The Italian Renaissance

The Italian Renaissance

"What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals!" Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2

Modern art critics regard renaissance art as graphic narratives of political and social events that occurred in the 14th through 16th century Europe. Scholars believe that the renaissance expressed a cultural revival of classical antiquity. And then there are others who doubt the concept of 'renaissance' entirely. Gundersheimer argues that Wallace K. Ferguson's concept of de-emphasizing the idea of renaissance to favor a view of "Europe in transition" was an ideal point that should be explored. This observation by Gundersheimer based on Ferguson's idea may become influential. The 'problem with renaissance' was that some interests and activities may also be found in earlier periods and are not bound to the renaissance years exclusively. And the rate of change was more similar to that of a highly influential widespread culture based transition.

During the medieval era there were many contributions to the arts. The renaissance scholar Matteo Palmieri, writing in Florence in the 1430's considers the 100 years of the medieval era to be dark because of the lack of enlightenment in those years, in comparison of the "rebirth" and "renewal" of the renaissance. I think that the labeling of the medieval era as the dark ages helps to romanticize the achievements of the renaissance. Innovations during the medieval era were useful and unglamorous and easily forgotten.

The renaissance was one of the few eras in our history that emanated the true intellect of man. Genius developed from the advances in art, science, philosophy and mathematics. Never has there since been such a time in which an individual is given ample opportunity and time to perfect and master his craft above all other societal pursuits and obligations. According to a source in the Encarta Encyclopedia, "The term renaissance was coined by the French historian Jules Michelet in 1855, to mean 'rebirth.' It refers to the 'discovery of the world of man' in the 16th century." (Encarta Renaissance 1)

The renaissance period in art history corresponds to the beginning of the great western age of discovery and exploration, when a general desire and curiosity developed to examine all aspects of nature and the world.