The Renaissance

Just at the end of the Middle Ages came a new period in European history called the Renaissance which began in Italy around the 1400s and in Germany, France, England, and in other parts of Europe by the 1500s up to the 1600s.

The Renaissance is a series of literary and cultural movements during those periods. It was called Renaissance (French for "rebirth") because it heralded the birth of a new age in culture, the arts, education, and in almost all other aspects of life, with its central theme - humanism.

Humanism And The Renaissance

The Middle Ages, the period prior to the Renaissance, emphasized following the rules or dictates of God, or a deity, as told by accepted prophets like the pope or the bishop. This can be seen in the Crusades or holy wars, where people sacrified their lives for the sake of religion, or of their duty to their God. The knights, who excelled in warfare and chivalry, also did the same for a code of honor. As the Crusades and the feudalistic system ended, and with the rise of towns and guilds, people began to shift their thinking towards a world where man would be given more importance - as an individual and as a respectable member of society.

This idea of the central importance of man is called humanism, which became the central theme of the Renaissance. Humanism believes in the high potential of human beings, and the growing number of humanists at that time extolled their capacities to the fullest, and enjoined the others to do the same, to excel in their work, and to respect and recognize the excellence in others. This culminated in the Renaissance.

Characteristics of the Renaissance

The Renaissance period as a particular era in history showed the following characteristics:

1. Revival of Classical Art - people from all works of life - from kings to commoners - studied and created classical works of art and literatue. These works were made not mainly only to earn money, but to create beautiful works of art for its own sake.

2. Curiosity and Objectivity - people began to be interested in their own physical characteristics, the workings of their mind, and the nature of the world and their part in it. They began to be more attracted to things which can be experienced by the senses, and gave great importance to evidences and proofs. This paved the way for advances in anthropology, psychology, and other fields.

3. Individualism - people started to focus on the unique and remarkable talents of the individual, and the development of the human potential, which brought new emphasis on education and scholarship.

The Renaissance's Literary Giants

One of the greatest gains of the Renaissance was in the field of literature, where classical works were created by some of the world's greatest literary experts. These include Giovanni Boccaccio and Francesco Petrarch.

An Italian writer and poet who led the rediscovery of classical literature by writing great tragic and comic narratives. He is known for his collection of tales called the Decameron.

An Italian poet and humanist known for his work, II canzoniere, a songbook which contains great songs and sonnets. His sonnets created a unique flow and form, more known as the Petrarchan sonnet.

Both Petrarch and Boccaccio emphasized the human situation in their works, insisting that people could learn more about their problems by studying the lives of others in the past.

The Greatness of Renaissance Art

The greatest expression of the Renaissance was in the field of the arts. The period boasts of the greatest artists in history. Among them are:

He is considered as one of the greatest figures of the Renaissance and is a famous painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and scientist. He became the state engineer and official painter to the Duke of Milan. His most famous works are the Last Supper (1495), a painting of Jesus having the last supper with his apostles; and the Mona Lisa (1503 - 06), a portrait of a beautiful lady whose beautiful smile still haunts those who admire it today. But while da Vinci is a great artist, he is also a great inventor and scientist, initially drawing concepts and ideas on modern machines as the helicopter and steam cannons.

A noted sculptor, painter, architect, and poet, he set a new standard in male sculpture through his work David in marble. He also became famous for his frescoes done at the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, where he painted a symphony of biblical events, including the creation of the world and of man, the Fall and the Flood.

A painter and architect considered as one of the greatest Renaissance artists after Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He is famous for the work The Marriage of the Virgin (1504), and the frescoes at the School of Athens.

He is an architect and artist who is known for the circular Tempietto, a great architectural masterpiece in Rome, and for his frescoes at the dome of the Church of Santa Maria.

The Renaissance artists were supported by rich families and clans in Italy, such as the Storzas in Milan, and the Medici family in France. Religious leaders like Pope Julius II and Leo X also became avid supporters of Renaissance art.

Political Thought In The Renaissance

Political ideas also enjoyed development during the Renaissance as great political thinkers made their works, such as Leonardo Bruni, who wrote the History of the Florentine People; and Niccolo Machiavelli, who wrote The Prince (published in 1532), a work of unique political discussion, that is still followed by many political leaders today.

Machiavelli sought to explain politics in a realistic manner, based on his concepts about human nature. He regarded the state as more of a large organism with its leader as the head and the citizens or people as the body. A healthy state, he implied, is like a healthy person: its head and body are unified and go together well. But an unhealthy state, just like a sick person, requires strong measures to restore it to well-being. Thus, Machiavelli justified the use of any means necessary to preserve the state, even if it entails cruelty, deception, or repression of freedom.

Generally, however, political thought in the Renaissance is also humanist, and centered on the means to have the welfare of the people the primary goal of the government.

Discoveries During The Renaissance

During the Renaissance, both men and nations wanted to grow and develop in every way possible. Thus, inventions and discoveries at this time reflected this orientation.

The development of the compass, astrolabe, and navigational knowledge during the Renaissance would enable explorers to later venture into the new world.

Johannes Gutenberg invented printing in Europe in the 1440s, making it possible for written works to be disseminated more easily, thereby multiplying knowledge. It was also used to print maps to aid navigation. By the 1500s, millions of books were already in circulation in Europe.

Astronomy, on the other hand, was revolutionized by Nicolaus Copernicus, who implied that the sun, and not the earth, is the center of the solar system. His theory caused an uproar as it was against church doctrine at that time. Although Copernicus' whole concept was not yet perfect, it was later perfected by other astronomers such as Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler.

The Renaissance Spreads

Renaissance ideas began in Italy, but it spread throughout Europe. Among the Renaissance men in other parts of Europe are Erasmus, who developed scholarship for northern Europe; the Dutch painters Albrecht Durer and Hans Holbein; the French writer Francois Rabelais and Joaquin Du Bellaz; Miguel de Cervantes of Spain; and William Shakespeare of England, whose works and plays make him a literary giant.

Effects of the Renaissance

The Renaissance was such a revolution in the history of man that it had effects not only in Europe, but also in the rest of the world, and not only from the 14th and 16th century, but also through the rest of human history after that, and into the present age. The Renaissance represents a turning point in man's advancement. From then on, there would be no turning back. The Renaissance symbolizes man's rise from the dark ages within the light of modern thinking.

Some of the more evident effects of the Renaissance are the following:

• It sparked the intellectual revolution that will come centuries later, aided by the invention of printing and writings of humanism.

• It enriched world civilization through an intellectual and artistic heritage that is still important today, especially in the fields of education, arts, literature, and humanistic inquiry. The works of da Vinci and Michelangelo have inspired artists for generations.

• It contributed to explorations and voyages to new lands. Some of the greatest explorers were Italians who were exposed to the Renaissance such as Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci.

• It paved the way for the Reformation, as humanist thinking revealed the many abuses of the clergy within the Catholic Church.

• It nurtured the growth of national states, such as England, France, and Spain, as the weakening papacy and middle class contributed to the strength of kings.