Untitled Lesson

What was the
Renaissance?

Renaissance is a word
which means “Rebirth”, but
rebirth of what?

During this time period,
Europeans began exploring
the traditions and cultures
of classical and ancient
cultures

Therefore, the Renaissance
was a rebirth of art and
learning inspired by the
ancient culture of Europe

Where did it happen?

◦ The Renaissance began in Italy in the late 14th and
early 15th centuries

◦ Italy at the time was a series of city-states and
competing countries who sought to out do each
other

◦ It was also incredibly wealthy and was the center
of trade flowing into Europe from the Middle East

◦ It had gained significantly more money as a result
of the crusades and was the primary departure
point for crusaders

Why did it happen?

◦ The Renaissance was a result of several
factors

◦ First, after the Bubonic Plague in Europe
people began to focus less on religion
and focus more on enjoying the human
life. This emphasis on people was called
humanism.

◦ When Constantinople was captured by
the Ottoman Empire in 1453, there was
also an influx of Greek scholars from
Eastern Europe who reintroduced ideas of
Ancient Greece to the Italians

Renaissance Florence

◦ Florence was perhaps the greatest center of
the Renaissance

◦ This wealthy city state was dominated by the
Medici, a family of bankers who had made
their way to power and who were
continuously elected as leaders

◦ They used their vast wealth to sponsor public
projects and art, in order to show off the
wealth of their city

◦ It was home to such famed people as
Leonardo Da Vinci, painter of the Mona Lisa

◦ Florence today is an ideal place to visit to see
the impacts of the Renaissance on Italian
society

Renaissance
Art

Our project today will be
taking the role of
Renaissance artists, and
trying our hand at some of
the new styles of art that
were created at that time