How Did Italy Influence The Renaissance

The Italian Renaissance was a movement that occurred between the 14th and 17th centuries. At the end of the 14th century, a handful of Italian thinkers declared that they were living in a new age. They declared that the barbarous, and unenlightened times were over (also known as the Middle Ages) and that the new age would be a “rinascità” or rebirth of learning and literature, art and culture. The major characteristics or feature of the era when it came to the arts were Classicism, Light & shade, Perspective, Realism & expression, and Emphasis on the human body. When it came to the culture and architecture, and learning they referred to the Greek and romans, and Humanism.

During the fourteenth century Italy witnessed notable changes, which throughout the next couple of centuries extended towards northern Europe. This was later described as the "Renaissance", "the cultural achievements through sixteenth centuries; those achievements rest on the economic and political developments of earlier centuries". (Western Society, 413) This was an era in which Europe emerged from the economic downfall of the Middle Ages and was followed by a time of financial growth, later leading to the Renaissance. But also, most importantly, the Renaissance was a period for artistic, social,

The renaissance is defined as the “rebirth” of civilization in Europe from the 14th to 17th centuries (General Characteristics of the Renaissance). A renewed interest of classical world spread from its beginning in Italy, north to Germany and

The Renaissance period is known for the revival of the classical art and intellect born in ancient Greece and Rome. The Renaissance is also a time that is marked by growth, exploration, and rebirth. The Italian Renaissance started in Florence and progressively made its way into Venice and then into the great city of Rome. During the Renaissance, Rome was home to some of the most renowned works of art and the finest architectural masterpieces in the world - too many that still holds true today. Along with the delicate architecture and grand artistry, Rome was also home to a mixture of people and cultures. It is in this cultural context and through the book A Street Life in Renaissance Rome: A Brief History with Documents, that understanding how men, woman, and specifically Jews and Christians lived in Rome becomes important to better understand this period of renewal.

Florence is arguably the starting place of the renaissance. With many different artists there, the Medici Family in control and a very strong trading system, it was a very powerful city-state during the renaissance. During this time, the feudal system was no more. The people in

The Italian Renaissance was a period in history unlike most others; this was an era of ingenuity, expansion, and enlightenment that would revolutionize both society as the people of the Renaissance knew it to be, and as the future generations of individuals across the globe understand it today. Florence held itself out to be the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, yet the people of this renaissance era never lost sight of the Greek and Roman heritage. The following essay will discuss the varying ways in which Florence was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, and will provide the reader with examples that demonstrate Greco-Roman ideas and practices in the Italian Renaissance.

One of the main ideas that developed in the Italian Renaissance was Humanism. Humanism started in Italy because the Father of Humanism named Petrarch lived in Italy. Humanism is the idea that humans can attain happiness and should individually strive for achievement in life. A key characteristic of humanism includes a belief in the worth of individual life. Humanistic scholars studied philosophy, literature, and history of classical civilizations.

From art brought on by the Medici family, to literature produced by some of the most well-known and renowned authors, concepts of humanism emerged. This then resulted in a more positive outlook on life during the Italian Renaissance. Moreover, Francesco Petrarch, the “Father of Humanism,” paved the way for successful eras in Florence, the epicenter of the Renaissance. The conditions of Rome as described by both Baldassare Castiglione and Dante Alighieri crucially inspired the artistic and literary Renaissance of Italy. Reviving Rome lead to a faith in humans, allowing revolutions to build off of the past, as opposed to starting from the beginning. Obviously key factors as demonstrated by the infamous writers Baldassare Castiglione and Dante Alighieri forever and crucially impacted western

In the crucible of the fourteenth-century, the turbulent politics contributed to the growth of a different way of doing art, finances, literature, religion, and technology. It led the growth of new ideas. Continuous warfare among the states brought skilled leaders. In fourteenth-century Italy constituted the Renaissance. This period was characterized by a return to the sources of knowledge and standards of beauty that had created the great civilizations of classical Greece and Rome. It was an age that spread new ideas more fast than ever before. Painters, writers, and politicians focused on ambitious individualism, realism, and activism. They insisted on optimistic faith in the human potential. Florence was a birthplace of the Renaissance.

The Renaissance was a period of great cultural and technological changes which swept Europe from the end of the 13 century. It was integral in developing Europe into a powerhouse. Although, each part of Europe was subjected to different changes, there were two primary renaissances which were most notable. They were the Italian and the Northern renaissance. Both of these renaissances had a profound impact on Europe. But they also had some typical differences among them and each was unique in its own way.

Renaissance society first took shape within the merchant cities of late medieval Italy. Italy had a cultural advantage over the rest of Europe because its geography made it the natural gateway between east and west. The city-states had wealth from commerce and that that were

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.

The Renaissance was a rebirth of the ideas of ancient Greece and Rome that began in the City States of Italy during the 14th century. The cultural resurgence began a new style of living in Europe after the horrors of the black death, and is seen as the beginning of the culture of the modern world. As Wassace K. Ferguson put in his book The Renaissance, the Italian artists grew tired of the darkness of Medieval Times and began to turn to the brighter times found in the classical ages (Doc 7). The Renaissance served as the evolutionary bridge between the Middle Ages and the 17th century through art, education, and religion by bringing a rebirth of the ancient Greek and Roman classics that would later define the world’s culture, while continuing the underlying beliefs of Medieval Times.

Italy was considered one of the leading cultural influences throughout history because of it's distinct location, social advances, and technology. The religion in the region was complicated; however, it heavily affected beliefs and morals of people around the world. Another promoting advancement of Italy, was their art. It transformed modern paintings, sculptures, and perceptions on culture. Moreover, the economy was very unpredictable due to the outbreak of disease, erratic growth of development, and overall focus on trade.

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.