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Humanism and the Renaissance
What are the main beliefs of humanism?
What was the Renaissance?
How did humanism illustrate a change from
previously held beliefs?
In Case You Forgot…
• The Middle Ages
– Europe, 500 – 1500 AD
– The (Catholic) church was a HUGE influence on every part
of life
• People paid at least 10% of their income in a tithe
• People that didn’t do the right thing (especially people in power
like Kings) could be excommunicated (kicked out/lose hope of
heaven)
• Churches owned a lot of land and built huge, beautiful cathedrals
– After around 1300, some changes were taking place:
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More trade and travel
Agricultural revolution led to more $$
Towns and cities grew
No more feudal system
The middle class (with merchants in it) developed
Right about this time (1400ish)…
• A new interest developed in things other than
religion/the Church/God
• As people traveled and traded, so did their ideas
– Ancient Greek and Roman writings were re-examined
• Art, Science, Philosophy, Government
– New interest was developed for math and scientific
discovery
• Biology, astronomy, engineering, medicine, etc.
– Secular (non-church-related) works were created
• Art, philosophy, law, music, and writings
The Renaissance
• Some Basic Facts
– Definition: a period from 1400-1600 AD in which culture and
artistic works flourished and the ideas of ancient Greeks and
Romans were “reborn”
– Birthplace: Italy
• Huge center of trade = lots of money to pay for art and big flow of ideas
• Some Major Artists that we will study
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Raphael
Donatello
Michelangelo
Leonardo (da Vinci)
• Some Major Inventions
– The printing press
– Pendulum (for use in a more accurate clock)
– Lenses (microscope/telescope)
Humanism
• Way of thinking that was at the heart of the Renaissance
• Humanists
– Were still probably Christians, but did not first look to their
religion to understand the world
– Studied the classical culture of Greece and Rome
– Used what they learned to better understand and learn more
about their own world
– Focused on worldly subjects, not just religious ones
• Though you make the art you get paid to do (by a patron)
• This was a transition– religious figures were set against classical Roman
or Greek backgrounds in the beginning
– Strongly believed in education, especially the study of
grammar/rhetoric (using language properly), poetry, and history
– Believed that HUMANS had the ability/the power/the strength
to do great things and could rely on their own talents and
intelligence to accomplish this
Transitions in Art
• Two Types of Paint:
– Middle Ages: Egg Tempera was egg yolk mixed with pigment; created a
flat, rough surface on the painting
– Renaissance: Oil Paint was oil mixed with powdered pigment; created a
layer-able surface that light could shine through
• Humanism’s rise can be seen when studying the art of the
Renaissance
– Sizes:
• Middle Ages: Hieratic scales used to determine size; the bigger the thing, the
more important it was
• Renaissance: perspective drawing and real proportions used to determine size
– Heads:
• Middle Ages: holy figures were shown with a golden ring of light around their
heads (halo)
• Renaissance: halos much less common, then eventually not used at all
– Background:
• Middle Ages: holy figures were shown against a golden background (to
represent beauty/heaven)
• Renaissance: a more natural background was used for saints, angels, and
everyday people
Your Job:
• Place these paintings in order of time period by
examining the three traits listed on the previous
slide. The more humanistic qualities you see, the
later they were probably created. The more
“religious” characteristics you see, the earlier
they were probably created.
• Order of paintings:
• ____
____
____
____
____
A
B
C
D
E
Final thoughts:
• Was humanism the ultimate result of the
Middle Ages…
• Or…
• Was humanism the beginning of a new set of
ideas, leading to the modern age?