The Renaissance Begins

The Renaissance Begins

• The Renaissance began in Italy around 1350 and lasted until 1600, marking a significant change in European history
• The term "Renaissance" means "rebirth" and refers to the revival of ancient Greek and Roman culture

Background of the Renaissance

• The Crusades played a role in shaping the background for the Renaissance
• The Renaissance did not replace the Middle Ages suddenly, but rather gradually unfolded in different parts of Europe

The Revival of Greek and Latin

• Renaissance thinkers sought to revive the culture of ancient civilizations, considering the Middle Ages to be "dark ages"
• Petrarch, an advocate for the classics, believed that Greek and Roman art was superior to anything created since the fall of Rome
• He traveled to monasteries, searching for ancient Greek and Roman texts, often finding libraries in disarray

Petrarch's Quest

• Petrarch searched through piles of rotting books in monastery libraries, hoping to find ancient texts
• He was critical of the Middle Ages, calling them "the Dark Ages" and admiring only Greek and Roman art

Italian Renaissance and Its Influences

• Many Italian artists were influenced by the revival of Greek and Latin, aiming to restore the rich culture of ancient Europe.
• They copied ancient Greek and Roman art, but in doing so, they created something new.

Patrons of the Arts

• A patron is a person who supports artists using their money and influence.
• Lorenzo de' Medici, also known as Lorenzo the Magnificent, was the most influential Renaissance patron.
• He brought talented artists to his palace in Florence, Italy, and supported their work.

Michelangelo

• Michelangelo was Lorenzo de' Medici's favorite artist.
• He was the greatest sculptor of the Renaissance.
• He created art that seemed to be living, inspired by Greek sculptures.
• At 23, Michelangelo created the statue "Pieta," which shows Mary holding the body of Jesus after his death.
• The Pieta is considered one of the world's most beautiful art pieces.

Leonardo Da Vinci

• Leonardo da Vinci was a towering artist who worked during Michelangelo's time.
• As a young boy, Leonardo was apprenticed to a famous master painter in Florence.
• He showed tremendous ability and his master was overwhelmed by his early work.
• Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most important Renaissance painters.
• He was also a man of many new ideas, including designing a flying machine inspired by the bat.
• He wrote over 5,000 notebook pages, filled with unique inventions, lifelike drawings, and studies of the human body.
• His painting, the Mona Lisa, looks remarkably real due to his detailed drawings of muscles and bones.

The Spread of the Renaissance

• The Renaissance blossomed first in Italy, where rich patrons supported the arts.
• The Renaissance was a time of great artistic creativity, producing some of the world's most beautiful works of art.
• Italian workshops were filled with artists from all over the continent.
• Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were only two examples of many Renaissance artists.