Writers of the Renaissance
The Start of It All
Realized that:
– Printing from woodcarvings couldn’t
meet the huge demands for printed
material
– Handwriting manuscripts just took too
long
– A method for mass-production of
books and printed material was needed
– Invented the printing press, which
remained relatively unchanged until the
1900s
Johannes Gutenberg
-Invented the printing
press.(c 1450)
-Revolutionized the
sharing of information.
-Major contributor to
the spread of the
Renaissance
Setting The Text
-First, dies had
to be formed.
-After a mold of
a character was
carved, it had to
be cast into a
die.
-The dies were
then arranged into
words and columns
of text.
The Final Printing
After the page had been formed on the
block:
 The block of characters was attached to the
press.
 The page was placed under the block.
 A screw was turned to press the block onto
the paper with consistent, high pressure.
 The block was lifted, and out came a crisp,
clean page of text.
 The process was repeated as
many times as needed.
Impact
The printing press made
a huge impact on:
ÍThe spread of the
Renaissance
ÍThe sharing of ideas
and information
ÍLiterature (it caused
people to write more)
ÍThe Protestant
Reformation, since
everyone could have a
copy of the Bible
Effect on Language
 Many terms still remain from early presses
such as
Í Leading
Í Gutter
Í Serif and sans-serif
 Spelling was standardized
 Upper- and lower-case letters were
developed
Desidarius Erasmus
The most influential humanist
Backround Information





A humanist or someone who
studies grammar, rhetoric,
history, and clasical texts.
Friends with Thomas More
who wrote Utopia
Entered a monastary as a
teen and left after being
ordained to go back to
classical studies
Saddened that christian
scholars made the religion
more complicated and
cermonial and less spirtual.
Died of syphillis so severe his
doctor had to treat him from
the door
Letters
One of the
thousands of letters
he wrote to people
of different
countries.
, People from kings to
ordinary clerks.
, Only 3,000 of the
20,000 remain.
,
The Praise of Folly
A soft attack on the
abuses in the church
and elsewhere.
, Tribute to the
simple christian faith
of children.
, Making fun of
foolish behavior like
believing in
superstitions.
,
Other Works
The Adages - a book
on ethical behavior
, The Education of the
Christian Prince - in
the same genre as
Machiavelli’s The
Prince.
, Edition of the Greek
New Testament
,
The Life of Sir Thomas More
Born in 1478.
, 1516 published
Utopia.
, Became a close
friend of
Desidarius
Erasmus.
, Beheaded in 1535
by Henry VIII.
,
Utopia
Published in 1516
, A book that
criticized society
, Created imaginary
society
, Utopia- “an ideal
place or society”
,
"The King's good servant, but
God's First"
,
,
Resigned in 1532, citing
ill health, but the
reasons was probably his
dislike of Henry's stance
toward the church.
1534, More refused to
swear to the Act of
Succession and the Oath
of Supremacy, and was
committed to the Tower
of London on April 17.
St. Thomas More
More was found guilty
of treason and was
beheaded on July 6,
1535.
, More was canonized by
the Catholic Church as
a saint by Pope Pius XI
in 1935.
,
Shakespeare’s Life
,
,
,
,
,
Born April 23, 1564 in
Stratford.
Father was a merchant
and mother came from
a well-to-do family.
Was fluent in Latin and
Greek.
In 1582, William
Shakespeare married
Anne Hathaway. He
was 18.
Ann Hathaway was
eight years older then
him.
His Life
,
,
,
,
,
1585 they had twins,
Hamnet and Judith.
No one knows of his
whereabouts between 1586
and 1592.
In 1592 he lived in London
and was both an actor and
dramatist.
Moved to Italy in 1594
because the Black Death,
or plague, was disrupting
theater life in London.
Died April 23, 1616.
Shakespeare and his work
,
,
,
,
William Shakespeare wrote a great amount of
plays in his lifetime. Of these plays they were
separated into three different categories.
The first, being comedies, were meant to portray
a humorous feeling to the audience.
The second, being tragedies, were created with a
sense of sadness and pain. In these particular
plays, many of the actors died by the end of the
story.
The third, being histories, were stories that told
of someone who really existed. An example of
this would be Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar,
(which he wrote in 1599). Many famous plays of
his today are tragedies.
TheTragedies
All tragedies are written within the same
plot idea.
, The “hero” never appears until later in the
play, but you hear of him from the other
characters.
, The “hero” is always strong and brave but
has some kind of flaw.
, They all end in marriage.
,
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
,
,
,
Written in 1596.
Poked fun at “love at first sight”.
Considered some of Shakespeare’s best work.
The Taming of the Shrew
,
,
,
Written in 1592
Different from any of his
other comedies with short
tempered characters and
verbal wit.
The Taming of the Shrew,
was another tragedy that can
be seen in the movie, 10
things I hate about you. This
is not an exact replica of
Shakespeare’s story by any
means. However, the ideas
are alike.
William Shakespeare:
Tragedies
Hamlet
Hamlet, was one
of Shakespeare’s
greatest
tragedies.
, It was written in
and is a twisting
story of devious
actions, murder,
and most of all
emotional pain.
,
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet,
was another famous
tragedy.
, This particular story
demonstrates a
sense of passion.
, In this play, a
couple that is
forbidden to be
together, is forced
to adapt to the
cruelty of reality.
,
Renaissance Art in Northern
Europe
,
,
Should not be considered an appendage to
Italian art.
But, Italian influence was strong.
 Painting in OIL, developed in Flanders, was widely
adopted in Italy.
,
The differences between the two cultures:
 Italy  change was inspired by humanism with its
emphasis on the revival of the values of classical
antiquity.
 No. Europe  change was driven by religious
reform, the return to Christian values, and the
revolt against the authority of the Church.
,
More princes & kings were patrons of artists.
Characteristics of Northern
Renaissance Art
,
,
,
,
,
,
The continuation of late medieval
attention to details.
Tendency toward realism & naturalism
[less emphasis on the “classical ideal”].
Interest in landscapes.
More emphasis on middle-class and
peasant life.
Details of domestic interiors.
Great skill in portraiture.
Jan van Eyck
Flemish painter who
was a contemporary
of Ghiberti
, Used oil base paint
to create subtle
colors in clothing
and jewelry
, Exceptionally
realistic
, Influenced other
northern European
artists
,
“Ghent Altarpiece”
Details from
the altarpiece
Jan van Eyck (1395 – 1441)
,
More courtly and
aristocratic work.
 Court painter to
the Duke of
Burgundy, Philip
the Good.
,
,
The Virgin and
Chancellor Rolin,
1435.
Painted with oil
Giovanni Arnolfini
and His Wife
(Wedding Portrait)
Jan Van Eyck
1434
Jan van Eyck - Giovanni Arnolfini
& His Wife
(details)
Rogier van der Weyden (13991464)
The
Deposition
1435
van der Weyden’s Deposition
(details)
Quentin Massys (1465-1530)
,
,
,
,
Belonged to the
humanist circle
in Antwerp that
included
Erasmus.
Influenced by
da Vinci.
Thomas More
called him “the
renovator of
the old art.”
The Ugly
Dutchess,
1525-1530 
Massys’ The Moneylender & His
Wife, 1514
Renaissance Art in France
A new phase of Italian influence in
France began with the French invasions
of the Italian peninsula that began in
1494.
, The most important royal patron was
Francis I.
,
 Actively encouraged humanistic learning.
 Invited da Vinci and Andrea del Sarto to
France.
 He collected paintings by the great Italian
masters like Titian, Raphael, and
Michelangelo.
Matthias Grünewald (1470-1528)
,
,
,
,
Converted to
Lutheranism.
Possibly involved in
the Peasants’
Revolt on the
peasants side.
Depictions of
intense emotion,
especially painful
emotion.
The Mocking of
Christ, 1503 
Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)
,
,
,
,
,
,
The greatest of German
artists.
A scholar as well as an
artist.
His patron was the
Emperor Maximilian I.
Also a scientist
 Wrote books on geometry,
fortifications, and human
proportions.
Self-conscious
individualism of the
Renaissance is seen in
his portraits.
 Self-Portrait at 26,
1498.
Albrecht Durer (1471-1528)
,
,
,
,
A German artist and
humanist
Best known for his
woodcuts and paintings
which emphasized
realism
Traveled to Italy
He produced and sold
thousands of copies of
his work which spread
renaissance styles and
inspired German
artists
portrait
Early Self
Durer’s self portraits
age 26 and age 28
The Praying Hands
Dürer
The Last
Supper
woodcut,
1510
Durer – The Triumphal Arch, 1515-1517
The Triumphal Arch, details
The Triumphal Arch, details
Dürer
Four
Horsemen
of the
Apocalypse
woodcut,
1498
Hans Holbein, the Younger
(1497-1543)
,
,
One of the great German
artists who did most of his
work in England.
While in Basel, he
befriended Erasmus.
 Erasmus Writing, 1523 
,
,
Henry VIII was his patron
from 1536.
Great portraitist noted
for:
 Objectivity & detachment.
 Doesn’t conceal the
weaknesses of his
subjects.
Artist to the Tudors
Henry VIII (left), 1540
and the future Edward VI
(above), 1543.
Holbein’s, The Ambassadors,
1533
A Skull
Multiple Perspectives
The English Were More Interested
in Architecture than Painting
Hardwick Hall, designed by Robert Smythson in the 1590s,
for the Duchess of Shrewsbury [more medieval in style].
Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516)
,
,
A pessimistic view of human nature.
Had a wild and lurid
imagination.
 Fanciful monsters &
apparitions.
,
Untouched by the
values of the Italian
Quattrocento, like
mathematical
perspective.
 His figures are flat.
 Perspective is ignored.
,
,
More a landscape painter than a portraitist.
Philip II of Spain was an admirer of his work.
Hieronym
us
Bosch
The
Garden of
Earthy
Delights
1500
Hieronymu
s
Bosch
The
Garden of
Earthy
Delights
(details)
1500
Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1525-1569)
,
,
,
,
,
One of the greatest artistic geniuses of his age.
Worked in Antwerp and then moved to Brussels.
In touch with a circle of Erasmian humanists.
Was deeply concerned with human vice and
follies.
A master of landscapes; not a portraitist.
 People in his works often have round, blank, heavy
faces.
 They are expressionless, mindless, and sometimes
malicious.
 They are types, rather than individuals.
 Their purpose is to convey a message.
Bruegel’s, Tower of Babel, 1563
Bruegel’s, Mad Meg, 1562
Bruegel’s, The Beggars, 1568
Bruegel’s, Parable of the Blind
Leading the Blind, 1568
Bruegel’s Proverbs, (The Blue Cloak)1559
Children’s Games
Peasant’s Wedding
Bruegel’s, The Triumph of Death,
1562
Bruegel’s, Hunters in the Snow,
1565
Bruegel’s, Winter Scene, 1565
Bruegel’s, The Harvesters, 1565