Humanism's Influence On Artwork

The subject I’ll be focusing on the influences of humanism in the italian renaissance. Humanism is the idea of potential and achievements the study of subjects, such as literature,history, and philosophy. This will include the paintings Michelangelo's David, A naked man made of marble, Raphael’s School Of Athens, a beautifully huge painting, and Sancro Botticelli’s Calumny of Apelles, a painting of the goddess venus.

The new evaluation of the individual’s worth and the new conception of the individual’s relation to nature, which were to become the central motifs of the Renaissance, can be seen graphically in the paintings of artists like Piero della Francesca, Donatello, and Michelangelo. The individuals in their portraits and sculptures were the center of attention and were portrayed realistically, thereby glorifying man. More specifically, Michelangelo’s statue of David portrays man’s power and beauty (David, Spielvogel, 324). Linguists and philosophers also expressed this idolization of man. Pico della Mirandola, author of the “Oration on the Dignity of Man,” wrote that God addressed man saying, “‘Though shalt have the power to degenerate into the lower forms of life, which are brutish. Thou shalt have the power, out of thy soul’s judgment, to be reborn into the higher forms, which are divine’” (Mirandola, 411). Therefore, man’s understanding of his potential as an individual led to an increased emphasis on humanism in all aspects of Renaissance society.

The Italian Renaissance is often looked at when people reference great art. The artworks made by many Italian painters and sculptors are still admired today, and it is often viewed in detail for the different idea that were prominent during the Renaissance. Michelangelo's “The Last Judgement” has many aspects of humanism, his “David” statue is a symbol of individualism, and Sandro Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” shows the classic Greek and Roman styles.

The Renaissance and humanism are intrinsically linked; a person can not learn about one without the other. There are famous names involved in humanism and its growth during the Renaissance, but perhaps none are more notable than Michelangelo. Michelangelo was a Renaissance artist who changed the way we view art and its relationship to the human spirit and experience. Michelangelo’s life and work reveal the true nature of humanism and true spirit of the Renaissance through his personality and desire to create, his artwork which exemplifies many of the tenets of both humanism and the Renaissance, and the accomplishments and challenges he faced in throughout his life.

Although Michelangelo 's David embodies the athletic ideal of antiquity in its muscularity, here the male nude implies, as it had in classical antiquity, heroic or even divine qualities. David also represents the power of right over might.

As mentioned in the New World Encyclopedia article “Renaissance”, the Renaissance or “Rebirth” showcased a cultural shift exhibiting both scientific and artistic transformation and advancement between the Middle Ages and the early stages of the Modern age in Europe (2014). In the New World Encyclopedia article “Humanism”, Humanism’s scope primarily focuses on human beings: human being 's place in relations to nature, human potential, human beauty, etc. etc. etc. (2014).

The Renaissance era was a prosperous time for art from the 15th century to 17th century. Europe had reached the end of the middle ages. The middle age is often defined by characteristics such as martial order and absolute hierarchy. European countries did not thrive in terms of technology nor have any advancements in terms of the economy either. The Renaissance period which came after the middle age completely contrasts its preceding era. A new philosophy that later on came to be known as ‘humanism’ was rising. It is therefore necessary to discuss humanism and associated changes to the European society of the 15th century in order to examine the cause of such a unified movement towards the regaining of artistic significance in Europe. In

The statue was created during the Renaissance, meaning rebirth, and was a time where a new belief was created. This belief, known as humanism, revived the humanity in humans and allowed them to change from religious standpoints to praising mankind. They did this by praising the human body itself. One way that Michelangelo praises the human body is by sculpting a statue of a human, rather than an angel. In addition, the nudity of “David” further celebrates every part of being a human and being unashamed of it. Likewise, Michelangelo fully portrays the beauty of the human body by incorporating exquisite details in many areas: the veins bulging from the

“the characteristics, key events, and situations which compose the essentials of human existence, such as birth, growth, emotionality, aspirations, conflict, and mortality.” The diversity of the human condition can be thought of as the very broad topic which has been and continues to be pondered and analyzed from many perspectives, including those of religion, philosophy, history, art, literature, anthropology, psychology, and biology,” (Human Condition).

Unlike the David of Donatello, Michelangelo's David is not shown after conquering his enemy. Instead, he is portrayed as an extremely athletic and manly character; the sculpture even depicts a worried look cast upon David's face and the carved marble veins seem to pulse with anticipation as he contemplates the upcoming fight. Cast over David's shoulder is his sling, and the stone is clutched in his right hand. Michelangelo's David depicts the ideal youth who has just reached manhood and is capable of great physical and intellectual feats, which is part of the classical tradition. Michelangelo's David portrays one man in a very powerful and intelligent light, and even hinting that this one man may be some

Although using David as the subject of a piece was something that previous artists had done, Michelangelo’s David became a favorite to the people of Florence when it was unveiled in 1504.The importance of David’s nude body and its positioning is obvious when we remember it was made during the Renaissance. Celebrating the human form and having figures in contrapposto were defining aspects of this period. Aside from being one of the most famous Renaissance artists, Michelangelo is also regarded as one of the greatest artists and sculptors in history. Michelangelo’s David was, and still is, seen as the perfect and ideal image for the human body. The amount of detail able to be seen, from the veins on his arms, to the muscles lining his abdomen, shows how very meticulous Michelangelo was when it came when it came to the human body. He cared so much about correct anatomy that he even studied and dissected a human body to ensure an accurate but even more perfect portrayal of the male figure. The elegance, beauty, and perfection displayed in Michelangelo's David has made it into one of the most recognizable pieces of Renaissance art in history. Many artists have been inspired by him and his artwork, including Gian Lorenzo

     Michelangelo was another artisan who portrayed David in a unique matter. He didn’t represent David standing over a defeated Goliath, but instead made him look like he was patiently awaiting his enemy. The body has a very classical form and is muscular and very tense. The form makes David look powerful. Michelangelo made David very strong with well defined features, iand even included enlarged hands to show the viewer of the strength that David had before attacking Goliath. Unlike other versions at the time, Michelangelo didn’t create a version of a prideful David, but instead a David who was amongst or aware of his enemy.

Nauert illustrates how humanism affected religion, platonic revival, and magic, beliefs on human nature, popular culture, and Renaissance art. The art of printing helped ignite the growth of humanism and enables humanists to share their ideas. Nauert argues that the humanists’ criticism of texts in the fields of law, medicine, natural science, and theology allowed them to assume control over these fields. They gained this control because they claimed that their critical methods revealed whether a document was authentic, furthermore, they rejected documents that they discovered were forged or misinterpreted. In Florence during the mid-fifteenth-century, humanists became less interested in civic humanism, and grew interested in spiritual, religious, and philosophical questions. Nauert suggests that Niccolò Machiavelli was the sixteenth-century heir of Florentine civic humanism. Nauert illustrates how Renaissance art was connected to humanism. He writes, “The veneration felt by humanists for ancient works of art was widely regarded as a rediscovery of the principles of the principles a spirit of ancient art, a three-sided influence among ancient work, modern artist, and modern humanist was only natural” (91). The papacy also became patrons of humanistic art and scholarship; and their support facilitated the expansion of humanism. The achievements of Renaissance Italy did begin to lessen in the sixteenth century; and the influence of humanism faded, but did not perish.

"Classical Humanism in the Age of the Renaissance." 2015. The Humanistic Tradition. 7th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2015. 385-87. Print.

The statue of David is a statue sculpted by Michelangelo With marble blocks from 1501 to 1504.It is a masterpiece of the Renaissance sculpture art and one of two Michelangelo's greatest sculptures. This statue has been seen as a symbol of young human beauty and strength. The marble statue is 4.34 m high that describes the hero fighting Goliath. The statue of David almost reaches the threshold of perfection in proportion, harmony between physical and spiritual beauty.With the talented hands of Michelangelo, he turned marble into into living parts. The veins are accurately depicted, especially on the hands.All details of the statue of David are reached accuracy and absolute about the perfect norm of the beauty of the human body such as shape