The Origins of the

Renaissance

 Caused by 

A new interest in Classical art

 The growth of Trade and Commerce  The influence of Italian City-States  The growth of Humanism

What is the Renaissance?

 Means “re-birth”  Stood for a rebirth of art, culture, and thinking after the middle ages  Brought about by a new interest in

classical

art and writing  Muslim scholars and monks preserved artifacts, books from Greece and Rome

Vocabulary:

Classical

 Describes the art and writing of ancient

Greece

and

Rome



Plato



Aristotle



Ptolemy



Etc.

Classical

 Features of

Classical

art:      Attention to lifelike

anatomy

   Figures often draped in fabric or

nude

Figures shown in action or motion Faces calm, without emotion Depict everyday life or myths, legends Little background or

perspective Columns, arches,

etc.

Valued

balance

and

harmony

Vocabulary:

Medieval

 Describes art, writing, architecture from the middle ages (Fall of Rome in AD 476 to 1400’s)

Medieval

 Features of

Medieval

art:  Most art was religious  Important figures were larger than less important ones  Backgrounds were one color, usually Gold  Figures appear 2-D  Faces were serious, showed little feeling  Bright paint colors

Vocabulary:

Renaissance

 Describes art, writing, architecture from the Renaissance (1400’s – 1600’s)  Michelangelo  Donatello  Rafael  DaVinci

Renaissance

 Features of Renaissance art:        Showed religious and non-religious scenes Great interest in

nature

Lifelike, 3-D figures, lifelike

anatomy

Figures nude or clothed Faces expressed emotion, thoughts Paintings were

symmetrical

Full backgrounds showed

perspective

Pop Quiz!

 Identify these artworks as Classical, Medieval, or Renaissance, and write two reasons each.

 Caused by  A new interest in Classical art 

The growth of Trade and Commerce

 The influence of Italian City-States  The growth of Humanism

Money Makes the World Go Round  Because of the Crusades, new trade routes were established.

 Lucky towns like Florence, Venice, and Genoa (in Italy) became wealthy as merchants stopped to trade and stay in inns

Vocabulary:

Commerce

 The medieval economy was based on bartering.

 In the Renaissance, wealthy cities began making their own coins, creating

commerce

, a money economy  Bankers exchanged coins from different cities and gave people (both rich and poor) loans

Vocabulary:

Patron

 Craftspeople, merchants, and bankers became IMPORTANT in society.

 They also became very RICH.

 With their wealth, they paid artists, architects, sculptors, and garden designers to make their city more beautiful.

 A person who supports the arts by supplying money is called a

patron.

Vocabulary:

City-State

Homework:

Homework: You guys are so immature.

Pop Quiz!

 In Renaissance Italy, who were

patrons

, and what did they do?

 Caused by  A new interest in Classical art  The growth of Trade and Commerce 

The influence of Italian City-States

 The growth of Humanism

Vocabulary:

State

 A state is a politically organized group of people under a single government

Village  Town  City  City-State  Cities like Florence & Venice began producing their own currency (coins), patrons began sponsoring artists  Cities developed into City-States with their own governments.

 Elected councils and/or rich families

City-States competed with each other

Competition meant….

 More Art!

 Caused by  A new interest in Classical art  The growth of Trade and Commerce  The influence of Italian City-States 

The growth of Humanism

Medieval Thinking  The individual is only a tiny part of the system.  The individual is not important  Religious topics are the only thing worth studying.

Vocabulary:

Humanism

 Focused on the rights and dignity of individuals  Studied nature, human society

Humanists fueled the Renaissance by…  Studying classical art, ideas  Studying, painting, imitating nature  …but some people were burnt at the stake for their ideas….