Northern Renaissance

Northern Europe was slower to pick up on the Renaissance o Feudalism slower to end o Historic and geographical ties to Classical civilizations (Rome and Greece) less pronounced than Italy o Economy not as developed; Fewer cities that could be home to cultural achievements
 By late 1400’s, ideas of humanism made their way into France, German territories, and
England o Printing press made ideas more readily available

Compared to Italian Renaissance, Northern humanists were much more concerned with religion o Northern Renaissance focused on Church texts, while Italian humanists focused on texts from Greece and Rome o Northern humanists did study in Latin and Greek as did the Italian humanist

Famous Northern Humanists o Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536)

Dutch cleric who spent time in a monastery before being ordained as a priest

Taught at Cambridge and also worked as a tutor in Paris and Italy

Studied Church texts

Believed there were mistranslations in the Bible; worked to retranslate original texts, published new Greek and Latin translations of the New Testament

Concerned with morality, civic virtue, piety

Believed inner piety was more significant than the acts of virtue required by the Catholic Church (sacraments, pilgrimages, fasting, reverence of saints, etc.)

Famous Works: (most of which were added to the Catholic Church’s
Index of Forbidden Books)

Colloquies : collection of satirical dialogues concerning religious superstition

Adages: collection of common sayings such as “leave no stone unturned” and “where there is smoke, there is fire.”

In Praise of Folly: satire, critique of corruption in society as well as the Catholic Church o Sir Thomas More (1478-1535)

English lawyer and poet; proficient in Latin and Greek
 Friend of Erasmus
 Devout Christian

Most famous work: Utopia
(means “nowhere” in Greek)

Northern Renaissance

Satirical critique of society; Outlines the ideal society; set on an imaginary island

Describes a society in which cooperation and reason replace power and fame. All members of society work together for the wellbeing of the whole; communal ownership instead of private property; the government exists only to serve the people

The ideals outlined in his book are sometimes known as Utopian
Socialism

Art of the Northern Renaissance o Artists of the Northern Renaissance avoided pagan themes that became common in Italian art

Did not incorporate Greco-Roman imagery (mythology, etc.) into art

Did not depict humans in the nude

Offered a much more realistic portrayal of the human form than the
“ideal” human body seen in Italian art such as Michelangelo’s
David o Famous Artists:

Jan Van Eyck

Dutchman who used oil paint on both wood and canvas

Famous work: The Arnolfini Wedding

Albrecht Durer

German who studied in Venice, Italy

Produced copper engravings and woodcuts
 Famous work: Adoration of the M agi