Renaissance Greats

1. Renaissance Greats Leonardo da Vinci Queen Isabella I William Shakespeare Artmesia Gentileschi Queen Elizabeth I

2. Humanism • Humanism is a philosophy that said the individual is a rational being • Dignity and worth were emphasized • Studied the classics • Core subjects were speaking, grammar, poetry, ethics, and history • Known as humanities • Everything that makes up an individual – talents, worries, problems, possibilities -were central interests • Led to the expansion of trade, growth of prosperity and luxury, growth of the middle class

3. Humanism Medieval View Humanism Humanism emphasized the virtues of intellectual freedom and individual expression An individual’s instinct of curiosity was strongly encouraged Questioned traditions and knowledge The worship of beauty Human experience centered life • According to the Catholic Church, individualism was the same as arrogance, rebellion, and sin • It restricted individual expression and demanded unwavering faith and complete obedience • The individual who would question authority was quickly put down • The Church ignored man and nature • Monastic centered life

4. Leonardo da Vinci • Leonardo da Vinci was born in a small town near Florence to a peasant woman and a wealthy lawyer who were not married. When he was 13 he was sent to work as an apprentice to a sculptor who taught him to paint and to sculpt statues. During most of his life he lived in Milan and Florence working as an artist, an architectural advisor, and a military engineer for patrons and governments

5. Leonardo da Vinci • Leonardo was an expert in many different areas including art, music, architecture, science, and engineering. He loved animals and nature. There were stories that he would buy birds and set them free because he hated to see animals suffer. In his notebooks there are thousands of drawings, including birds, horses, flying machines, inventions, and diagrams of human anatomy, which he was able to draw after dissecting human corpses.

6. Leonardo da Vinci • Leonardo created many paintings and statues, which are outstanding examples of the use of perspective, balance, and an accurate portrayal of the human body. His most famous painting is The Mona Lisa. The painting has become famous for its harmonious balance, gentle glow, and the woman’s tender mysterious expression. He was a genius whom many consider to be the best example of the multi-talented Renaissance person

7. Leonardo da Vinci What happened when he turned 13? What were his various talents? On what did he base his drawings of human anatomy? What was remarkable about his paintings and statues? Why was the Mona Lisa considered a masterpiece? More on Leonardo da Vinci http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pir_H7kf_JU

8. William Shakespeare • Shakespeare was born in the English town of Stratford-on-Avon. At grammar school he studied Latin and literature. When he was 18 he married Anne Hathaway and together had 3 children, including twins.

9. William Shakespeare • Eventually he moved to London where he joined a drama company and became a popular actor and playwright. His theater company rented and produced plays in the famous Globe Theater of London, which could accommodate an audience of 3,000. He often lived alone in London and was thought by many people to be quiet and a little mysterious.

10. William Shakespeare • Although Shakespeare wrote beautiful poetry and sonnets, he became most famous for his 37 plays. In his plays he wrote about an enormous range of themes and subjects, including comedy, tragedy, romance, prejudice, suicide, murder, power and ambition, war, and British history. Many of his plays were based on actual historical accounts.

11. William Shakespeare • Some of his most famous plays included Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Merchant of Venice. His beautiful and often witty language and speeches, such as Hamlet’s “To Be or Not To Be, “ are read and quoted by people all over the world. His understanding of human feelings and behavior and the universal themes of love, jealousy, power, hatred, and fear have made him perhaps the most famous writer of all time.

12. William Shakespeare What did he do when he moved to London? What did people think of him? What different kinds of writing did he do? What did he write about in his plays? Why is he considered the one of the most famous writers? More on William Shakespeare http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9t11BsE0yk

13. Queen Elizabeth I • Queen Elizabeth I was born to Henry VIII, the king of England and his wife, Anne Boleyn. As a princess, she was well-educated in many subjects, including Greek, Latin, French, and Italian. After her Roman Catholic sister, Mary Tudor died she became queen of England at the age of 25. She was Protestant and was tolerant of both religions at a time when there were many conflicts between Catholics and Protestants.

14. Queen Elizabeth I • Queen Elizabeth I was a strong ruler at a time when there were not many women rulers. She loved to participate in festivities, dance with courtiers, and attend the theater. She did not marry and was referred to as “the Virgin Queen.” She feared that a husband would reduce her power and told her subjects that she considered herself married to the people of England.

15. Queen Elizabeth I • She tried to avoid war, but also supported foreign trade and exploration. She tried to stop Spain from becoming too powerful. She encouraged Francis Drake on his trade exploration sea voyages to the Caribbean and sometimes pirating Spanish ships. This supportive attitude towards trade and exploration helped England gain more power and colonies.

16. Queen Elizabeth I • During her 45-year she also helped the arts to prosper by sponsoring dance, theater, literature, and classical learning. She liked plays with humor, action, romance, and violence. She encouraged writers to write with these themes. She was an enthusiastic admirer of Shakespeare and often went to see his plays.

17. Queen Elizabeth I Who were her parents? What were some of her religious beliefs? Why did she choose not to marry? What were some of her accomplishments as a leader? In what ways did she support the arts? More information on Queen Elizabeth I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV2GKPtnlTo

18. Queen Isabella I of Spain • Queen Isabella I of Spain was the daughter of King John II of Castille and his second wife, Isabella of Portugal. At age 13 she went to live at the royal court. Although she was very intelligent, her education was limited because she was a girl. Her textbooks included the books The Perfect Wife, The Garden of Noble Women, and the Book of Good Love.

19. Queen Isabella I of Spain • When Henry died her and her husband, Ferdinand of Aragon became king and queen of Castille and Aragon, which formed a united Spain. She felt bad that she did not receive a better education, so she began to study Latin at age 30.

20. Queen Isabella I of Spain • The period of her reign as queen was a time of much activity and many changes in Spain. Her court became a center of culture and beauty. Artists from Spain and Belgium came to paint for her. Although she thought Christians should be tolerant of Jews, public pressure to force Jews and Muslims out of Spain was very strong. In 1492, the Muslims were defeated at Granada and both the Jews and Muslims were expelled from Spain.

21. Queen Isabella I of Spain • Queen Isabella I of Spain is best known for sponsoring the exploration voyage of Christopher Columbus. She believed strongly in Christianity and was excited about the opportunity to spread the religion. She even offered to sell her jewelry to raise money needed for Columbus’ trip. She was especially concerned about the rights of the native inhabitants of the New World and demanded that Columbus free some of the enslaved people he had brought back to Spain. It was her support of Columbus that led to European settlement in the Americas and the beginning of a new era.

22. Queen Isabella I of Spain Describe her childhood education. Who came to her court? For what was she best known for? Why did she sponsor Christopher Columbus? What were the results of her support of Columbus’ voyage? More on Queen Isabella of Spain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft6Z6I5gKgI

23. Artmesia Gentileschi • Artmesia Gentileschi was the daughter of the Italian Renaissance artist Orazio Gentileschi. Through her father, a follower of the baroque artist Caravaggio, she learned to paint and was introduced to the many artists who lived and worked in Rome during the Renaissance.

24. Artmesia Gentileschi • Despite being physically abused by her painting tutor and subjected to a horrible court trial, she continued to study and paint. After the trial ended, she moved to Florence and became the first woman artist to be accepted as a student at the famous Florence Academy that trained young artists.

25. Artmesia Gentileschi • In 1621 she left Rome and began to develop her own style of painting. Vivid colors, strong contrasts between light and dark, and dramatic realism characterized her paintings.

26. Artmesia Gentileschi • One of her most famous paintings was Judith and Her Maidservant with the Head of Holoferneswas completed around 1625. The painting shows Judith – a Jew who saves her people by slaying the enemy general – and her maid hiding the general’s head that Judith chopped off. The dramatic contrast of light and dark and the fact that Judith is a powerful heroine, made her painting a spectacular and very unusual work of art.

27. Artmesia Gentileschi • When she was in her forties she traveled to London to visit her father. She had become more famous than her father and she was considered one of the greatest painters of her time. She elevated the role of women by both her fame as an artist and through her paintings of powerful female heroines.

28. Artmesia Gentileschi How did her father contribute to her education? To what institution was she the first woman to be accepted? Describe her style of painting? Why was Judith and Her Maidservant considered an unusual work of art? How did her painting s help women? More on Artmesia Gentileschi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxdP2ysC6x8