Free Essays on Renaissance Art

The ‘Age of Enlightenment’ is a term used to describe the trends in thought and letters in Europe and the American colonies during the 18th century, prior to the French Revolution of 1789-1799. The phrase was frequently employed by writers of the period itself, convinced that they were emerging from centuries of darkness and ignorance into a new age enlightened by reason, science, and a respect for humanity. Of the basic assumptions and beliefs common to philosophers and intellectuals of this period, perhaps the most important was an that of there faith in the power of human reason. People came to assume that through a primitive use of reason in progress, it would be possible to progress in knowledge, in technical achievement, and even in moral values. Although they saw the church as the principal force that had enslaved the human mind in the past, most Enlightenment thinkers did not renounce religion altogether. Many opted for a form of Deism, accepting the existence of God and of a hereafter, but rejecting the teachings of Christian theology. They also felt that human life should be spent on improvement. More than a set of -1- Trevino #2 fixed ideas, the Enlightenment implied an attitude and a method of thought. During the first half of the 18th century, the leaders of the Enlightenment waged an uphill struggle against considerable odds. Several were imprisoned for their writings, and most were hampered by government censorship and attacks by the church. The later decades of the century marked a triumph of the movement in Europe and America. The enormous increase in the publication of newspapers and books ensured a wide diffusion of new ideas. Thus in the end seeing that the age of enlightenment was... Free Essays on Renaissance Art Free Essays on Renaissance Art The ‘Age of Enlightenment’ is a term used to describe the trends in thought and letters in Europe and the American colonies during the 18th century, prior to the French Revolution of 1789-1799. The phrase was frequently employed by writers of the period itself, convinced that they were emerging from centuries of darkness and ignorance into a new age enlightened by reason, science, and a respect for humanity. Of the basic assumptions and beliefs common to philosophers and intellectuals of this period, perhaps the most important was an that of there faith in the power of human reason. People came to assume that through a primitive use of reason in progress, it would be possible to progress in knowledge, in technical achievement, and even in moral values. Although they saw the church as the principal force that had enslaved the human mind in the past, most Enlightenment thinkers did not renounce religion altogether. Many opted for a form of Deism, accepting the existence of God and of a hereafter, but rejecting the teachings of Christian theology. They also felt that human life should be spent on improvement. More than a set of -1- Trevino #2 fixed ideas, the Enlightenment implied an attitude and a method of thought. During the first half of the 18th century, the leaders of the Enlightenment waged an uphill struggle against considerable odds. Several were imprisoned for their writings, and most were hampered by government censorship and attacks by the church. The later decades of the century marked a triumph of the movement in Europe and America. The enormous increase in the publication of newspapers and books ensured a wide diffusion of new ideas. Thus in the end seeing that the age of enlightenment was... Free Essays on Renaissance Art Renaissance Art The Renaissance, or "rebirth" in italy began in the late 14th century and lasted until the early 16th century. Many acient ideas were rediscovered in areas such as philosophy, literature, and science. People became became increasinly aware of classical knowledge and therefore resolved to learn by direct observation and study of the natural world. As a result, religious themes became increasingly important to artists, and with the revived interest in ancient ideas came a new variety of subjects which came from Greek and Roman history and mythology. The examples provided by acient buildings and works of art also inspired the development of new techniques in art and the desire to re-create the forms and styles of art that had existed in the classical age. There were many artists in this time and the work they did was genius. Leonardo who is considered the ideal Renaissance thinker, engaged as he was in experiments of all kinds and having brought to his art a spirit of restless inquiry that sought to discover the laws governing diverse natural phenomena. Leonardo's works included the Adoration of the Magi and The Last Supper. Michelangelo who has come to represent the artist endowed with mysterious solitary genius. His universal talents are shown by the tomb of Julius II, The Medici Chapel, The Sistine Chapel and The Last Judgement. Therefore efforts were made to discover the correct laws of proportion for architecture and for the representation of the human body and to organize the creation of space in a picture. Although these artists were very observant of natural phenomena, they also tended to invent general rules from specific observations. They made an effort to go beyond direct translation of nature into laws, and decided to give the word of art some ideal, intangible qualities, establishing a beauty and signifigance great...