Characteristics Of The Renaissance

’The Renaissance was the rebirth of man's life on earth. Freed from the shackles of authority, man's mind was viewed as able to understand the universe. Far from being a tortured soul trapped in a deformed bodily prison, man was regarded as rational, beautiful and heroic--worthy of happiness and capable of great achievement. Man, in the Renaissance view, need not bow down in passive resignation, praying for salvation. He can choose to undertake great challenges in the face of seemingly impossible odds; he can actively pursue success, fight for victory--even slay a giant.”

The major social changes during the Renaissance era were a step into a renewed world. Political class, different types of ideas, development of arts was one of the major social changes in the Renaissance. The rejection during the era was religion due to the rulers.

Nyctophobia; the fear of the dark. However, it’s not exactly the fear of darkness itself, but rather, what could be lurking within it. Now, the Dark Ages weren’t actually “dark”, but it was a time of rapid decline in Europe in which historians don’t have much information. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was thrown into a never ending battle of hardships. From the Black Plague to the loss of beloved heroes and heroines, the country really was left in the dark, until a flicker of hope emerged offering a new beginning: the Renaissance. The Renaissance lasted from the 14th to the 17th century and was an era of “rebirth” in European history. During this period, culture throughout Europe underwent a dramatic reformation where classic

The Renaissance was from c. 1300-1600 in Italy then spreading to the rest of Europe around 1450. During this time period, new forms of art and literature were developed that glorified the individual. Sculpture, painting and architecture techniques enhanced the individual’s beauty and uniqueness.

The Italian Renaissance had two distinct periods during its lifetime. The first being the “Early Renaissance”, which took place between the late 13th and the early 14th centuries. The second period was known as the “High Renaissance”, which took place during the 15th and 16th centuries. These two periods had very distinct foundations and styles behind the art and architecture of their respective periods. The Early Renaissance revived many old themes which later became the foundations for the High Renaissance. While the High Renaissance strayed from previous traditions and had its own form of art and essentially perfected early themes and styles of art and included more scientific/mathematic components.

The Renaissance period is known for the revival of the classical art and intellect born in ancient Greece and Rome. The Renaissance is also a time that is marked by growth, exploration, and rebirth. The Italian Renaissance started in Florence and progressively made its way into Venice and then into the great city of Rome. During the Renaissance, Rome was home to some of the most renowned works of art and the finest architectural masterpieces in the world - too many that still holds true today. Along with the delicate architecture and grand artistry, Rome was also home to a mixture of people and cultures. It is in this cultural context and through the book A Street Life in Renaissance Rome: A Brief History with Documents, that understanding how men, woman, and specifically Jews and Christians lived in Rome becomes important to better understand this period of renewal.

Italy can be looked at as the home of the renaissance and consequently the immergence of great art. Artists such as Michelangelo, Botticelli, Da Vinci, and Raphael are some of the greats and are looked at for standards. But what about the artists whose lives are mysteries, and their works that were influenced by the greats? These artists hold just as much importance in the history of art as do the artist’s whose names can be recalled off the top of an average person’s head. During the sixteenth century things began to change in the art world, and that change was the Baroque. This new style of art brought a revolution to how subject matter was painted, it brought upon “… a radical reconsideration of art and its purposes…” (249) and how artists of all ranks could learn to paint the up and coming style of Baroque.

The Renaissance was a time of wealth and rebirth from the dreaded Middle Ages. From the Renaissance, western Europeans experienced a cultural awakening, new beliefs, and a new way of life. Humanist ideas and beliefs emerged which were different from the previous religious points of view held by the church. New forms of art were created by artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo. The Renaissance had a huge impact on the Protestant Reformation due to humanist beliefs and secularism which criticized the Catholic Church.

The argument for the use of the term “Renaissance” is made by defining the “Renaissance” as a global expansion of the western world as a whole. Jerry Brotton uses many different portraits and literature, to make the assumption that the “Renaissance” was much bigger than just Western Europe. The difference in this argument are the advancements in technology and ideals in Western Europe that changed the world. The most significant invention for communication perhaps of all of time would be the printing press. The printing press came about in 1450s, due to the collaboration of Johann Fust, Johann Gutenburg, and Peter Schöffer. The printing press was revolutionary at this time sparking literacy and giving people a voice. Brotton mentions how by

The Renaissance, a time defined as the rebirth of classical ideals, occurred in Italy between 1350 and 1600. Spreading quickly throughout Europe, with the innovation of the printing press, it caused rippling effects. The Renaissance ultimately altered the aged education of theology from the Dark Ages and renewed it with studies of more ancient, classic works. Classic art and literature grew extremely popular, contrasting the lack of interest in them before. Many artists became prominent advocates for the revival of the ideals of the classical past. The artists, using their masterpieces, tremendously determined how modern historians view the era. While several aspects of the Renaissance contributed and influenced the time, artists like Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raffaello Sanzio had a stronger effect on and are greater representations of the time.

The Italian renaissance was a period of creative explosion. The term renaissance symbolizes rebirth, which is exactly what occurred in Italy during this time. An entire culture was remade through art. There was a resounding interest in the classics created by ancient artists. The humanist movement encouraged the study of humanity’s history in order to create a deeper understanding of how to move forward as a society. There was a seemingly unquenchable thirst for knowledge and creation. Many new art forms developed in this period, including opera. The Florentine Camerata, a group of scholars, created early forms of opera. Claudio Monteverdi, a renaissance composer, developed opera into the art form that is still performed today. The work of the Florentine Camerata and Claudio Monteverdi worked in harmony to create and develop this new form of music. Monteverdi’s educational background, his rebellious drive to create, his serendipitous career, and his unequaled talent allowed him to develop opera into an art form that no other composer of the time could have produced.

The Renaissance was a bold time, discovering new science ideas gradually making art more realistic, taking the church to a whole new level. If these things weren't discovered, life may not be the same way it is today. The Renaissance changed the way we see things in art, the church, and in discovering new science. Art and science changed due to people willing to try new ideas. The Renaissance was a time of change, it was influenced greatly by the evolution of realistic art, progressing because of the study of anatomy, the printing press, as well as a shift in beliefs with the church.

Each period style, for instance, classical, renaissance, baroque, early Georgian etc has its own defining characteristics. Describe a period of your choice and write a report on its characteristics.

Between the second half of the 16th century and the early 17th century, Europe had already experienced the significant impacts of the Renaissance. It seemed that new bourgeoisie made an inevitable triumph, and people's morale was weakening gradually. People’s passion for the movement initiated by their predecessors seemed to have cooled down. Even the artists gradually got tired of the rigid and formulaic Classicist Style, and wanted to enjoy the remarkable achievements brought by the Renaissance movement. The Renaissance not only inspired people’s thinking, but also generated profound impacts on history.

The Renaissance is originated from humanism, traced from the rediscovery of classical Greek and Rome philosophy, such as that of Protagoras, who asserted that “Man is the measure of all things”. This new way of thinking became visible in art, architecture, science, politics, and literature. The Renaissance as a cultural movement included novel flowering of Vernacular Latin and literatures, initiation by the 14th-century rebirth of studying based on classical sources like Rome and Greece philosophy, which contemporaries credited to Petrarch. Education during the Renaissance was mostly constituted of ancient history and literature as it was thought that the classics given moral instruction and an intensive comprehension of human behavior. The