Download Unit 4 Art

Medieval, Renaissance,
or Modern Art?
World History
Medieval
Medieval
Renaissance
Modern
Renaissance
(Michelangelo’s
David)
Medieval
Renaissance
(Leonardo da
Vinci’s Mona Lisa)
Medieval
Renaissance
(School of Athens)
Socrates
Plato
Aristotle
Ptolemy
Pythagoras
Modern
Modern
Renaissance
Leonardo da
Vinci’s Lady
with Ermine
Medieval
Renaissance
(Michleangelo’s
Sistine Chapel)
Renaissance
Renaissance
(David, by
Michelangelo)
What was the Renaissance?

The rebirth of classical learning and the arts
in Europe beginning in the 1300s; also the
transitional period from Medieval times to
modern times
Where in Europe did the
Renaissance have its origins?

Italy: Florence, Venice, & Rome
Why did the Renaissance
develop in Italian city-states?
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Florence: Medici rulers helped foster a spirit
of humanism among artists and scholars;
personal wealth supported writers, artists, &
philosophers
Rome: In the Vatican large palaces &
churches were constructed to increase
prestige; magnificent paintings and
sculptures created for decoration
Venice: economic power from trade led to
prosperity; through trade the city became a
link between Europe and Asia; new ideas and
styles filtered in from Asia
Architecture



Classical style (Greek &
Roman); comfort and
beauty, glass windows,
domes, columns, &
arches
Cathedral of Florence is
best example
Brunalleschi is best
known architect
Sculpture



Greek & Roman like
nudes in bronze or
marble
Freestanding
Donatello,
Michelangelo & Ghiberti
Painting



Realistic as opposed to
flat, depth or
perspective(3D),
human emotions,
lighting
Less religious, more
secular
Michelangelo,
Leonardo da Vinci
(Mona Lisa, & Last
Supper), & Masaccio
Why?




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
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
Contacts with the Byzantine Empire and Muslims in
the Holy Land from the Crusades
Overseas trade led to growth of cities in Italy
Europeans began to question the Catholic Church
Wealthy merchants and officials wanted to display
their wealth
Italy had more access to Roman ruins
Italy had more access to ancient manuscripts from
Constantinople than the rest of Europe (through
foreign scholars)
Italy led the West by the 14th century in banking and
trade
Italy was more urbanized than the rest of Europe
Renaissance Writers



Wrote in the vernacular
Wrote for self
expression or to portray
individuality
Humanists (human
potential and
achievement over
classic texts and church
teachings)

Francesco Petrarch & Boccaccio

Niccolò Machiavelli &
Vittoria Colonna
(woman)
Vittoria Colonna
Niccolò Machiavelli







Historian & political thinker
who wrote a political guide
book called The Prince
The Prince (1513)
Assumed people were selfish, fickle,
and corrupt
Said leader must be as “strong as a
lion and as shrewd as a fox” to
succeed and defeat enemies
“the end justifies the means” & “it is
better to be feared than loved (if you
can’t be both) is attributed to him.
Not concerned with what was morally
right
Prince must mislead his people and lie
to his opponents in the real world
Changes in the Arts





Art drew on techniques and styles of classical
Greece and Rome
Paintings and sculptures portrayed individuals and
nature in more realistic and lifelike ways
Artists created works that were secular as well as
those that were religious
Writers began to use vernacular languages to
express their ideas
The arts praised individual achievement
Changes in Society



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Printing changed society by making more
information available and inexpensive enough for
society at large
A greater availability of books prompted an
increased desire for learning and a rise in literacy
throughout Europe
Published accounts of new discoveries, maps, and
charts led to further discoveries in a variety of fields
Published legal proceedings made the laws clear so
that people likely to understand their rights
Christian humanists’ attempts to reform society
changed views about how life should be lived
People began to question political structures and
religious practices
Northern Renaissance



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Wealth and population
increase in northern Europe
Wealthy urban merchants &
strong monarchies
sponsored the arts
(Flanders, England, &
France)
Artists were especially
interested in realism
Christian Humanists –
Desiderius Erasmus &
Thomas More (Utopia)
Renaissance ideas spread
with help of printing press
(1440) invented by Johann
Gutenberg – made books
cheaper (like the Bible)
Thomas More