The Melding of Sacred and Secular Ideas Determining whether or not sacred and secular aspects were combined into the visual arts and literature is an important feature when it comes to actually understanding the overall concepts and differences of behind Medieval, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque art. For one to truly understand the art, literature, and the concepts behind both, one must first understand the terms sacred and secular. The definition of the word sacred is, “of or relating to religion.” Conversely, the definition of secular is, “not overtly or specifically religious.” The church, the clergies, and first and foremost the Bible, were the major influences regarding the sacred ideas associated with the Renaissance period. The new idea of Humanism and its prevalence led to the incorporation of more secular ideas and aspects when it came to the arts during the Renaissance. Humanism was an idea that supported more pagan and secular thoughts, and also supported and upheld the appreciation of the world aspects of a person’s life. It promoted personal growth and was not as formal as that of the sacred Christian teachings that much of society was accustomed too. This idea, in turn, helped secular ideas become predominant, but also enhanced the mixture of the both the sacred and secular ideas. These two terms differ immensely, yet throughout the Renaissance age and the Baroque eras, both terms and their meanings were used and expressed through the arts, architecture,
The Renaissance spread from Italy to western and northern Europe. A movement called humanism developed, which praised the beauty and intelligence of the individual. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the Renaissance changed view of the world with the blossoming of art, literature, and science.
The Renaissance began in the 1300’s and brought with it many new ideas and ways of thinking. The main one of these ideas being humanism, or that the best that a man can be is greater than the idea of theology. The Italians began to spread this idea and it began to grow. The Italians decided that the best way to express and spread the idea of humanism during the Renaissance was through their sculptures and paintings. This can be seen in many works of art from this time period such as the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, The School of Athens by Raphael, and Michelangelo's David.
The political stability and prosperity of the Renaissance Period created an atmosphere where people’s interests returned to the ancient teachings of Rome and Greece. This resulted in an increased interest in art, especially art that highlighted an individual’s experience. During this time there was little turmoil and the economy was flourishing, so people could live more extravagantly. The art of the Renaissance Period reflected this extravagance as well as the time period’s return to an interest in humanism. Humanism arose out of classical thinking in Rome and Greece and was based on the importance of the overall human experience.
The Renaissance describes the period of European history from the 14th century to the late 16th century. During this time The Renaissance was only seen as a form of rebirth, it wasn’t until later in time where people viewed the period differently. Some say it was one of the greatest ages of human cultural achievement. Jules Michelet and Jakob Burckhardt, for example, view the period as being characterized by the rise of an individual, scientific inquiry, and geographical exploration, and the growth of secular values (La Renaissance). “Nicola “said that he had personally broken some tablets that had been placed as a decoration in a church not far from Porcia, declaring it was wrong, and that they did not belong there and were...merchandise...and that figures should not be placed in church.”” (The Cheese and the Worms, Page 20) The Renaissance gave birth to many artistic views and skills. Much of the art involved religion in which Ginzburg points out that no one is supposed to worship any images of God. This points to one thing that Menocchio learned from
During the early stages of Europe, the Renaissance became an age of change and intellectual advancements for all civilization. Many of history’s brilliant thinkers can attribute their thoughts and beliefs to this time period. Even though the Renaissance is often grouped as a whole, there were two different locations of such change, one considered “Italian” and the “ Northern”. The Italian and Northern Renaissance contrast in the way that the Northern Renaissance focuses on religious aspects of life and the Italian Renaissance is more secular in its focus of art and literature rebirth. Yet both remain similar in that they both developed similar views on ideas such as revamping social norms or the new idea of humanism.
Throughout Europe, the Renaissance period had various effects on art which can be broken down and seen from Southern (Italian) and Northern paintings. With the renaissance, came disinterest in dogma, and more of a focus on naturalism and humanism. However, the strong influence of religion never left either the Northern or Southern art works, due to the commission by the church. Giuliano Bugiardini’s, Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist, 1510, is a pristine depiction of what Southern European art during the renaissance contained, element by element. Northern artists kept most their roots, focusing heavily on religion while enhancing on the details and adding few aspects of naturalism; while Southern artists took
Rhiana Bishop CHY4U Mrs.Ritsma September 15th, 2017 Humanism and the Italian Renaissance Many people today do not know what humanism is. Even if they don't what it is, many people in this world are humanist. Humanism is the idea behind humanism is the life on earth can be filled with the value not just items, but abilities and individual worth, as well as that humans, can achieve great things. The humanist movement started with a man named Martin Luther. Luther was a German monk who posted what is now known as the 95 Theses on the door of Wittenberg’s Castle (Newman 50). These theses are what started the Reformation and the Renaissance. In the Renaissance was very influenced by the Martin Luther and humanism. The art the writer and the architecture were all majorly influenced by humanism. This is because that it is more acceptable to have beautiful paintings, awe-inspiring novels, and amazing buildings created not just for religious use but for enjoyment. Leonardo DA Vinci (1452-1519), Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), Donato Donatello (1386-1466), Sofonisba Anguissola (c.1532-1625) these are some of the prodigious artist known all over the world. Every one of these artists started in the Renaissance era of art. Each one of these artists created art that still inspires artist today. Before the reformation and humanism came into the picture almost all became famous for the works that they did in the Renaissance. The reason these artists became more famous is the art that is much more lifelike and that captures more detail than the art that came before the Renaissance. Some of the art done in the Renaissance that is still based on belief.in many paintings, in the Medieval era, there were paintings of Mother Mary and baby Jesus they were portrayed as gods. But as they were painted in the Renaissance era, they were painted as average people from that time. Every artist famous or not became very popular with the growing support of humanism. Niccolò Machiavelli, Edmund Spenser, Desiderius Erasmus and Thomas More. theses are a few of the famous writers in the Renaissance. The most well known are Thomas More was a well-known humanist at the time. More was trained as a lawyer and he dedicated to the classic learning
The popular author Chaim Potok struggled throughout his life with the sacred (Jewish religion and tradition) and the secular world. Potok suggested four possible responses for a person who faces confrontation with the sacred thought system and the secular thought system. First, the lockout response: a person escapes the conflict by erecting impenetrable barriers between the sacred and the secular and then remains in just one system. Second, compartmentalization: a person creates separate categories of thought that coexist in what he called a “tenuous peace.” Third, complete fusion: a person takes down all walls and allows the sacred and secular cultures to freely mix with each other, perhaps leading to a “radically new seminal culture.”
Art in the Medieval Times was dreary and bland. Many works of art were solely about God or holy figures. The most obvious change from the Renaissance to Medieval Times was the arts, according to Document A and also that “One begins to know the names of the artists ... feel stronger emotions in the subjects”. This shows that Renaissance art not only changed in style, in changed in how it made the viewer feel when seeing the art. Similarly, in Document A, Renaissance art is described as “new artistic styles would echo the broader movements and interests of the new age.…”. As compared to Medieval Times, the style of art became something similar to the time that people could relate to. In the Medieval Times, art was just meant to extol God’s many feats. People who viewed the painting were supposed to put that style of art on a pedestal. Medieval art was supposed to be worshipped, not so much understood. The individual in the Medieval Times was supposed to take away from the painting that the only thing that mattered in their life was the Roman Catholic church and God already had a plan for their lives. But in comparison, Renaissance art was supposed to empower and help people of the time to understand themselves and the fact that they can change their own lives.
Art during the Italian Renaissance differed from art during the Middle Ages. The two have contrasting characteristics and concepts. To the people in the medieval world, religion was their life. Everything in daily life focused around the church and God (Modern World 164). Medieval culture influenced the arts; this was evident in the religious themes. During the Italian Renaissance, painters and other artists focused on the portrayal of a more humanistic way of life. Renaissance artists’ work portrayed realism with “lifelike human figures in their paintings” (Modern World 164). Renaissance artists wanted to express ancient Greek and Roman cultures in their work (Modern World 162). Italian Renaissance
The revival of antiquity allowed Greek and Roman influences to appear in Renaissance art as references to the ancient civilizations’ mythology or the reappearance of their architecture. Other characteristics of Renaissance art include humanism and realism. Humanism in art meant the depiction of more human-centered worlds or subjects, and the idea of human individuality (often expressed through portraitures or a broader exploration of the arts). Realism, otherwise known as naturalism, meant a new emphasis on the imitation of reality and the use of mathematical concepts, like the laws of perspective, to achieve that goal. Considering that Lorenzo Ghiberti’s The Gates of Paradise includes all three characteristics of Renaissance art: Greek and Roman antiquity, humanism, and realism, one can further deduce that The Gates of Paradise is a prime example of the prevailing art style of the Renaissance.
During the shift from the middle ages into the Renaissance period new conceptions of the individual and the human mind quickly came to light. Although art in the Middle Ages was centered predominantly on religion and faith, the incoming art of the Renaissance underwent a drastic change. A vast amount of these changes mainly focused on individualism, secularism, and humanism. Following the collapse of the feudal system, thoughts of individualism quickly rose when people realized that they didn’t have to adhere to a specific group.Throughout the beginning of the Renaissance, religious figures and the Catholic Church began to lose authority which conducted in new ideas of secularism. Comparably, humanistic art and notions became preeminent when individuals focused on glorifying the human body, learning more about it and inclined more towards realistic art.
One thing is permanent about art throughout the ages and civilizations of time: it always expresses some aspect of the culture that produced it. So it may be seen in Renaissance Italy in Michelangelo's David, or in Hellenistic Greece in the Dying Gaul. The Egyptian statue of Anubis reveals something about the spiritual belief of those ancient people, and the abstract expressionism of Kandinsky in the 20th century represents the shift in intellectual concepts of modern spirituality. Art throughout the ages has always been coupled with some sense of otherworldliness. My recent travels through time have confirmed this and these pages will show exactly how artworks from late 2nd century BC China, 1st century BC Rome, and 16th century Northern Europe illustrate the fact that art in every time and place may serve as a shining example of the beliefs and cultural attitudes of that time and place.
Beginning with the Renaissance (1400-1600) we see a change in the subject matter being portrayed by artists of the time. We can attribute this change not only to the change in patrons, from the Christian church to wealthy bankers and politicians, but also to the growing body of scientific knowledge. “The Renaissance was
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.