Francesco Petrarch a great poet and best know as the founder for Humanism in 1341 reconciled

“No painter can paint well without a thorough knowledge of geometry” (qtd. in Butterfield 27). The Italian Renaissance is famous for its art which includes unique style of painting and sculpting, however, the Renaissance made significant remark on the use of scientific techniques which also can be considered as the influence of classical ideas. Although, classical ideas were not advanced like in the Renaissance, it provided the foundation for the Renaissance to revive it again. The Italian Renaissance transformed the manner of viewing the arts. Before, most people in Italy were bounded by religious thoughts and beliefs. Renaissance helped people to shift their mind and behavior towards the secular ideas, instead of vague ideology like

In Europe, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, much of the continent fell into a cultural recession. For many centuries science, mathematics and the arts were extremely stagnant. Beginning in the mid 14th century, the Italian Peninsula began to undergo a transformation evident in the works of artists, writers and scholars. This era is known as the Renaissance and was a revival of the classical world following the appropriately named Dark Ages. Renaissance thinkers became known as humanists, interested in learning about religious and non-religious studies and celebrated worldly achievements. Florence, Italy was the center for many of the advancements that took place during this time period and was the birthplace of many of the Renaissance individuals we know today. The economic, political and artistic influences of the Medici family, combined with it’s ideal geographical location for trade, made Florence emerge as the birthplace of the Renaissance.

Viewing a complete shift in the psychology of the European mind, inspiring literature of this Renaissance time period heavily influenced the thoughts and views of humanity. This belief in the capabilities and views on the revival of humans, known as humanism, impacted not only revolutionary advancements, but also positive emotions of people. At this point in history, countless people in Europe viewed their society as a failure because it could not produce the successes, nor the achievements of the Roman empire. Instead, the overall mood of the society was very morose, for the architects were not even aware, or knowledgeable of how to finish off the domes of churches in Florence. Furthermore, the people living in Italy needed to change their

The Renaissance was a period of time in European history in which many countries experienced a great rebirth due to individual thinking. People were no longer subject to accepting artistic and political traditions, classical texts and/or scientific theories without question. Peaking in the 1500s, there was an apparent reformation in many different areas culturally, politically and socially, but especially in people’s perceptions of themselves. These new ideas about government, science, and the arts paved the way for the modern world.

The Renaissance was the rebirth of Europe and it all started in the city of Florence. Florence and everything that made a standard Renaissance city: painters, sculptors, writers, architects, and a vivid culture. Soon all of Europe would follow in Florence’s footsteps and “the setting is so rich, varied, rambunctious, and inventive as Italy in the Renaissance” (Cohen 1). The

The Renaissance is described as “a new intellectual and artistic movement in Italy, a movement strongly critical of the present and admiring of a past that had disappeared with the western Roman Empire and the end of Italy’s greatness.” (Pg. 292). Literature from all over Europe was being found and philosophical work also was being spread to more people, and these same people became obsessed with the classical past and soon competition between city-states about their symbols, art, and artifacts began to grow. Humanism also became very popular because of the Renaissance and the goal was “...of a humanist education was the understanding of human experience through the lenses of the classical past, in the service of man’s individual potential in the present.” (Pg. 294).

Throughout the wide span of time in which the integral Renaissance period took place, the two arguably most notable were the Italian and Northern European renaissances. Each one had an immense impact on the entirety of Europe and its future developments, social and technological. While the term renaissance means “rebirth,” the simple name of this general time period exemplifies the renewed interest of the previously long forgotten classical antiquity, mainly manifested in Italian Renaissance works, while the North held on to the Roman Catholicism ideas much longer. The several differentiations between the Northern and Italian Renaissance consisted of Italy's impression of ideal humanistic and classical values while mostly acknowledging the

The Italian and Northern Europe Renaissances were both an important mark in history by changing the ideals of life, thought, culture, and art of the people’s of this time. In this paper I will explain the motive for change in these cultures, including the similarities and differences of the two cultures.

In a place filled of talented people, Italy was the location in which performance was vital in a rich or important person’s life. Wranke’s article explains how important it was to have talent, in Italy, during the renaissance. The renaissance is known as the rebirth of painting, sculpting, and almost everything we could possibly think off.

The work force to create this ideal city was present, talented artists were at an all time high and finally in demand. The Renaissance saw the artist become a highly admirable profession , a skilful career and thus intense competition occurred. Artists competed for jobs and because of this we see the character of Renaissance art in Florence being shaped by the Medici family. As one of the leading patrons , five generations of Medici played great parts in supporting the arts of the 15th century, they commissioned some of the greatest artists, giving opportunities to up and coming artists with new visions , their significant wealth allowing them to do this. They were deeply religious and funded the construction, restoration and decoration of ecclesiastical sites.

There are a number of fundamental elements of humanism. One would be to prevail over suffering and another, to change things in our lives for the better. To live life to the fullest, but still help others live theirs that way as well. “The best one can do is find comfort, beauty, or value in the broken shards of the world scattered at one’s feet” (Backman, page 377).

Although the origins of the Italian Renaissance can be traced to many different locations, it is important to note that different aspects of Italian culture and society remained largely medieval during the time of the Renaissance; the Renaissance did not come into full swing until the end of the century. The word Renaissance means “rebirth”, and the era is best known for the renewed interest in the culture of classical antiquity (Greece and Rome) after the period that Renaissance humanists labeled the Dark Ages. These changes, while significant, were concentrated in the elite, and for the vast majority of the population life was little changed from the Middle Ages.

The Renaissance was a rebirth of cultural awareness and learning that took place during 1400 - 1500. Art became a branch of learning during the Renaissance. It was a period of time when art was very important. Artists had finally recaptured the amazing detail and realism that the Greeks and Romans perfected. Artists broke boundaries with new exciting mediums and bright colors. Filippo Brunelleschi permitted artists to decide the proportional size of a figure by inventing the vanishing point perspective. This made it possible to put everything into perfect proportion. Many elderly people are found in the paintings. Such as Man in a Red Turban on page 270 fig. 15.34 or online at http://www.abcgallery.com/E/eyck/eyck3.html.

At first, humanism was actually thought by some to be a way of validating and supporting the Church. With man being viewed as the measure of all things, and man being created in the image of God, it would be shown how God is perfect in every way. Pico della Mirandola's literary work Oration on the Dignity of Man is a clear example of how the early goal of humanism was to create a better understanding of God, stating how humanity is the apex of creation, creating a link with the world of God and of the creation (Cunningham 24).

The renaissance or “rebirth” was a cultural awakening which spanned from the fourteenth to sixteenth century. A growing interest in humanist traits and classical ideas heavily influenced the art during the renaissance. A growing community of artists provided much needed competition for their profession. The renaissance introduced many different and modern ideas but also remained obedient to classical belief. The unique art of the renaissance spread throughout Europe. Northern European art differed tremendously from Italian art.