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Renaissance Humanism Research Paper

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How Renaissance Humanism Impacted the Arts and Literature The 14th century came crashing down as a result of disasters like the black plague to the collapse of medieval institutions such as the Catholic Church and feudalism. With these disasters emerged a new modern era in the 15th century known as the Renaissance. The Renaissance brought many new thoughts and feelings that would later transform Europe’s institutions and would be characterized by new human-centered themes like Individualism, Humanism, and Egoism. The arts and the literature of the Renaissance were highly impacted by this rebirth, Humanism took away the focus of the middle age thinkers which emphasized their knowledge on selflessness and the City of God and brought the focus …show more content…

In addition, other new institutions challenged them and replaced them. When a mini ice age began during the 14th century a decline in population arose challenging the principles of inequality associated with Feudalism. With less workers, peasants could demand higher wages for their work and make more money. After that, the Bubonic Plague struck Europe. Trade seized because of the fear of the plague spreading and middle class businesses died down causing the economy to come crashing down as well. The plague caused a massive population wipeout which again caused the remaining peasants to pressure for higher wages. Peasants began to dress like nobility which challenged the idea of inequality in the Feudal system and challenged the entire class structure. The Feudal nobility tried to fight back to maintain the institutions by passing laws but this only lead to the peasants reacting in violent revolts. The Wat Tyler rebellion in England 1381 resulted in rising wages for peasants which made them more independent because they could afford their own land. Again weakening the Feudal system. Taxation on …show more content…

New techniques that emerged in the art that demonstrated Humanism were 3-Dimensions, human in the center, natural colors, the Chiroscurro, neoclassical themes in architecture, etc. The art changed from medieval to Humanism by following realism and neoclassicism, and secularism. Space was no longer something divine but something that was occupied by physical human beings. Furthermore, Leonardo DaVinci demonstrated principles of Humanism in his work. For example the Monalisa was a portrait of a woman who was in the center of the painting with nature in the background. Another one of DaVinci’s art that showed Humanism was The Last Supper, in this painting DaVinci used perspective generously and portrayed Human emotion in Realism. Michaelangelo was another great artist to use the new principles of Humanism in his art. In his sculpture of David a lot of Realism was included. He portrayed a heroic individual in the natural world and celebrated the nobility of the nude human form along with human power. Michaelangelo’s painting The Birth of Adam in the Sistine Chapel depicts Adam in the center and uses 3-Dimensions and perspective along with natural colors to emphasize human creation. Yet another great example of Humanism comes from the artist Rafael. His painting the School of Athens illustrates human knowledge and intelligence. In this painting Plato and Socrates are in the center,

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