Download renaissance revision - Mr McElhinney`s History Class

RENAISSANCE REVISION
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
INTRODUCTION
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Renaissance means ‘rebirth’
refers to the period in europe between 1450 to
1650
A renewal of interest in learning from the ideas
and art...
of the ancient classical civilizations of Rome and
Greece
Started in Italy
Spread throughout Europe
Differences between medieval and
renaissance times
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Medieval Times: 1. People couldn’t read
2. Catholic Church had absolute power
3. No one questioned the laws or authority
WHY DID RENAISSANCE BEGIN IN
ITALY? (1)
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1. Italy was the home of ancient Roman civilizations
Roman ruins were still there - inspired people to learn
more
2. Italy was divided into city-states such as Florence,
Venice, Rome
Great rivalry between them
Wanted to show off their wealth through great art
Employed famous artists to decorate their palaces and
towns
WHY DID RENAISSANCE BEGIN IN
ITALY? (2)
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3. Wealthy Patrons - proud of their towns and loved art
Supported artists to produce great works - vital to
Renaissance
4. Turks had captured the old Greek city of
Constantinople
Many people had fled to italy to escape the Muslims
Brought ancient and valuable manuscripts with them
New knowledge was discovered
PATRONS
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Wealthy people in Italy who sponsored artists to produce works
They were wealthy merchants or bishops, and even the Pope
himself
Artists could focus on working on their masterpieces and not have
to worry about money
In return they often dedicated their works to their patrons
Vital to the Renaissance
Famous patrons were the Medici family in Florence
were bankers who had become rich
Lorenzo de Medici helped many painters and sculptors
Leonardo da Vinci painted Mona Lisa under Lorenzo’s patronage
Michelangelo produced his statue of David
De medici
Art
DIFFS BETWEEN MEDIEVAL AND
RENAISSANCE ART
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1. Medieval paintings were flat and lifeless
Renaissance art was more lifelike - studied anatomy and
perspective
2. Medieval art dealt with religious subjects only
Renaissance art was influenced by humanism
Thought normal people could be important in their own
right..
And so could be the subject of paintings
This is called secular painting (opposite of religious)
But Renaissance artists were hugely influenced by
religion
and still painted religious scenes
but now they stressed the human aspects of their
religious subjects
DIFFS BETWEEN MED AND REN
ART (2)
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3. Medieval artists used egg whites to bind their paints
Had to work quickly
Renaissance artists used oils - dried more slowly than
egg-white
Allowed them to take their time and perfect their work
Oils also allowed artists to use stronger bright colors in
their paintings.
4. Medieval art was dull, no sense of mystery or
excitement
Renaissance artists used unusual techniques
For example - sfumato, shade, shadows
Gave their paintings a sense of mystery
WHICH BELONGS TO THE
RENAISSANCE?
CHANGES IN SCULPTURE
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Two types: 1. Statues standing on their own
2. Relief work (carved figures on the fronts of
altars)
Usually depicted characters from Bible or ancient
civilization
Very realistic - artists studied human anatomy
Often had minute detail - human features
Famous example is Pieta by Michelangelo
Ripples in Mary’s cloak are famous
Also ‘David’ by Michelangelo
CHANGES IN ARCHITECTURE
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Before Renaissance, Gothic architecture was the norm
Style was pointed arches,
Renaissance architecture saw a return to old Roman
style of building
Large domes, rounded arches, tall pillars (or columns),
porticos (front porches)
Looked like the fronts of ancient Greek temples
Called Palladian style (after famous architect called
Palladio)
Example: Four Courts is a Palladian-style building
Also called Romanesque style
CHANGES IN SCIENCE AND
ASTRONOMY - 1
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Before Renaissance, the Church had been the
authority on science!
Said the earth was centre of the universe
Didn’t carry out experiments to prove their ideas
Based their beliefs only on the bible
In Renaissance, scientists started to think for
themselves - sought proof
Influenced by ideas of enlightenment
CHANGES IN SCIENCE AND
ASTRONOMY - 2
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Nicholas Copernicus was a Polish priest
interested in astronomy
Convinced that the earth turned on an
axis and revolved around sun
Wrote his beliefs in ‘The Revolutions of
Heavenly Spheres’
Knew his book would be banned
CHANGES IN SCIENCE AND
ASTRONOMY
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Galileo Galilei - famous scientist in Italy
Carried out experiments to investigate things
Proved that objects of diff weights fell at the
same speed
Developed the pendulum clock
Made the first advanced telescope
Proved Copernicus’ theories were right
Was brought before inquisition - forced to recant
But the Renaissance proved that the Church
were losing their absolute power
CHANGES IN MEDICINE - 1
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Because the Middle ages were so religious, the
Church had controlled everyone
Autopsies had been forbidden, so people
couldn’t investigate diseases etc
Now people started to question this. investigated illnesses and human body
Vesalius - cut up dead bodies
Known as the father of modern anatomy
CHANGES IN MEDICINE - 2
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Doctors started to carry out post mortems
Illegal according to the Church
Studied the bodies - learnt what human skeleton
was like
William Harvey - English doctor
Proved that the heart was a pump for blood
around body
Wrote ‘On the Motion of the Heart and Blood’
WHY NO FAMOUS WOMEN?
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All famous people in the Renaissance seem to be
men!
Women were told that their place was in the
home
Duties = housewife and to have babies
Little education
Forbidden to attend universities
Forbidden to study the male body
So it was very hard for them to learn anything
WHY PRINTING PRESS SO
IMPORTANT?
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Why was printing so important?
Invented by Gutenberg in Germany in
1450s
Created movable metal type and a printing
press
Most important invention of Renaissance
1. Allowed ideas to spread very quickly
throughout Europe
WHY PRINTING PRESS SO
IMPORTANT?
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2. This caused a decline in the power of
the Church
3. Large numbers of cheaper books were
produced
4. More people became interested in
reading...
..so literacy and education began to
improve
RESULTS OF RENAISSANCE - 2
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Means how did the Renaissance change europe
1. Invention of printing led to many books being
produced
This encouraged the development of education
2. People began to question old ideas
Didn’t take anything for granted anymore
New ideas and inventions began to emerge
because of this
RESULTS OF RENAISSANCE - 2
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3. Decline in power of the Church
People started to question the beliefs and rules of the
Church
Led to the Protestant Reformation
4. Art and sculpture was changed forever by new
techniques
Some of the greatest works ever produced were done
during Renaissance
Eg: Mona Lisa, Last Supper, ‘the Pieta’, ‘David’,
Shakespeare’s plays
5. Discoveries in medicine and science greatly improved
This improved the lives of people immensely
WORK TO DO AFTER THIS CLASS
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1. List and explain four ways in which the Renaissance
changed the world.
2. P192 Q1
3. P193 Q5
4. Mention three changes in sculpture during the
Renaissance
5. Give four reasons why the Renaissance began in Italy.
Explain the importance of patrons for the Renaissance.
6. Name three differences between Gothic architecture
and Romanesque buildings. Where did the Renaissance
architects get their inspiration? Name one famous
architect, and two famous buildings.