe.
2. The Italian were closer to the ancient Romans in blood and language than other European nations.
3. The universities in Italy
4. The intellectual atmosphere
Humanism
(14th century)
Latin humanitas meaning “culture”
It means the study of classical Greek
and Latin writings. Humanism was a
cultural movement for the revival of Greek and Latin knowledge, the glorification of
human achievements and
the appreciation of classical culture.
Great Patrons of
Humanism
Pope Pius II, a benevolent patron of humanism, was a humanist scholar before he was elected to the papacy.
The most famous of the humanist patrons was
Lorenzo de Medici, known as Lorenzo
the Magnificent. He befriended and
supported many artists and
scholars, spent vast sums of money for
valuable manuscripts and
adorned his palace with classical
statues.
Francesco Petrarch, “Father of Humanism” He is educated for law but devoted his life to literature, he loved classical studies. He was able to build a valuable collection of 200 classical works and wrote many beautiful Italian sonnets in honor of the woman he loved, Laura.
Giovanni Boccaccio, the Storyteller. His
best known work was the
Decameron(Ten Nights), which he
wrote to entertain. It consists of 100 stories recounted
on 10 nights by 10 young men and
women who fled Florence during a
plague.
Niccolo Maciavelli, Founder of the New science of Politics. His best writing was a political book titled The Prince. This book revolutionized the political ideas of his time and laid the foundation of a new political science. Many rulers and politicians have been impressed by Machiavelli’s political philosophy.
Spread of Renaissance Humanism
Rudolf Agricola, a
famous professor at
the University
of Heidelberg, was the first to propagate
humanism outside
Italy.
Desiderius Erasmus, a great Dutch scholar, linguist and theologian. His bet known work was In Praise of Folly, which ridiculed the follies of society and the Church. This book contributed to the reformation of the Catholic Church.
Thomas More, popularized
humanism in England. His
greatest work was Utopia, the story of an ideal state. As chancellor of
England, he encouraged the
study of the humanities at
Oxford.
Humanist influence of the
renaissance education
Renaissance education stressed the ideal of a well-rounded or “universal” man.. This educational ideal was clearly expressed by the Italian humanist-noble-man Baldassare di Castiglione in his widely read book, The Courtier, which portrays a perfect gentlemen as one who possesses the combined qualities of warrior and scholar and who appreciates art, poetry and music.
The Rise of
Libraries
The humanistic movement inspired popes, kings, merchant-princes and scholars to build libraries. Famous among these libraries till the present time are:
Laurential library in Florence
Ambrosian Library in Milan
St. Mark’s Library in Venice
Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris
Vatican Library in Vatican City
Renaissance Painting and
artists
The three great titans of Renaissance painting were:
Leonardo da Vince- the oldest, was a man of versatile talents. His two famous paintings were “The Last Supper”, which shows the last dinner of Christ, and “Mona Lisa”, which portrays a woman with a bewitching smile
Michelangelo- was great in both
painting and sculpture. His
genius is shown in his exquisite
painting on the ceiling of the
Sistine Chapel which tells the
biblical story from the Creation to the
Great Deluge. These paintings
show his marvelous knowledge of
human anatomy.
Raphael- the youngest of the trio, was the greatest painter of the Renaissance. He was called “perfect painter” because of the classical harmony and exquisite symmetry of his art. His masterpiece was the “Sistine Madonna”, which has been acclaimed as the greatest painting in the world
Renaissance Sculpture and
sculptors
Niccolo Pisano of Pisa- was the “Father of Renaissance Sculpture.” He excelled in making the sarcophage as shown by his beautiful marble bas-reliefs depicting scenes from biblical stories in the pulpits of the cathedrals of Pisa and Sienna.
Lorenzo Ghiberti- exquisitely
carved bronze doors at the
baptistry of the Cathedral of
Florence and deeply
impressed Michaelangelo,
who said that they were
“worthy to be the doors of
Paradise”
Michaelangelo- the most famous of all Renaissance sculptors, whose statue of David is regarded as one of the finest masterpieces of sculpture. His greatest sculptural work is La Pieta, the most renowned statue in the world. It is an exquisite statue of Christ after His Crucifixion.
Renaissance architecture
and architects
St. Peter’s Basilica- is the largest church in the world. Its majestic dome was designed by Michaelangelo.
Filippo Brunelleschi- was the “Father of Renaissance Architecture”.
He designed the famous pointed
dome of the Cathedral of
Florence and the Pitti Palace
in Florence.
Renaissance Music
Giovanni Palestrina- the “Prince of Music.” The numerous compositions of this gifted musician are still used in Catholic services today.
Oratorio- one type of written music. A religious drama set to music
The Renaissance also gave birth to two forms of secular music:1. The madrigal, a composition of two
or more voices accompanied by several instruments
2. The ayre, a composition for solo voice accompanied by a flute
Effects of the
Renaissance
1. The Renaissance enriched world civilization, particularly in the realm of fine arts, philosophy, literature and education.
2. The Renaissance sparked the intellectual revolution.
3. The Renaissance contributed to the geographical discoveries and maritime exploration of the 15th and 16th centuries.
4. The Renaissance fostered the growth of national states – England, France, Spain and Portugal.
5. Finally, the Renaissance paved the way for the way for the religious revolution or Reformation.
The end