Renaissance Overview and Key Figures

Wealthy Florentine family during the Renaissance, influential in banking, art, and architecture.

Renaissance intellectual movement emphasizing human potential and achievement.

Famous artists of the Renaissance, including Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo.

Highly influential Renaissance artist and inventor.

Famous Renaissance sculptor, painter, and architect.

A period in European history (roughly 14th-17th centuries) marking the transition from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

Invented by Johannes Gutenberg, it revolutionized communication and publication, spreading knowledge faster than ever before in Europe.

Support given to artists and other intellectuals, often by wealthy individuals or institutions for the use and appreciation of arts.

Birthplace of the Renaissance, known for its cultural and artistic achievements.

The period between the Middle Ages and the modern era, roughly 1400 to 1800 and encompassing the renaissance, and beyond.

Ancient Greek and Roman philosophical ideas emphasizing human reason and capabilities.

An Italian writer, poet, and scholar who is considered the "Father of Italian Literature." He is best known for the Decameron, a collection of short stories that shifted literature towards everyday people.

A collection of short stories written by Giovanni Boccaccio, which depict the lives and experiences of ordinary people in 14th century Italy. This work marked a shift in literature focusing on the lives of everyday people.

Writing in the everyday language of the common people, rather than in Latin, the language of scholars and the Church.

Florence played a central role in the Italian Renaissance, becoming a hub for art, culture, and intellectual thought. This was largely due to the influence of prominent figures like Giovanni Boccaccio and the Medici family who provided significant patronage to artists, architects, and writers.

The practice of wealthy individuals or organizations supporting artists, musicians, writers, and other creative professionals by providing them with financial and other forms of support.

A painting technique that uses subtle blending of colors to create smooth transitions without visible lines or edges. Derived from the Italian word "fumo" meaning "smoke."

A painting technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark areas to create depth and volume in a piece. It creates a sense of realism and three-dimensionality.

The Mona Lisa, a renowned painting by Leonardo da Vinci, was never completed despite years of work and remains unfinished.

The Mona Lisa gained immense popularity after it was stolen from the Louvre Museum in 1911.

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael, was a celebrated Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance.

The founder of the Medici family and a powerful figure in Florence during the Renaissance, known for his patronage of the arts and his role in the city's rise to prominence. He also established the Medici Bank, which later became a major financial institution in Europe.

A powerful financial institution founded by the Medici family that played a crucial role in the economic and political life of Florence during the Renaissance.

The cathedral of Florence, a magnificent example of Renaissance architecture that was completed with the support of the Medici family.

The grandson of Cosimo de Medici, known as Lorenzo the Magnificent for his leadership and patronage of the arts during the High Renaissance. He was a prominent figure in Florence and throughout Italy.

A collection of poems by Francesco Petrarch, considered a major work of literature that reflects the themes of love, beauty, and the human condition during the Renaissance.

A love that is idealized and often unattainable, often expressed through poetry and literature.

The Medici family initially gained their wealth through the wool trade, but later became prominent in banking, amassing immense fortune and influence in Florence and beyond.

The Medici family became powerful patrons of the arts and humanism during the Renaissance, supporting artists, architects, and scholars, and shaping the artistic and intellectual landscape of Florence.

In 1911, Vincenzo Perugia stole Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa from the Louvre Museum in Paris. He was arrested and the painting was recovered.

The identity of the woman in Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting 'Mona Lisa' is debated, with theories suggesting she was Lisa del Giocondo, Caterina (Leonardo's mother), or even a self-portrait.

Raphael's 'The School of Athens' is a fresco painting depicting a gathering of famous philosophers and scholars. It's considered one of his greatest works.

Raphael used various techniques in 'The School of Athens,' including chiaroscuro (light and shadow), atmospheric perspective (creating depth), classical composition (balancing elements), realistic portraiture (lifelike faces), and linear perspective (illusion of space).

The 'Sistine Madonna' is a painting by Raphael depicting the Virgin Mary and a young Jesus. It's a famous work known for its beauty and tenderness.

Leonardo da Vinci's 'Vitruvian Man' is a famous drawing of a male figure in two superimposed positions, illustrating the ideal human proportions.

Raphael learned painting from his father, Giovanni Santi, and received training from the Urbino court painter, Timoteo Viti. He later studied under Perugino.

Vincenzo Perugia stole the Mona Lisa in an attempt to sell it to Alfredo Geri. He later expressed a desire to return the painting to Italy.