Renaissance Art

                Renaissance art is the painting, sculpture and decorative arts of that period of European history known as the Renaissance, emerging as a distinct style in Italy in about 1400, in parallel with developments which occurred in philosophy, literature, music and science. Renaissance art, perceived as a royalty of ancient traditions, took as its foundation the art of Classical antiquity, but transformed that tradition by the absorption of recent developments in the art of Northern Europe and by application of contemporary scientific knowledge. Renaissance art, with Renaissance Humanist philosophy, spread throughout Europe, affecting both artists and their patrons with the development of new techniques and new artistic sensibilities. Renaissance art marks the transition of Europe from the medieval period to the early modern age.

                The Renaissance is seen by some as the rebirth or beginning of modern history because the era was all about reviving classical art which was somehow lost during the Dark Ages. This is a return to the realistic depiction of nature through keen observation. The Renaissance took root all over Europe but Italy and Flanders (present-day Belgium and Netherlands) developed into world-class economic and cultural centers. Italy never gave in to Gothicism and readily adopted elements of the Greek and Roman art into its art and architecture. But Flanders was soaked in the medieval tradition of Northern Europe and continued to concern itself with the spiritualism of the Gothic era, enriching it with a supreme realism. A certain degree of naturalism appeared in the northern book illustrator during the Gothic era called illuminated manuscripts. These were hand-drawn pages in books like explained in the previous era, Christian Art. In Renaissance Art the German Art is the art created by the Germans contains less symbolism and less detail than the Flemish ones but are the most emotionally striking works. Their messages are often more powerful.

                During the Renaissance a new interest in Greek and Roman culture lead to an explosion in knowledge about the human form along with innovations in mathematics and science. Suddenly, all creations of God, and the human form in particular became revered as testament to God's great power and perfection. Beauty became connected to morality and the pursuit of beauty in art became widespread. The nude human form, linear perspective, atmospheric perspective, and a new found interest in observing the natural world hallmark the movement. Artist themselves were elevated in social status and their works were looked upon not as mere crafts, but as miraculous creations that were divinely inspired. At the forefront of the Renaissance movement where the three most prominent artists of the Italian Renaissance; Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael.  Michelangelo he was greatly influenced by Masaccio, Giotto, Signorelli, and Donatello who were prominent figures during the Low Renaissance. His primary concentration was on sculpture and it was a Pieta' made in 1500 that attracted the awareness of the Catholic Church. Leonardo Da Vinci was devoted to learning as much as possible about the world around him. He studied subjects as diverse as mechanics, municipal construction, botany, geology, flight science, canals, architecture, astronomy, mathematics, acoustics, warfare, hydraulics, medicine, and anatomy. And Raphael was a gracious, good mannered, and charming young man. He was never lacking in influential patrons and was commissioned regularly for his series of Madonna and Child paintings.