Renaissance Period Flashcards
Renaissance Timeline
Late 1300s to Mid 1600s
Renaissance Themes
Resurgence of nationalism and humanism
Humanism during the Renaissance
There was a shift from the intense religion and more focus on the human experience.
Humanism’s Influence
Humanism led to scientific exploration, and Christian Humanism
Intellectualism Influence
Education became really important sparking a ton on universities
Protestant Reformation
Due to the newfound interest in reason people began to question the Catholic church and its corruption, this movement was led by Martin Luther.
Main Themes of Renaissance
Classicism
Humanism
Rationalism
University Expansion
Individualism
Self-Fashioning
Reformation
Self-Fashioning
An extension of individualism where people started to use there fashion and etiquette as a form of self-expression.
The Age of Exploration
European maritime efforts led to cultural influences from all over the world.
The Silk Road
Before ships were advanced enough to go all over, the tradeline that stretched across Asia/Europe is how the cultural influences came.
Religion in Renaissance Period
The Catholic church suffered a decline in influence & prestige.
Papal Infallibility
A principle challenged by Martin Luther that the pope can never be wrong.
Philosophy in Renaissance
Philosophers were into classical humanism, an emphasis on engagement with the world.
Machiavelli’s “The Prince” (Literature)
Is a treatise on how to govern, “by any means necessary.”
“The Courtier” (Literature)
Story about a ball were the men use fashion and intellect to try to present themselves as the best bachelor.
Renaissance Theater
Italian theater had the first comedies, reason was the central theme, and the church was criticized more.
Renaissance Theater
Theater became more complex, literary devices started being used.
Dialect
Blank Verse
Prose
- Using different languages to represent people
- Meted poetry
- Common/non-poetic speech
Soliloquy
Allegory
- Character speaks aloud to themselves so audience knows thoughts
- Theme manifests physically
William Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Story about a prince who’s uncle came and took over, he is depressed and has to choose to ether kill the uncle or himeself, uses soliloquy.
Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus
Story about a man that sold his soul for 24 years of control over a demon, at the end chose not to repent and got dragged to hell. Uses allegory (pride personified).
William Shakespeare
Was a poet & actor in addition to a writer, had is own drama co. with men only due to women not allowed to do theatre during that time.
Renaissance Art/Architecture
Shifted away from embellished churches/cathedrals and moved to fusing math/science w/ art.
Renaissance Art
Artists were focused on capturing the natural world and human body, vested in perspective and how the eye perceives depth and light.
Linear Perspective
Chiaroscuro
- Illusion of depth using lines
- Illusion of depth using light/shade
Sculpture
Main theme was classical humanism, still about the church/biblical themes, but incorporating new ideas centered around humanism
Sculpture
Human bodies were no longer stiff, now showed realistic movement, faces became a lot more expressive.
Michelangelo’s David
Naked guy, looking left, left arm/leg bent, placing weight on right leg.
Leonardo Da Vinci
Mona Lisa and Vitruvian Man (all the arms) / Renaissance Man
Raphael’s School of Athens
Painting that looks like if a bunch of angels were at university in heaven, and were at the quad. “God” is in the middle, dark skin Jesus is teaching, and Judas is looking down fake studying.
Renaissance Music
Departed from the church hymns of the classical period and started getting more secular.
Madrigal
Key innovation of renaissance music, marriage of words to musical notes (began in Italy)
Renaissance Musical Themes
Emotion, humanism, crescendos were happy tunes, low slow decrescendo were about loss and death.
Cultural Exchange
Age of Exploration, a bunch of ships sailing all over bringing back cultural influence particularly w/ Asian silks and African art and Islamic glass making.
Renaissance Inventions
Compass helped w/ sailing
Printing Press, allowed for mass communication
Viola de Gamba (instrument)
