The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a lively period of European cultural, artistic, political and economic
“rebirth” following the Middle Ages. Generally described as taking place from the 14th
century to the 17th century, the Renaissance promoted the rediscovery of classical philosophy,
literature and art. Some of the greatest thinkers, authors, statesmen, scientists and artists in
human history thrived during this era, while global exploration opened up new lands and
cultures to European commerce. The Renaissance is credited with bridging the gap between
the Middle Ages and modern-day civilization.
Humanism
During the 14th century, a cultural movement called humanism began to gain momentum in
Italy. Among its many principles, humanism promoted the idea that man was the center of his
own universe, and people should embrace human achievements in education, classical arts,
literature and science.
In 1450, the invention of the Gutenberg printing press allowed for improved communication
throughout Europe and for ideas to spread more quickly.
As a result of this advance in communication, little-known texts from early humanist authors
such as those by Francesco Petrarca [franˈtʃesko peˈtrarka] and Giovanni Boccaccio
(/bəˈkætʃioʊ/, which promoted the renewal of traditional Greek and Roman culture and values,
were printed and distributed to the masses.
Additionally, many scholars believe advances in international finance and trade impacted
culture in Europe and set the stage for the Renaissance.
Medici Family /ˈmɛdɪtʃi/
The Renaissance started in Florence, Italy, a place with a rich cultural history where wealthy
citizens could afford to support promising artists.
Members of the powerful Medici family, which ruled Florence for more than 60 years, were
famous backers of the movement.
Great Italian writers, artists, politicians and others declared that they were participating in an
intellectual and artistic revolution that would be much different from what they experienced
during the Dark Ages.
The movement first expanded to other Italian city-states, such as Venice, Milan, Bologna
(/bəˈloʊnjə/, Ferrara and Rome. Then, during the 15th century, Renaissance ideas spread from
Italy to France and then throughout western and northern Europe.
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Although other European countries experienced their Renaissance later than Italy, the impacts
were still revolutionary.
Renaissance Geniuses
Some of the most famous and groundbreaking Renaissance intellectuals, artists, scientists and
writers include the likes of:
Leonardo da Vinci [leoˈnardo di (v)ˈvintʃi] (1452–1519): Italian painter, architect,
inventor, and “Renaissance man” responsible for painting “The Mona Lisa” and “The
Last Supper.
Desiderius Erasmus (1466–1536): Scholar from Holland who defined the humanist
movement in Northern Europe. Translator of the New Testament into Greek.
Rene Descartes (1596–1650): French philosopher and mathematician regarded as the
father of modern philosophy. Famous for stating, “I think; therefore I am.”
Galileo (1564-1642): Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer whose pioneering
work with telescopes enabled him to describes the moons of Jupiter and rings of
Saturn. Placed under house arrest for his views of a heliocentric universe.
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543): Mathematician and astronomer who made first
modern scientific argument for the concept of a heliocentric solar system.
Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679): English philosopher and author of “Leviathan.”
Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400): English poet and author of “The Canterbury Tales.”
Giotto (1266-1337): Italian painter and architect whose more realistic depictions of
human emotions influenced generations of artists. Best known for his frescoes in the
Scrovegni Chapel in Padua.
Dante (1265–1321): Italian philosopher, poet, writer and political thinker who
authored “The Divine Comedy.”
Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527): Italian diplomat and philosopher famous for
writing “The Prince” and “The Discourses on Livy.”
Titian tɪʃən/ (1488–1576): Italian painter celebrated for his portraits of Pope Paul III
and Charles I and his later religious and mythical paintings like “Venus and Adonis”
and "Metamorphoses."
William Tyndale (1494–1536): English biblical translator, humanist and scholar
burned at the stake for translating the Bible into English.
William Byrd (1539/40–1623): English composer known for his development of the
English madrigal and his religious organ music.
John Milton (1608–1674): English poet and historian who wrote the epic poem
“Paradise Lost.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616): England’s “national poet” and the most famous
playwright of all time, celebrated for his sonnets and plays like “Romeo and Juliet.”
Donatello (1386–1466): Italian sculptor celebrated for lifelike sculptures like “David,”
commissioned by the Medici family.
Sandro Botticelli (1445–1510): Italian painter of “Birth of Venus.”
Raphael (1483–1520): Italian painter who learned from da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Best known for his paintings of the Madonna and “The School of Athens.”
Michelangelo (1483–1520): Italian sculptor, painter, and architect who carved “David”
and painted The Sistine Chapel in Rome.
Renaissance Art, Architecture and Science
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Art, architecture and science were closely linked during the Renaissance. In fact, it was a
unique time when these fields of study fused impeccably together.
For instance, artists like da Vinci incorporated scientific principles, such as anatomy into their
work, so they could recreate the human body with extraordinary precision.
Architects such as Filippo Brunelleschi studied mathematics to accurately engineer and design
immense buildings with expansive domes.
Scientific discoveries led to major shifts in thinking: Galileo and Descartes /deɪˈkɑːrt
presented a new view of astrology and mathematics, while Copernicus proposed that the Sun,
not the Earth, was the center of the solar system.
Renaissance art was characterized by realism and naturalism. Artists strived to depict people
and objects in a true-to-life way.
They used techniques, such as perspective, shadows and light to add depth to their work.
Emotion was another quality that artists tried to infuse into their pieces.
Some of the most famous artistic works that were produced during the Renaissance include:
The Mona Lisa (Da Vinci)
The Last Supper (Da Vinci)
Statue of David (Michelangelo)
The Birth of Venus (Botticelli)
The Creation of Adam (Michelangelo)
Renaissance Exploration
While many artists and thinkers used their talents to express new ideas, some Europeans took
to the seas to learn more about the world around them. In a period known as the Age of
Discovery, several important explorations were made.
Voyagers launched expeditions to travel the entire globe. They discovered new shipping
routes to the Americas, India and the Far East, and explorers trekked across areas that weren’t
fully mapped.
Famous journeys were taken by Ferdinand Magellan, Christopher Columbus, Amerigo
Vespucci (after whom America is named), Marco Polo, Ponce de Leon, Vasco Núñez de
Balboa, Hernando De Soto and other explorers.
Renaissance Religion
Humanism encouraged Europeans to question the role of the Roman Catholic church during
the Renaissance.
As more people learned how to read, write and interpret ideas, they began to closely examine
and critique religion as they knew it. Also, the printing press allowed for texts, including the
Bible, to be easily reproduced and widely read by the people, themselves, for the first time.
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In the 16th century, Martin Luther, a German monk, led the Protestant Reformation – a
revolutionary movement that caused a split in the Catholic church. Luther questioned many of
the practices of the church and whether they aligned with the teachings of the Bible.
As a result, a new form of Christianity, known as Protestantism, was created.
End of the Renaissance
Scholars believe the end of the Renaissance was the result of several compounding factors.
By the end of the 15th century, numerous wars had plagued the Italian peninsula. Spanish,
French and German invaders battling for Italian territories caused disruption and instability in
the region.
Also, changing trade routes led to a period of economic decline and limited the amount of
money that wealthy contributors could spend on the arts.
Later, in a movement known as the Counter-Reformation, the Catholic church censored artists
and writers in response to the Protestant Reformation. Many Renaissance thinkers feared
being too bold, which stifled creativity.
Furthermore, in 1545, the Council of Trent established the Roman Inquisition, which made
humanism and any views that challenged the Catholic church an act of heresy punishable by
death.
By the early 17th century, the Renaissance movement had died out, giving way to the Age of
Enlightenment.
