The Renaissance and
Reformation
What was the Renaissance?
• The Renaissance was a time of
creativity and change in many areas
• -Cultural, political, social, and economic
• It was spurred on by a reawakened
interest in classical learning, especially
the culture of Ancient Rome.
• This Renaissance or “rebirth” was a
rebirth from the chaos and disunity of
the medieval world.
Italian Beginnings
• The Renaissance began
in Italy in the mid1300’s and reached its
height in the 1500’s.
• Why Italy? Because the
Renaissance was
marked by an renewed
interest in the culture of
ancient Rome.
• Since Rome is in Italy, it
was only natural that it
begin there
Why Italy?
• It’s cities differed from
the rest of Europe in an
important way…
• They survived the Middle
Ages.
• Florence, Milan, Venice,
and Genoa grew into
prosperous centers of
trade and manufacturing.
• A powerful merchant class
in these cities contributed
to the cultural rebirth
• They spent lavishly to
support the arts.
Florence and the Medicis
• Florence, more than any other city, came to
symbolize Italian Renaissance.
• Like Athens, it produced a dazzling # of gifted poets,
artists, architects, scholars and scientists in a short
space of time.
• The Medicis ranked among the richest merchants and
bankers in Europe.
• They were the uncrowned rulers of Florence for
many years from 1434.
• Lorenzo Medici was a generous PATRON (financial
supporter) of the arts. Under Lorenzo, poets and
philosophers frequently visited the Midici palace
Humanism
• At the heart of the Italian Renaissance was
an intellectual movement called
Humanism(focusing on secular or worldly
issues instead of religious issues).
• Focus on education
• Taught the same subjects that were taught in
ancient Greece and Rome: Grammar,
Rhetoric, poetry, and history.
Humanism
The Golden Age in the Arts
• Wealthy patrons played a major role in this
artistic movement.
• Popes and princes supported the work of
hundreds of artists.
• Renaissance art reflected humanist concerns:
painted well-known figures of the day.
• Renaissance artists studied ancient Greek and
Roman works and revived many classical forms,
ex: Donatello the sculptor created a life-size
statue of a soldier on horse-back. It was the first
such figure done since ancient times.
Perspective paintings
• Renaissance painters developed new ways of
making humans and landscapes look more
realistic:
• Used perspective-making distant objects smaller
than those close to the viewer thus making the
picture look 3-D
• Used shading to make objects look round and
real.
• Studied human anatomy and drew from live
models. Allowed Renaissance artists to draw the
human body more accurately than artists had
done before.
Perspective
Ninja Turtles named after 4
Renaissance Artists
Leonardo da Vinci
• Born in 1452.
• One of the most brilliant
painters and sculptors
(from Florence)
• Most popular work:
The Mona Lisa
• Made sketches for flying
machines and
underwater boats years
before the 1st plane or
submarine was ever
invented
Michelangelo
A
•
•
•
•
Michelangelo was a many
sided genius.
virtuosoWas a sculptor, engineer,
painter, architect and poet.
Masterpieces like the Pieta
which captures the sorrow
of Mary as she cradles the
dead Christ on her knees.
Most famous for his work
on the Sistine Chapel
ON HIS BACK!!!
The Sistine Chapel
Raphael
• Studied the works of
Michelangelo and
Leonardo.
• Portraits blend Christian
and classical styles.
• Best known for his
portrayals of the
Madonna, the mother of
Christ.
• Puts himself in “School
of Athens”
The School of Athens
Great Thinkers…includes
himself
Donatello
• This David sculpture
was made by Donatello
• Donatello’s David was
one of the first ever
free standing statues…
• It paved the way for
Michelangelo’s David
Architecture
• Renaissance architects rejected the
Gothic style of the late Middle ages and
adopted the columns, arches, and
domes of the Greeks and Romans.
Writings
• Machiavelli’s “the Prince”
combined his personal
view of politics with his
knowledge of the past to
create a handbook for
rulers on how to gain and
maintain power.
• He said that the end
justifies the means.
Results of a leaders
actions are more
important than honesty or
promises.
The Renaissance Moves North
Section 2
Artists of the Northern
Renaissance
• The northern Renaissance began in the
1400’s in the cities of Flanders.
• Flanders is a region that is today
France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
• Spain, France, Germany and England
joined their cultural rebirth 100 years
later in the 1500’s.
Artists of the Northern
Renaissance
Stressed education and classical
learning/emphasized religious themes
•Erasmus
•Sir Thomas More
•Shakespeare
Northern Humanists
• Erasmus
• Sir Thomas More
• From the Netherlands
• Wrote for social and
• Used his knowledge of
economic reform.
Classical languages to
• In Utopia More
create a new Greek
describes an ideal
edition of the New
society where peace
Testament and also
exists and private
wanted the Bible
translated into the
property does not.
everyday language of
• Everyone has
the people.
something to do and all
• Most famous writing-The
are educated.
Praise of Folly-talked of
the immoral behavior of
clergy
Writing of the Northern
Renaissance
• Shakespeare• Between 1590 and 1613
he wrote 37 plays that
are still performed
around the world.
Words he added to the
English language
bedroom, lonely,
generous, glooms,
heartsick, hurry and
sneak.
• Created lines that are
still quoted today: “To
thine own self be
true…”
The Printing Revolution
• The writings of the Renaissance
reached a large audience with the
breakthrough of the printing press.
• Johann Gutenberg- Printing Press. By
1500 Europe had printed over 20 million
books. By the next century that # was
over 150 million.