Discovering Our Past: Medieval and Early Modern Times

Chapter 7: The Renaissance

Chapter Overview

From 1350 to 1550, Europeans experienced a period of renewed interest in art and learning known as the Renaissance. Italy was the center of the Renaissance for several reasons. The Roman Empire was now in ruins, and cities were very wealthy, enabling money to be spent on painters, sculptors, architects, and other artists. Also, the region was still divided into many small city-states whose wealthy nobles and merchants competed with each other.

Humanism struck a balance between religious faith and reason. As Italians began studying early Roman and Greek works, the study of mathematics, human anatomy, and literature thrived. Perhaps the most famous scientist of the time was Leonardo da Vinci. After Johannes Gutenberg developed a printing press, humanist ideas spread to other European nations. In England, the Renaissance appeared in writing and theater more than in art. William Shakespeare was the most influential writer of the English Renaissance.

Renaissance art differed from medieval art because it focused on people in natural settings. Artists tried for the first time to show expression and emotion. One technique was perspective, a method that makes a drawing or painting appear three-dimensional. A technique called chiaroscuro used light and shadows to make paintings look more realistic.

Sandro Botticelli was a Renaissance artist who painted on wet plaster with watercolor paint, using a technique called fresco. Other important Renaissance artists included Raphael Sanzio, Michelangelo Buonarroti, and Leonardo da Vinci. In Northern Europe, artists began using oil paints. Jan van Eyck was a master of oil painting.

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