Renaissance+and+Reformation

**__ UNIT 9 RENAISSANCE AND REFORMATION __** This was a cultural movement which developed in the 15th century and the early 16th century. If Medieval culture was almost entirely interested in God, **humanists** were corcerned with **human beings**. Humanists were inspired in the **Antiquity**, they were **curious** about everything and defended the search for truth through **reason** and **experience**. **Erasmus de Rotterdam, Thomas More** and **Juan Luís Vives** were three of the greatest humanists. In 1440, a German businessman, **Johannes Gutenberg** invented the **printing press**. It was a revolutionary invention because books became cheaper and humanist thought reached more people. Humanism stimulated the desire to investigate and learn. In the 16th century, **Nicolaus Copernicus** developed the **heliocentric theory**, opposing the **Ptolemaic (geocentric)**, which was supported by the Church. Andrea Vesalius studied **anatomy** and Miguel Servet studied **blood circulation**. Geographical discoveries led to improvement in other sciences and disciplines, such as **geography, zoology, botany** and **cartography**. Renaissance art was inspired by the artistic models of **Antiquity** and the search of the **ideal beauty** of humang beings. This style first appeared in Italy in the 14th century, but flourished and spread in the 15th and 16th centuries: the **Quattrocento** and the **Cinquecento**. During the last period, the Renaissance style spread throughout Europe. Renaissance architects revived **classical elements** such as semicircular arches and classical orders. Buildings were smaller, and not as tall as Gothic constructions, because the architects wanted to adapt them to the **proportions** of the human body. It was also very important the sense of **order** and **harmony**. During **the Quattrocento, Brunelleschi** was the outstanding architect of this period. He was an all-round artist because he was also a painter and a sculptor. Some of his greatest works were the dome of the Cathedral of Florence and the churches of San Lorenzo and Santo Spirito. Another important architect was **Leon Alberti**, who built the Rucellai Palace in Florence and the Basilica of Sant’Andrea in Mantua. During **the Cinquecento** the great artistic centre moved to Rome. Here, the great architects, such as **Bramante** and **Michelangelo**, worked under the patronage of Popes. One of the greatest buildings was **Saint Peter’s Basilica**. The painters used colour, composition and background scenes, such as buildings and landscapes, to create an impression of space and depth. They discovered **perspective**. Inspired by classical Antiquity, their figures had harmonious **proportions** and aimed for **beauty** by idealising faces, bodies and movement. They painted religious **subjects**, but also did mythological scenes, nudes and portraits. During **the Quattrocento**, Florence was the most important creative centre with painters such as **Masaccio, Botticelli, Piero della Francesca**, etc. However, it was in the **Cinquecento** when painting reached its zenith thanks to four outstanding Italian artists: This discipline also followed the classical models. Great importance was given to **proportions** and **anatomical studies** of figures. In the **nudes, busts** and **equestrian statues**, the artists idealised bodies and features, although also tried to capture the personality of the subject. Most sculptures were made of marble or bronze. The first sculptor was **Ghiberti**, creator of the Gates of Paradise, for the Baptistery of the Cathedral in Florence. **Donatello** was the greatest artist of the Quattrocento and **Michelangelo** was the authentic master of Renaissance. From an early age, **Leonardo** showed signs of great intelligence and creativity in many differents areas. He was the perfect **humanist**, considered a great painter, he was also a fantastic **scientist** for his investigations on human anatomy, geology, meteorology, hydraulics, etc. He was an outstanding **engineer** and a musician with a great gift for improvisation. This Renaissance spread from Italy to other parts of Europe, especially in the 16th century. The painter **Albrecht Dürer** introduced this style in Germany. He was an excellent draughtsman, engraver and portrait painter. Renaissance art did not become popular in Spain until the 16th century. The new style was only used in a few buildings in Spain, such as the palace of Charles V in the Alhambra in Granada, and in the Cathedral of Granada. However, Spanish Renaissance architecture developed its own styles: In painting, the great master was **El Greco**, creator of a dramatic style, which was full of movement. Among his many works are The Burial of the Count Orgaz and The Nobleman with his Hand on the Chest. In the Late Middle Ages, some people were very critical of the Catholic Church. They believed that high-ranking churchmen enjoyed a life of luxury which contradicted the principles of Christianity. They claimed that most of the clergy had little education and did not carry out their pastoral work correctly. Moreover, many ecclesiastic positions were bought by people who only wanted the benefits. Another cause of scandal were the **indulgences**, documents issued by the Pope to pardon sins for money. In 1515, Pope **Leo X** granted indulgences to people who helped to finance the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica. The German monk, **Martin Luther**, wrote 95 Theses in which he strongly criticised the Pope. Finally, the Pope excommunicated him. Lutherans, later called **Protestants**, left the Catholic Church. Lutheranism spread rapidly through Germany because German nobles saw it as a chance to take lands away from the Catholic Church and oppose Charles V, who supported the Pope. Other movements appeared all over Europe. One of the most important was **Calvinism**, founded by **John Calvin** in Geneva, which was based on predestination. In England, king **Henry VIII** founded the **Anglican Church** when the Pope did not grant him a divorce to marry another woman. It was a reform movement in the Catholic Church. Its goal was to stop the Protestantism and improve conditions in the Church. In 1545, the **Council of Trent** adopted different resolutions. New ways of spreading Catholicism were created, such as catechism and new schools. New orders were founded to carry out the resolutions of Trent, for example, the **Society of Jesus**. Europe was divided into two religious blocks: Catholics and Protestants. This division became the source of armed confrontations, which lasted more than a century. **Intolerance** was widespread in Protestant and Catholic countries. In Spain, the **Inquisition** persecuted those who failed to follow Catholic dogma.
 * SOCIAL STUDIES. Summaries in English **
 * RENAISSANCE HUMANISM **
 * THE SCIENCE DEVELOPMENT **
 * THE RENAISSANCE STYLE IN ART **
 * RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE **
 * RENAISSANCE PAINTING **
 * ** Leonardo da Vinci **, the great master of **sfumato**, creator of the Gioconda and The Last Supper.
 * ** Michelangelo Buonarroti **, who painted the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel in Rome.
 * ** Raphael ** achivied perfection in his use of colour, drawing and composition. He was famous for his **madonnas** or virgins.
 * ** Titian **, a Venetian painter who created highly colourful works of art.
 * RENAISSANCE SCULPTURE **
 * LEONARDO DA VINCI AND MICHELANGELO **
 * Michelangelo ** worked in all branches of art. Although he excelled in all areas of art, he always considered himself a sculptor. His figures are heroic, full of inner strength and beauty. Among his main works are David, Moses and the Pietas.
 * THE EXPANSION OF THE RENAISSANCE **
 * THE SPANISH RENAISSANCE **
 * The **Plateresque style** was characterised by its abundant and delicate ornamentation. A good example is the facade of the University of Salamanca.
 * The **Herrerian style** was characterised by austerity and solemnity. The best example is the Monastery of San Lorenzo of the Escorial.
 * THE REFORMATION **
 * THE CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE AGES **
 * THE LUTHERAN REFORMATION **
 * EXPANSION OF THE REFORMATION **
 * THE COUNTER-REFORMATION **
 * CONSEQUENCES OF RELIGIOUS CHANGE **