The Renaissance Flashcards
What does the Renaissance mean
Renaissance (rebirth) refers to the rebirth of European interest in the civilisations of Ancient Rome and Greece
People began to look at the world around them in new ways
What did they develop new ideas about
Art, architecture, science, medicine and literature
Name 3 points on the “Ruins of the Roman Empire”
- Italy was the centre of the Roman Empire
- The remains of Roman buildings and art were everywhere
- The Italian language was based on Latin, which made it easier for people to read ancient works
Explain the fall of Constantinople in 1453
Many Greek scholars fled to Italy. They brought priceless Ancient Greek and Roman manuscripts with them. Books were full of ideas
Name 2 points on “Wealth from trade”
- Italy’s position in the middle of the Mediterranean meant that it had grown rich on trade in goods coming overland from the East, such as silks and spices
- These merchants had money to spend on works of art and architecture to demonstrate their wealth and power
Explain “New ideas from Trade”
Merchants returned with ideas e.g. they had learned about mathematics from the Arabs and introduced the Arabic number system to Europe, which we still use today
Explain the competition between Italian city states (2 points)
- Italy was made up of many independent city states all in competition with each other over territory, trade, wealth and power
- They all hired artists to build great buildings and produce works of art
What was one of the most important Italian city
Florence
Explain the “Patrons”
A patron was a wealthy person who commissioned (hired) an artist to produce a work of art for them
e.g. The Catholic Church spent huge sums of money to beautify their churches e.g. Private individuals. The de Medici of Florence
When was Florence the wealthiest city in Italy
By 1400
What was Florence’s wealth
It’s wealth came wool trade and later from banking
What did the Florentines do to their city
The Florentines were very proud of their city and were willing to spend lavishly on works of art to decorate their city
Which family had the most power
The de Medici family
What did the de Medici family own
They owned the largest bank in the city and used their money to to ensure that the men who ran the city did what they wanted
What was peace good for
Peace was good for trade and business
Were the de Medici family important patrons
They were important patrons, especially Cosimo de Medici and his grandson Lorenzo
Who did the de Medici family sponsor
They sponsored artists, architects and sculptors
Name 2 points that the medievals had in their paintings
- Faces had no emotion
- Flat no background
In medieval paintings, what did they use in paint
They used egg yolk in paint
Name two cons about using egg yolk in paint
- It dried fast
- Hard to fix
What style was the renaissance paintings
More realistic
In renaissance paintings, what did they use for paint
They used linseed oil
Name two pros about using linseed oil for paint
- It dried slowly
- Easy to fix mistakes
Name 3 techniques that the renaissance artists used in their paintings
- Perspective
- Stumato
- Frescos
What is perspective
Closer things look bigger
What is sfumato
Soft shading
Used in the Mona Lisa
What are frescos
Paintings on walls/ceilings
Name 4 things you would see in medieval architecture
- Pointed arches
- Stained-glass windows
- Tall spires
- Arched ceilings
Name 4 things you would see in renaissance buildings
- Large pillars
- Rounded arches
- Dome roofs
- Big porches
What were the medieval sculptures about
About God or the Bible
What were medieval sculptures made of
Wood
Where were medieval sculptures found
Churches
What did renaissance sculptures show/about
- Showed real human bodies
- Not always about religion
What were renaissance sculptures made of
Marble
Where are renaissance sculptures found
Found in city squares
What did many Renaissance artists study
Anatomy
They painted wrinkles, muscles, and light and shadows fell
Where did the Renaissance spread to
The Renaissance spread from Italy to the rest of Europe
>France, England and Germany
Who was the spread of he Renaissance helped by
- Artists visiting Italy
- Trade with Italy
- European rulers becoming patrons
What was the single most important reason for the spread of the Renaissance
The Printing Press
How were books created before the 1400s
Books were copied by hand
Who invented The Printing Press
Johannes Gutenberg
Invented in 1450
How was the Printing Press made
Gutenberg placed individual metal letters into a frame to form words, coated them with ink and then pressed the frame onto paper
What was the first book printed
The Bible
What is the 1st effect of the Printing Press
Printed books were much cheaper allowing people to buy them
What is the 2nd effect of the Printing Press
More people learned how how to read and write
>This meant literacy rates went up
What is the 3rd effect of the Printing Press
People read more and were introduced to new ideas
What is the 4th effect of the Printing Press
Fiction became more popular as people began to read for entertainment
What is the 5th effect of the Printing Press
The control of the Catholic Church declined. People began to challenge the Church. This would be key to the Reformation.
What is the 6th effect of the Printing Press
The use of Latin declined as writers wrote in the vernacular (language spoken by people in their native country)
When and where was Leonardo born
In 1452, in Vinci near Florence
What did Leonardo become part of
The Artists Guild
What is Leonardo known as
A Renaissance man, as he has talents in many areas
What is Leonardo’s 3 most famous paintings
- Virgin on the Rocks
- Mona Lisa
- The Last Supper
