Through the years, developments in Science and Technology can be noticed. Advancement in science and technology have made life better, easier, and efficient. Take computers, as an example. In old days, computers were as big as a room, and were not comfortable to use because the computer screen can damage the eyes. Conversely today, computers are small as the size of our palm, and has better display. Unlike the computers in the past, which were slow and has limited functionalities, computers in the present time are fast and has all the functionalities an individual needs for his or her everyday life. Technology is still developing to improve the life of every living creature on Earth. However, such developments will not happen without the contributions of the people in the past specially the individuals during the Renaissance, which is the time when intellect, and artistic achievements were being recognized. The quote mentioned above applies to the artist engineers during the Renaissance, who had spent most of their lifetime in doing research, experiments, and observations, in order to improve the human knowledge. They did not aim for fame and money while doing their project. Their main goal was to provide observation based information, and machines that will help humanity. Such Artist engineers includes, Paolo Toscanelli, Filippo Brunelleschi, Leone Battista Alberti, Galileo Galilei and others. Their ideas, inventions, and discoveries have been widely used in areas such as science, mathematics, music, arts, and others. Paolo Toscanelli, a Florentine astronomer and cosmographer, for example. Without his observations about the Sun’s altitude at different seasons, in order to estimate how big other continents were , he will not be able create a map that will help Christopher Columbus, a young voyager, on his expedition, and support Marco Polo’s idea that the Earth is Round . There would not be a Google Map, or a GPS (Global Positioning System). Moreover, without Filippo Brunelleschi’s hoist, humans will not be able to build skyscrapers and other buildings ii. Individuals, in the present time, will not be able to see 3D animated movies and other graphics without Brunelleschi’s and Leone Battista Alberti’s principle of linear perspective. Alberti’s book has also helped civil engineers and architectures in building roads, and buildings. These artist engineers have greatly contributed to make human’s way of living better, but one artist engineer had a great impact not only in the science community, but also to the whole world.
My artist is Leonardo da Vinci. He was born on April 15, 1452 in Vinci, Italy. The famous artist died on May 2, 1519 in Amboise, France. While he was alive he was a part of the Renaissance style of art. I decided to pick da Vinci because I don’t know that much about art history but the name Leonardo da Vinci stands out to everyone so I figured it would be interesting to learn about one of the most influential artists in history.
Technology, what is it? It’s usually something new, and better than the old idea. Technology started with cars, stoves, TV, radios, etc. Cars takes somebody from one place to another, faster than walking, running, or biking and one could go places without getting tired. Stoves allowed one to conveniently be able to turn on and off heat to a cooking utensil with less clean up. The biggest contributor to making our lives easier would be computers, which has come a long way since its introduction to the world. Also, computers have the ability to be improved more, and more in time. In general, technology started off by comforting our lives. Now, the rapid growth of technology has replaced the need for one’s own intellect.
John Warrack, author of 6 Great Composers, stated, “Any study of a composer, however brief, must have as its only purpose encouragement of the reader to greater enjoyment of the music” (Warrack, p.2). The composers and musicians of the Renaissance period need to be discussed and studied so that listeners, performers, and readers can appreciate and understand the beginnings of music theory and form. The reader can also understand the driving force of the composer, whether sacred or secular, popularity or religious growth. To begin understanding music composition one must begin at the birth, or rebirth of music and the composers who created the great change.
Though the Renaissance era included all of Europe, Italy was the cradle of the movement. The cities of Florence, Rome and Venice were of great importance to this period. Major artists created art mainly in these three. As the center of Italy, Rome held the residence of the Pope and many other important factors. Throughout history, the Roman Catholic Church was very insistent on promoting their ideas. During this time, they used artists and their creativity to promote the Bible and other aspects of their beliefs. Artists were paid, or commissioned by patrons (often the Pope) to create art they wanted. One of the most ambitious patrons was Pope Julius II, who realized the impact visual images had on people’s ideas (Kleiner, 599). Pope Julius II was called the warring Pope, because he often went and involved himself in wars. He also held very humanistic ideas. Because of this, Michelangelo’s relationship to Pope Julius II was very different from his relationship with Pope Leo X, who succeeded Julius II. Julius, because of his adaptions to humanistic thoughts, he let Michelangelo express himself to the fullest, even when forcing him to paint the Sistine Chapel. Leo X, however, was very critical of everything Michelangelo set out upon. This resulted a strained relationship, and eventually abandonment of projects that were supposed to be completed. It is clear that Pope Julius II had a liking for Michelangelo, while the Medici’s looked on him as a type of lowly artist subject to their will.
The early Renaissance art in Florence focused on an elaborate, Gothic style of painting; very formal and traditional, yet there was always something that seemed to be lacking. Perspective and depth were two very important qualities in painting, yet up until the time of young Masaccio, (born Tommaso Guidi), paintings were beautiful, but seemed to just be art that hung on the wall. In Masaccio’s work, “rather than recede in space, the figures seem to come forward” (Cole 120). He may not have known it at the time, but his style of painting would influence many painters well after his death; Donatello, Michelangelo, and so on. Masaccio may have only painted for a total of 8 years, but during those 8 years he revolutionized not only the time of the Renaissance, but also the way painting could be created by the artist, and seen by its viewers. Through the use of linear perspective and astronomical instruments, he was able to create amazing works that defied the limits of the human eye, and allowed a painting to possess realistic depth. Through his skills, Masaccio was able to move away from the Gothic and elaborate style of the time, and his paintings reflect the first use of perspective in order to create a sense of a realistic, three dimensional world.
I feel that modern technology is making our lives easier by giving us breaks from civilization. Through the use of modern tools, we are able to complete tasks quicker, leaving more personal time. For example, the Internet allows students easy access to information for projects, term papers, and the like. Before, students had to spend more time in libraries and bookstores to find information that is now available from home in a matter of seconds. Modern technology is based on making life easier.
During my second time visiting the museum, I looked at paintings from the 15th and 19th centuries. Two of the art works that I choose is “The Story of Joseph” from the Renaissance period and “The Marketplace” from the modern art period. Both of these paintings were from different time periods but they were also very similar in content and style.
The Renaissance was a period of European history that began in 14th-century Italy and spread to the rest of Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. In this period, the feudal society of the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century) was transformed into a society dominated by central political institutions, with an urban, commercial economy and patronage of education, the arts, and music. The term renaissance, literally meaning "rebirth," was first employed in 1855 by French historian Jules Michelet (Paolucci 14). Swiss historian Jakob Burckhardt, in his classic work The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (1860), defined the Renaissance as the period between Italian painters Giotto and Michelangelo (Paolucci 18). Burckhardt characterized it as the birth of modern humanity after a long period of decay, although modern scholars have since debunked the myth that the Middle Ages were dark and dominant (Paolucci 18).
Martin Schongauer. The Temptation of St. Anthony. c. 1480-90. Engraving. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.
The Renaissance was a turning point for art. Many new styles and techniques emerged from this time period. Compared with the paintings of the Middle Ages, during the Renaissance, paintings became more realistic and more attention was directed to the detail of each person. Perspective and a sense of depth and space were included in the paintings. We can examine these features in the 15th century paintings of the Annunciation by Botticelli and Campin.
The Italian Renaissance included some of the greatest artists we have ever seen from Leonard Da Vinci, to Michelangelo, and Raphael. The Renaissance took place from the late thirteenth to sixteenth centuries and is know as the ‘rebirth’. The idea that the rebirth of the arts after being asleep for a thousand years is an amazing thing to grasp. This time brought back light to liberal arts, which were on the brink of being extinct. (Murray 2) What is also interesting about art during this time was that most of the art had Christian in its roots, for example, Botticelli’s The Allegory of Spring (Faure 1) is said to have had a Christian interpretation. (Murray) “Every Italian artist, willingly took the title of architect, sculptor, and painter” (Faure 2). At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the Italian painters had asked the Flemish painters for their secret techniques because the Italians felt like the language of painting was one that was always meant for them. (Faure 4) The sculptors claimed their inspiration from ancient works. Lastly the Renaissance introduced idea of individualism, which helped the Italians get away from everything that was going on during that time. Art during the Renaissance included painting, sculpting and architecture, all of which were an important part in expressing the idea of individualism and making art what is is today.
Art has gone through many significant developments throughout history. The most important turning point was the renaissance. Art took a huge turn before the 1500’s and even after. The Renaissance has assisted the world of art in breaking away from a classic structure and shaping it to what it is day. Prior to this cultural rebirth, artworks were mostly not made to scale. Paintings were unrealistic and disproportionate. Religious figures seemed to be the focus of many works. The Renaissance changed the old social context of art by introducing humanism, new themes and techniques.
The influences of any era is evident through artwork and architecture. During the Middle Ages the main influence was the church, this is evident through the focus on biblical and religious symbols. During the Renaissance the main focus was the study of people. This is shown through the increase in self portraits and classical antiquity-inspired buildings. The change between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance is best shown through the art and architecture, demonstrated specifically through an emphasis on religion and classical antiquity, both suggesting a clear cultural change. The culture of both of these eras was greatly shaped by the studies of humanism and theology.
Technology Then to Now Throughout time, machines, no matter how simple or complex, have played a vital role in the development of civilization into the future. In other words, machines have played a part in helping our culture develop into what it has become today. This dates back to the beginning of time when an early man used a stick and a fulcrum (rock) to make a simple lever. Technology:
For instance, the ability to count, the memory to remember, the ability to learn through classrooms, and the ability to do things by hand. Science and technology both work together to improve the quality of human life. The inventions and discoveries of technology have given the human life many advantages and disadvantages. First, the invention of cars and other vehicles is now readily available and technology has advanced enough to be used every day and to work as a reliable tool for getting people and goods from one place to another in a relatively short space of time.