The Novelty That Came With the Renaissance in Europe

The Renaissance Movement

In this article, I compared the innovations that the Renaissance brought to art and culture in Europe, especially the innovations that the Renaissance brought to art with the Middle Ages.

The Renaissance started in Italy and spread to France, Germany, England, Spain, and the Netherlands in the 17th century. A “rebirth” with the closing of the age of ignorance in Europe and the arrival of Greek-Roman culture. Also, the word “Renaissance” was used for the first time in 1860 in work “Renaissance Culture in Italy” by Swiss art and cultural historian Jacob Burckhardt.

The Renaissance movement, which started in the 14th century and continued until the 17th century, led to the rediscovery of literature, art, and classical philosophy. Throughout this period, some of the greatest philosophers, writers, statesmen, scientists, and artists thrived. Throughout this time, globalized colonization produced new lands and cultures for European trade. Besides reducing ignorance in Europe, religious authority is significantly disrupted in this revival movement. A new period of creativity in painting, sculpture, and architecture has begun, especially in Italy.

The Middle Ages is the dark age of Europe (so to speak, the age of Shame). This period is a time in which a plot from heaven is sold for money, and it is forbidden to read outside the Bible. It is necessary to be thankful that there was art in this period. In painting, it is impossible to embroider a subject other than religion. In addition, building a structure other than religious structures is not very welcome.

On the other hand, with this innovation movement, Renaissance artists, especially artists from the South Renaissance were interested in the human body and made practical observations by re-examining the forms of Greek and Roman classical sculpture. Sculpture themes of this period; mythological things and creatures and cavalry are the scenes taken from the Bible and the Torah. In Renaissance sculpture perfect shape, balance, beauty, and proportion are essential. The material commonly used is bronze, marble, and wood.

Moreover, a cultural movement called Humanism started to gather momentum in Italy during the 14th century. Humanism embraced the belief that man was the center of his own world among its other values and that people should accept human accomplishments in culture, fine arts, literature, and technology. Humanism led Europeans to challenge the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the Renaissance. They started to investigate and critique Christianity closely, as we understood it.

In this period, they discovered new trade routes to the Americas, India, and the Far East during this period, and explorers traveled into regions not completely explored. As a result of the Renaissance, significant developments took place in the field of science and technique. Free thinking and a new understanding of art emerged. Scholastic thought has been replaced by scientific thought and rationality. Observation and experimentation have gained importance. It has accelerated the development and progress in Europe.

There were unusual geniuses in this period. Along with their prominent geniuses in the field of art, such as Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael, there were also very important geniuses who steered science, such as Galileo, Descartes, and Copernicus.

In addition, Martin Luther, led the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, a radical movement that caused a split in the Catholic church. Luther criticized all of the church’s activities, including whether they were in accordance with the Bible’s teachings. Protestantism, a sect of Christianity, emerged as a result of the revolution.

Conclusion

The Renaissance was a transformative period in European history that began in Italy in the 14th century and spread throughout Europe. It was characterized by a renewed interest in classical antiquity, humanism, and scientific inquiry, and its legacy can be seen in the great artistic masterpieces of the period and the advances made in science, mathematics, and philosophy.

Despite its achievements, the Renaissance was not without flaws and limitations. The movement was often elitist and exclusionary, privileging the perspectives of wealthy and powerful individuals, and marked by significant social, political, and economic inequalities that persisted long after the movement ended. Nevertheless, the Renaissance remains one of the most fascinating and influential periods in human history, inspiring and captivating people to this day with its flourishing of art, culture, and intellectual inquiry.

References

• History.com Editors. (2022, October 17). Renaissance. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/topics/renaissance/renaissance
• History of Europe | Summary, Wars, Map, Ideas, & Colonialism. (2022, October 18). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Europe/Arts-and-letters
• Renaissance: What is Renaissance? (n.d.). USEUM. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from https://useum.org/Renaissance/What-is-Renaissance