| The
word 'Renaissance' began as a short hand for emancipation of Italian
painting and sculpture from the stylized conventions of earlier Gothic and
Byzantine forms, but gradually became descriptive of a wide cultural
reorientation, and is now applied to an entire period of European history.
 Today
we think of the Renaissance more for its visual art and not for its
origins of the writings and teachings of Ancient times.
It was a time when Italians would travel to Europe, of
the ones that taught many gave their instructions in Greek, for this,
Italians were heavily in demand as teachers. This literary style created
huge demands, in fact rulers, to impress their peers, would need personal
secretaries so they could turn ordinary phrases into stylish Latin. They
would also hire tutors. These tutors would instruct their children in a
courtly manner that was not seen before.
 We
should also not forget that although many were traveling from Italian
soil, many others were travelling to Italy for the sights, sounds, books,
skills, and buildings that existed there unlike any other place known to
man. People, including leading composers, musicians, and artist. From far
off places like the Netherlands, Germany, and England, would brave
horrendous journey's. Many crossing the alps in search of a new learning.
 Although
books, libraries, and the eternal search for knowledge was a large part of
the Renaissance era, it was not everything. Popes and Cardinals, kings and
princes would erect and display magnificent buildings and structures, with
awe inspiring carvings, statues, and monuments. Many of these structures
would prove to withstand centuries of abuse by the elements and still
stand in today, as beutiful as they were in the middle ages.
|
"Who could ever be hard or envious
enough to fail to praise Pippo the architect on seeing here such a
large structure, rising above the skies, ample to cover with its
shadow all the Tuscan people, and constructed without the aid of
centering or great quantity of wood?" |
Quote by Alberti, Artist and Architect, when arriving in Florence (1434),
about Brunelleschi's great dome over the crossing of the cathedral. At the
time still under construction. The huge dome still dominates the city of
Florence as it did in the 15th century.
 Although
Europe in 1300 was much different from what it had become in 1600, it's
still fair to summarize these centuries by the term Renaissance. It was a
time of dire thirst for knowledge, history, and style in literature,
architecture, sculpture and painting. Indeed we owe a vast amount to this
period, for it played such a heavy role in forming the idea of rebirth,
new inventions, and the renewal of arts.
The Renaissance was an era of progressive
attitude with only perfection as a goal. A goal that has proven completely
attainable. We tend to be incurably time oriented and historical in our
judgement. And though our understandings of concepts today may differ from
the Renaissance, there is little denying they have descended to us from
that period.
 We
indeed share attributes with the great figures of the Renaissance. Many of
their features were much like ours even today. It could arguably be stated
that, after surveying their world, which inevitably gave birth to our own,
that we may well lack the confidence to live up to the greatness of our
forefathers. |
