The Renaissance Overview

Introduction

• Period: 14th to 16th century
• Location: Mainly Italy, later expanded to Western and Northern Europe
• Significance: Marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modern civilization
• Meaning: Renaissance means "rebirth," referring to the revival of classical Greek and Roman arts and philosophy.

Key Themes

Humanism

• Philosophy inspired by classical texts
• Celebrates human creativity and individual achievement
• Positions man at the center of the universe, not God

Artistic Revival

• Furthered arts significantly
• High Renaissance artists: Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo
• Notable works: Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, Statue of David, Birth of Venus, and The Creation of Adam

Societal Changes

• Decline of feudalism, rise of a capitalist market economy
• Rise of the middle class
• Decline in the influence of the Catholic Church
  • Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation

Exploration and Science

• Exploration: Columbus discovered the Americas (1492), Magellan’s circumnavigation
• Science: Copernicus’ heliocentric model, Galileo’s evidence supporting it

Causes and Origins

Economic Growth

• Florence’s wealth from trade with the Ottoman Empire
• Impact of the Black Death: labor shortage, rise of the middle class

Influence of the Medici Family

• Patrons of the arts
• Supported public art to enhance their status

Classical Texts

• Reintroduced through immigration of scholars and returning crusaders
• Printing technology by Gutenberg enabled widespread distribution

Decline

• Invasion of Italian territories
• Catholic Church’s censorship, establishment of the Inquisition

Historical Perspective

• Some historians view the Renaissance more as an arts and cultural movement rather than a distinct historical period
• Renaissance experiences were mostly limited to the very rich