Renaissance intellectuals and artists revived classical motifs in the fine arts and classical values in literature and education. Intellectuals - later called humanists - employed new methods of textual criticism based on a deep knowledge of Greek and Latin, and revived classical ideas that made human beings the measure of all things. Artists formulated new styles based on ancient models. The humanists remained Christians while promoting ancient philosophical ideas and classical texts. Artists and architects such as Brunelleschi, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael glorified human potential and the human form in the visual arts, basing their art on classical models while using new techniques of painting and drawing, such as geometric perspective. The invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century accelerated the development and dissemination of these new attitudes, notably in Europe north of the Alps (the Northern Renaissance)
Key Concept 1.1:
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Assignments
What is humanism? In this assignment you will define the philosophy of humanism and determine how it changed the idea of the individual in European society.
The function and purpose of a major work of art, the expectations that are placed upon it, and the role of the artist are not constant. They vary in different ages and societies. Before the Renaissance, an artist was considered primarily a craftsman. However, the great masters of the Renaissance proposed that an artist should be judged more by the qualities of intellect and imagination than by manual skill.
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The social hierarchies established in the 14th and 15th centuries continued to strengthen during the Renaissance. How did these ideas impact the lives of women and minorities in Europe?
The drive of European states during this time period was toward centralization. But was centralization caused by the New Monarchies or were the New Monarchies created by centralization?
In this assignment you will research a famous humanist from the time period in order to understand their influence on Renaissance society.
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