The Renaissance and Reformation (1300–1650)
Lesson 2 The Renaissance in Northern Europe
The Renaissance and Reformation (1300–1650)
Lesson 2 The Renaissance in Northern Europe
Learning Objectives
• Describe the themes that northern European artists,
humanists, and writers explored.
• Explain how the printing revolution shaped European
society.
The Renaissance and Reformation (1300–1650)
Lesson 2 The Renaissance in Northern Europe
Key Terms
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Flanders
Albrecht Dürer
engraving
Erasmus
Sir Thomas More
utopian
William Shakespeare
Johannes Gutenberg
Artists of the Northern Renaissance
In the mid-1300s, the Black Death had reduced the
population of Europe by one-third and brought the
economy to a standstill. Italy recovered fairly
quickly and was soon the center of the Renaissance
and its creative upsurge. Only after 1450 did
northern Europe enjoy the economic growth that
had earlier supported the Renaissance in Italy.
Artists of the Northern Renaissance
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Flemish Painters
- Flanders (Beginning of the Northern Renaissance)
- Jan van Eyck (Portrayals of Townspeople & Religion)
(New Techniques for oil paint)
- Pieter Bruegel “Peasant Bruegel” (Secular Art/Peasants)
(Ordinary Life)
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Albrecht Dürer: A “German Leonardo”
- Among most influential of N. Renaissance
- New Methods (Paintings, Engravings, Prints)
- Interests far beyond art
Video
Artists of the Northern Renaissance
Analyze Information Pieter Bruegel painted this scene of Flemish working life called The Harvesters in
1565. What are some Renaissance characteristics of this painting?
Northern Renaissance Humanists and Writers
Like the Italian humanists, northern
European humanist scholars stressed
education and classical learning. At the same
time, they emphasized religious themes.
They believed that the revival of ancient
learning should be used to bring about
religious and moral reform.
New Vernacular = Larger Audience
Northern Renaissance Humanists and Writers
• Erasmus (Dutch)
- Priest 1492; Applied Knowledge of Language
- Greek New Testament, Latin Translation of Bible,
Translation of Bible into the Vernacular
- Called for Reforms in Church
• Sir Thomas More (English)
- Pressed for social & economic reform
- Wrote book that described ideal society; Utopia
• Shakespeare Explores Universal Themes (English)
- Advanced Renaissance Lit
- Themes: Complexity of Individual, Importance of
Classics
- Comedies, Histories, Tragedies
- 1,700 words: bedroom, lonely, generous, hurry, sneak.
Northern Renaissance Humanists and Writers
Desiderius Erasmus was a Dutch priest and humanist scholar who was active during the Northern
European Renaissance. He believed an individual's chief duties were to be open-minded and to show
good will toward others.
The Printing Revolution
Johannes Gutenberg with the first printing press in 1450s Mainz, Germany
The Printing Revolution
The great works of Renaissance literature reached a large audience. The reason for this
was a crucial breakthrough in technology—the development of printing in Europe.
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The New Technology
Johannes Guttenberg (1456) – printed complete edition of Christian Bible
Age of Printing began and technology spread to Italy, Netherlands, England
Before Press (few thousand)  1500 (15-20 million)  1600 (150-200 million)
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The Impact of the Printed Book
- Price
- More Education / Learned to Read & Write
- Access to Knowledge
- Contributed to religious turmoil as ideas spread faster
The Printing Revolution
Analyze Charts The chart shows the effects of the printing press in Europe. Is it likely or unlikely that in
1500, only the largest European capital cities had printing presses?
Quiz: Artists of the Northern Renaissance
What Renaissance artistic theme appeared in the works of Van Eyck and Bruegel?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the rise of the merchant class
peasant life
poverty in the cities
religious scenes
Quiz: Northern Renaissance Humanists and Writers
What was a goal that the writers Erasmus and More had in common?
A.
B.
C.
D.
telling comical tales
translating biblical stories
changing and reforming society
abandoning old religions
Quiz: The Printing Revolution
What was one impact of the printing revolution on European society?
A. European readers learned classical languages as books became widely available.
B. More people had access to knowledge because books became less expensive.
C. Books were published in great numbers but were a luxury that only the wealthy could
afford.
D. The printing press made books more elegantly designed than in the past.