MIDDLE AGES v. RENAISSANCE
GOD v. MAN?
FOCUS OF MEN AND SOCIETY
Middle Ages
• God
• Eternal life
Renaissance
• Man
• Worth of the
individual
• This life
• Classical Greece and
Rome
• manners
EDUCATION
Middle Ages
• Scholasticism
– Study of given truths
authorized by Church
– Scientific writings of
Aristotle
Renaissance
• Humanism = study of
classics
• Greek/classical
literature
• Classical sculpture
• Classical architecture
• Liberal arts education
SCIENCE AND MEDICINE
Middle Ages
• Church = authority,
expected conformity
• Barbers – bloodletting
• Superstition, magic
Renaissance
• Skepticism
• Individualism
• Science – sterile
fields
• Leonardo – drawings
of human bodies
– To invent weaponry
– Banned from Rome’s
morgue
TRAVEL
Middle Ages
• Pilgrimages
• Crusades
Renaissance
• Age of exploration
• Trade
• Personal glory and
wealth
SOCIAL CLASSES
Middle Ages
• Nobles
• Peasants
Renaissance
• Nobles
• Middle class
• Peasants
PHILOSOPHY
Middle Ages
• God-centered
• Insignificant
theological arguments
Renaissance
• Little original thinking
• Restated ancient
philosophers
ART
Middle Ages
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•
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•
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God-centered
Symbolic meaning
2 dimensional
Taught a lesson
Most important item
was the biggest – no
linear perspective
Renaissance
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•
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•
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3 dimensional
Humanized people
Perspective
Anatomically correct
Naturalism
Freestanding
sculptures
ARCHITECTURE
Middle Ages
• Gothic and
Romanesque
• Bigger – better
• Reach higher to be
close to God
• Focused on religious
buildings
Renaissance
• Influence of ancient
Rome and Greece
• Symmetry
• Refinement
• Secular and religious
buildings
DRAMA
Middle Ages
• Purpose – religious
instruction
• Morality plays
• Performed in
churches
Renaissance
• Secular themes –
completely divorced
from Church
• theatres
MUSIC
Middle Ages
• Gregorian chant
• Purpose – honor God
• Single-voiced
(homophonic)
• Few musical
instruments
Renaissance
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•
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•
•
Polyphonic
Symmetrical notation
Mathematical
Regular proportions
Secular themes –
romantic love
• madrigal
VIEW OF ANCIENT WORLD
Middle Ages
• Pagans
• Used pagan works to
bolster Christian
Church dogma
• Felt inferior
Renaissance
• Appreciated classicsstudied them
• Admired ancients
• Felt inferior