Taking a Look at the Italian Renaissance

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.

Italy can be looked at as the home of the renaissance and consequently the immergence of great art. Artists such as Michelangelo, Botticelli, Da Vinci, and Raphael are some of the greats and are looked at for standards. But what about the artists whose lives are mysteries, and their works that were influenced by the greats? These artists hold just as much importance in the history of art as do the artist’s whose names can be recalled off the top of an average person’s head. During the sixteenth century things began to change in the art world, and that change was the Baroque. This new style of art brought a revolution to how subject matter was painted, it brought upon “… a radical reconsideration of art and its purposes…” (249) and how artists of all ranks could learn to paint the up and coming style of Baroque.

Boundless World History. "Italy during the Renaissance". Lumen. Boundless World History. 27 May 2018. (-- removed HTML --)

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.

Florence was exposed to the principles and ideologies of foreign regions and immersed them into the art and literature produced thereafter. That then percolated to the rest of the other European nations and the rest of Italy itself. The Medici maintained these connections rooted and stable by way of finance and politics and guaranteed that Florence, throughout the Renaissance, was an advocate of the arts. Furthermore, had it not been for the establishment of a connection between the Medici and the Papacy, Florence and Rome, it seems, may have actually been rivals grown under the essence of partnership and collaboration during the Renaissance. Rome supplied many Florentine artists with a harbor, and, in turn, Florence took advantage of the administration of the papal funds.

The High Renaissance in Italy, although short lived, was extremely important on the influences of future Italian art. During the High Renaissance the main focus on Florence, for the arts, shifted to Rome due to the power and wealth from the popes. Because of the move from Florence to Rome, the two most important factors of this time, Classicism and Christianity, were merged into one. “Italian ideas were also brought northward through trade and commerce into Europe, where they had a tremendous amount of influence on the artistic traditions there as well” (Benton & DiYanni, 2008).

The Renaissance brought about major changes in European politics, economics, sciences, and cultures. New schools of thought, most notably Christian Humanism, techniques of painting and sculpting, systems of government, and ways to communicate forever changed the face of Europe. These changes, however, were not uniform in their influence or their style. The Southern, especially Italian, Renaissance focussed particularly on both the individual and the Church, through studying old Roman Catholic doctrines and Greco-Roman classics, whereas the Northern Renaissance looked at how society and the Church could be improved economically and politically. Cultural and geographic differences were the main causes of the differences between the Southern

To start off the widely known European Renaissance, the Italian Renaissance was the earliest manifestation of the 200 year-long cultural event. After the Black Death had taken its toll, the new era had emerged in Italy. Italy was a very strong influence in Europe, containing 5 major city states, known as; Venice, Milan, Florence, Papal States, and Nepal. It was during this time, that many aspects of the European lifestyle began altering because of this rebirth in Italy, both intellectually and politically.

1. Select one of the following pair of artworks and describe the differences you observe between them. Each pair consists of art of the Early Renaissance (Chapter 21) and that of the High and Late Renaissance (Chapter 22). Examine the composition, technique, position of the figures, and facial expressions, as well as any relevant elements of art and principals of design (see handout from September or Google “art elements and design principals”).

and they would commission the best artistic minds of the time to build, design and paint

During the 14th century, Italy was divided into many self-governing city sates. Florence, an independent republic and third largest city in Europe at the time, was the motherland of the Italian Renaissance. This was an enlightening time of “rebirth” that began directly after the Middle Ages (History.com Staff). Florence was the birthplace of the Renaissance due to its location, prosperity, and cultural amalgamation.

The Italian Renaissance, in contrast to the conservative attitude of the Middle Ages, introduced a society dominated by a secular, humanistic spirit. One of the most historically significant events of the Renaissance was the Reformation. Some people argue that the Reformation was a rejection the secular spirit of the Italian Renaissance. Others assert that the Reformation was an embracement of these secular ideas. However as with many questions, this issue cannot be given a definite answer. The events of sixteenth-century Europe shows that the Reformation rejected secular ideas in some ways and embraced them in others. Martin Luther defied the Catholic Church and formed his own ideas on salvation, embracing secularism. In England, Henry VIII would reject Catholic authority, thereby accepting the secular spirit. However, he also rejected secularism by continuing to uphold traditional Catholic theology. Edward VI and Mary I would both establish national religion, of which there was no questioning, and reject the secular spirit. Elizabeth I also established a national religion, but her more conservative religious policies reflected her embracement of secular ideas. On the other hand, John Calvin created a religious sect that was dedicated to ardent religious devotion and righteousness, thereby rejecting secularism. Thus, the Reformation both rejected and embraced the secular spirit of the Italian Renaissance.

Like previously mentioned in the class, I have an intense interest for Italian art since I have been in contact with it since birth. Because of this I would like to explore the High Renaissance since I feel experienced and comfortable with this art period. The High Renaissance, or the Italian Renaissance, lasted from 1330 to 1550 with Florence, Italy being the birthplace of it all. In the following essay I would like to discuss Neo-Platonists, which was the dominant philosophy so-to-speak at the time. Secondly, I will talk about the Medici family and their influence during this period. Lastly, I will discuss various Renaissance men such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael because they were the people who shaped and defined the period.

Filippo Brunelleschi was the first to discover linear perspective. Which creates an illusion of depth and volume on a flat surface.

in the church’s authority over their community crumbled leaving a fragile society. During this period a cultural movement spread readily. This was espsicaily due to the geographical link between the countries allowing their to be a continues cultural flow back and forth. Since Italys was location on the Mediterranean Sea they were able to develop the first port, which allowed for them to engage in trade and commerce as well as the spread of idea. A new found interest in the classical art thanks to the contribution made by the of Ancient Greece and Rome. Though out time there was, a series of discoveries and improvements of the visual arts are paintings, sculptures and the architecture. The significant increase in prosperity among the citizens of Venice, Genoa and Florence were associated with the trade route. The Renaissance art began to flourish within the capital of Florence during the first decade of the 14th century. The term Renaissance means, rebirth which also mark’s an era of broad cultural achievement. They focus on learned more philosophy, Science literature and music. Learning more about philosophy improved the relationship between the earth beneath their feet and towards God above which opened their eyes to Humanity. There are many inspiring artist during that period such as Tommaso di Ser Giovanni. Masaccio, also known as the 'Father of the Renaissance' endured a career of only seven years but in