The Renaissance Begins

1. The Renaissance Begins

2. What is the Renaissance? • A widespread change in culture that took place in Europe beginning in the 1300s • Another name = The Age of Enlightenment

3. Why did it begin in Italy? • Notice Italy’s location in the Mediterranean Sea • Italy was a center of trade • Italian cities became centers of wealth and power • Nobles moved to the cities to seek fortunes

4. What was the change from the Middle Ages? • The focus of art and literature shifted • Middle Ages = theology • Renaissance = humanism

5. Literature • Writers began to shift their focus to the “classics” • Ancient Greece and Rome • The classics focused on nature, beauty, and the physical world

6. What is humanism? • The study of human nature • This is reflected in the classics Rodin’s The Thinker

7. Visual Art • Like writers, artists began to focus on nature and the human form • Created religious scenes, but focused mainly on the human aspect

8. Famous Renaissance Artists

9. Leonardo da Vinci • Called a Renaissance Man for his skill in many different areas • Painter, inventor, scientist, etc. • Most famous work is the Mona Lisa

10. The Mona Lisa and Last Supper

11. Michelangelo • Painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and sculpted David Censored

12. Donatello • Also sculpted many anatomically accurate representations of the Biblical David • Was considered a master sculptor

13. Raphael • Another famous painter and sculptor of the Renaissance

14. Cosimo de Medici • Wealthy citizen of Florence and a well-known supporter of the arts • Promoted the study of Greek culture

15. Don’t Forget Your Summary!