Renaissance and Humanism: Art, Culture, and Thought
The Renaissance and Humanism
The Rise of Humanism
Humanism, a movement of cultural rebirth, originated in Italy in the 15th century and spread throughout Europe in the 16th century. Its main features include:
- A new way of thinking based on classical culture, reviving ideas from ancient Greece and Rome.
- Humanists focused on the human being and their relationship with nature.
- They believed that the human being, not God, was the center of the world and culture, possessing free will.
- Trust in humanity and a critical spirit influenced the new scientific method, based on experimentation, and also impacted the religious Reformation.
The Spread of Humanism
Humanism was disseminated through:
- The printing press, invented by Gutenberg in 1440, which enabled the rapid spread of information and new ideas through books.
- Academies, where humanists studied languages, literature, and philosophy. These were often founded by patrons (mecenas in Spanish), noblemen, and bourgeois who protected intellectuals and artists. The Medici, for example, founded the Platonic Academy in Florence.
- Universities, such as those in Bologna, Florence, and Alcalá de Henares.
Notable humanists include Luis Vives, Antonio de Nebrija, Thomas More, and Erasmus of Rotterdam.
What is the Renaissance?
The term “Renaissance” means “rebirth” and refers to an intellectual, literary, and artistic movement that began in Italy in the 14th century, following the Middle Ages, and culminated in the 16th century. During this period, scholars, writers, and artists rediscovered and reinterpreted the great classical heritage of the Roman Empire: its architecture, sculpture, philosophy, art, and literature.
Phases of the Renaissance
The Renaissance can be divided into two main phases:
- The Quattrocento (1400-1500), during which Florence was the most important artistic city.
- The Cinquecento (1500-1600), when Rome became the main center of art.
Key Features of Renaissance Art
- Art separated from the Church: The Church ceased to be the sole patron and consumer of art. Patrons emerged, influencing the subjects depicted. While religious themes remained prevalent, with works commissioned by the Catholic Church or wealthy families, the growing wealth of princes, bankers, and merchants fueled demand for secular art. Artists, therefore, created mythological and allegorical works alongside Christian religious pieces.
- Inspiration from Greek and Roman Art: Renaissance art drew heavily from classical aesthetics.
- Focus on the Human Being: Artworks took the human being as a reference point, with beauty canons reflecting human proportions.
Renaissance Architecture
The Gothic style was consciously rejected in favor of a classical, Roman style:
- Return to classical orders (Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian).
- Combination of round arches and domes with lintel structures (pediments, architraves).
- Many façades adopted a Triumphal Arch shape.
Important Architectural Works
Quattrocento
- Brunelleschi: Dome of Florence Cathedral
- Alberti: Santa Maria Novella in Florence
Cinquecento
- Bramante: The Church of San Pietro in Montorio in Rome
- Michelangelo: St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican