The Renaissance was probably my favorite topic to learn about in my AP European History class, only slightly beating World War 1 & 2. The Renaissance, if you did not know, started in the late 1300’s and ended around the 1500’s, mostly in Italy. The word actually means “rebirth,” referring to the rise of Greco Romanian Art, Philosophy, Music, Architecture and so on. Don’t quote me on this, I learned this in High School and they’ll only tell you what they want to tell you, so if you have any questions about the Renaissance, use your favorite search engine and search to your little heart’s content.
Why the Renaissance? Isn’t that like, old people art, ya know, for old people? Of course not! A lot of paintings that are still admired today are from the Renaissance. For instance, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, also known as Michelangelo, was recorded as one of the best artists of his time. He was a painter, poet, , sculptor, and the one who engineered the High Renaissance. He was the one who sculpted this bad boy:
Michelangelo’s David
(note: David is actually suppose to be a little boy, but the culture valued the body of man and made them more muscular than they needed to be. Either way, it’s perfection)
And this:
The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo
If you didn’t know that, congrats, you’re learning a little from this silly blog.
Do you recognize this painting?
The School of Athens by Raffaello
This painting was done by Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, also known as Raphael. He, along with Michelangelo, helped to shape the Renaissance during his time. (do a little research on this painting if you would like to find out more. Its highly interesting and the people in this painting make sense. If you look to the far right, next to the man with the glob in his hand, you will see that Raphael even put himself in the painting!)
How about this one?
The Last Supper by Leonardo
Or this lovely lady?
Mona Lisa by Leonardo
How about this journal entry?
The Vitruvian Man by Leonardo
Yes, these were done by Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci, commonly known as Leonardo da Vinci, or the man of the Renaissance. Da Vinci was a Polymath, which means he studies in more than one subject. He was a painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer! Can you believe that?
These 3 men were the geniuses of the Renaissance and helped other artists like Sandro Botticelli, Titan, Donatello, Filippo Brunelleschi, Caravaggio (one of my favorites), Paolo Veronese, Giotto and many more.
-Ashton
