What is a renaissance? Essence and Definition in a Historical Context

The aesthetics of the Renaissance had a huge impact on the development of world literature and art. What is the Renaissance as an era? The word itself means "reborn" and has Italian and French roots. This time, preceding the culture of the New Age, is replacing the Middle Ages.

Renaissance: meaning and interpretation of the word

Approximate time frames - from the 14th to the 17th centuries, in different countries in different ways. The main difference from other eras is secular culture and its appeal to man (anthropocentrism). With renewed vigor, interest is shown in the culture of Antiquity. A peculiar revival is taking place. Hence the given term. It appears already in the 19th century. It was introduced into life by the French leader Jules Michelet. In the figurative sense of the word Renaissance means a metaphorical cultural rebirth, a term applied to any era.

What is a renaissance?

The definition of the Renaissance as a kind of new cultural paradigm arose as a result of global changes in the social life of Europe at that time. Byzantium fell, and some residents of this state fled to Europe, taking with them numerous libraries and works of art. Among them are many ancient primary sources that were hitherto unknown in Europe of the Middle Ages. With the formation and growth of city-republics, the emergence of estates of free artisans, the system of values determined by medieval culture (mainly churchly, turned to God, ascetic and humble) gradually collapses. The first signs of humanism appear, which examined the person’s personality in the first place, turned to his freedom, the active creative activity of the individual.

Appeal to Antiquity

The emergence of secular centers of art and science, opposing church control and outside it. The worldview of the Renaissance turns to antiquity, it was in this period that he saw an example of humanism and lack of austerity. Typography, invented in the 15th century, plays a crucial role in the dissemination of ancient primary sources, and with them - new views throughout Europe. From these newly printed folios, progressive minds learned what the Renaissance is. Its main values: humanism and appeal to the person’s personality, simple human feelings, even in the image of divine subjects.

Classification

What is a renaissance in the context of a time frame? It is customary to distinguish four stages of the Renaissance:

1. The Proto-Renaissance (from the 13th century) is associated with the preparation of the Renaissance, Romanesque and Gothic medieval traditions (Italy, Florence). Bright representatives are Giotto, Arnolfo di Cambio, Benozzo Gozzoli. And in sculpture - the Pisano family. Giotto was considered a reformer of painting (already at a later Renaissance), filling religious forms with secular content, introducing voluminous figures, depicting the interior. In his work, an understanding of what the Renaissance is as an art that is different from the church's perception of the world is initially manifested.
2. Early Renaissance takes place in Italy until 1500. Art is realized in the latest axioms of human life (borrowed from the time of classical Antiquity). And in Spain this happens a little later, at the end of the 15th century, and lasts until the middle of the next.
3. The High Renaissance takes place in Italy at the beginning of the 16th century. The art center from Florence moves to the city of Rome. And Pope Julius II attracts many Italian artists under his wing. Rome was then the new Athens. The city has built quite a lot of buildings, decorated with sculptures and frescoes. Many paintings have been painted, which to this day are considered the real pearls of creativity. All types of arts perfectly interact with each other, influencing each other. The works of Antiquity are studied intently. The most prominent figures of this period are the great Leonardo and Michelangelo, as well as Raphael.
4. Later Renaissance ends already in the 17th century (20s). And some art historians believe that in general with the fall of Rome (1527) the Renaissance ended. The essence, its definition in these years is so blurred that it is not possible to reduce them to one denominator. In some parts of Europe at that time, the Counter-Reformation triumphs, denying all free thinking and the ideals of Antiquity. Florence suffers from mannerism. In Venice (1570), Titian and Palladio continued their work, which the crisis did not seem to touch much.
5. The Northern Renaissance took place after 1500 on the lands of Germany, France, and the Netherlands. This version of the Renaissance was slightly different from Italian. Bright representatives are Albrecht Durer, Peter Bruegel.

The Renaissance was an important stage in the development of art, which gave the world many talented authors, without which it is impossible to imagine the cultural heritage of mankind.