Outline Section 2
The Northern Renaissance
I. Spread of IdeasA. How ideas spread
1. Students traveled to other areas of Europe2. Increased commerce
a. Created new wealth, tradeb. More could afford to Educate kidsc. more universities established
B. Printing1. First done in China
a. developed moveable type2. German, Johannes Guttenberg
a. 1450, first to use moveable typeb. printed bibles
3. Concernsa. paper wouldn’t last as long as parchmentb. threaten profession of scribes
1) hand manuscripts prettier4. Impacted economy, society, & technology
a. PP soon spread across Europeb. allowed humanist ideas to spread
Converted wine pressPrint up to 10 sheets per hour
Johannes Gutenberg
His invention of movable type is still considered the most important invention in history.
A Gutenberg printing press
Johannes Gutenberg
Until the invention of theprinting press, books werehandwritten.
Gutenberg’s major work was the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
In one year Gutenberg printed 80 bibles. Before his
invention, it took a year to hand-print one bible. Each bible had 1282 pages.
Forty-eight copies of the Gutenberg Bible still exist. A copy sold in 1997 for 5.4 million dollars.
A copy of the Gutenberg Bible found in the Library of Congress.
Detail of the Gutenberg Bible showing illumination.
II. Northern Renaissance WritersA. Erasmus
1. Dutch scholar and monka. learned humanist ideas from books
2. Unlike humanists, interested in early Christianity a. thought ideas could be harmonized
1) Christian & humanist
b. used critical method to study bible
c. criticized church - lack of spirituality
1) believed church to ceremonial and complicated
2) argued for a return to simplicity
3. Wrote “The Praise of Folly”a. Ridiculed ignorance, superstition & vice
b. criticized fasting, pilgrimages, shrines & bible interpretation
B. Thomas More1. English humanist2. Similar views to Erasmus3. Published “Utopia”
a. condemned govt. as corruptb. private ownership=conflictc. described fictional ideal society
1) all male citizens equal2) all worked for good of group
4. Served King Henry VIII of Englanda. refused the idea king is head of churchb. Henry cut off his head
C. Christopher Marlow1. Plays focused on humanity, not
Gods actions
2. Used powerful language and imagery to convey thoughts
D. William Shakespeare1. Built on Marlowe’s ideas
2. Wrote dramatic masterpieces from well known stories
a. Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, others
III. Northern Renaissance Artists A. Spread of Art
1. N. European merchants brought Italian paintings home
2. Inspired N. European painters to study in Italy
B. Flemish School (art school)1. In Flanders (Belgium)
a. Distinctive style developed, painting with oils
2. Jan & Hubert van Eycka. attention to detailb. strong interest in facial expressionsc. painted an alter piece for church in
Ghent1) was their master piece2) faces in Adam & Eve look
realistic
Arnolfini
Puppy=fidelity
Shoes off= holy ground
1 candle=Light of Christ
Trees out window- 2nd floor=Rich
Orange on window=Rich
He’s on outside= works outside of home
She’s on inside= Stays at home takes care of house.
Mirror- 2 people entering room – witness to marriage (Priest & van Eyck)
Signature “van Eyck was here”
3. Pieter Brueghela. painted village festivals and dancesb. used paintings to criticize intolerance and cruelty
The Painter and The Connoisseur, 1565. Thought to be a self-portrait.
Bruegel was known for painting landscapes with figures of peasants.
He was the first to paint landscapes for their own sake.
Bruegel painted the celebrations of the villagers, such as weddings, hunts, festivals, dances, and games.
Bruegel developed a painting style that told a story. His Peasant Wedding, for example, shows the hard life of the peasantry. The celebration is held in the barn and the food is bread, porridge, and soup.
Peasant Wedding
1567-1568
Winter Landscape with a Bird Trap1565
C. Germans1. Albrecht Durer
a. Copper engravings & woodcutsb. studied in Germany and Venice
1) studied the classics and humanism
c. one of 1st to see possibilities of illustrations in books
Dürer ‘s most famous woodcut, Rhinoceros, 1515
Young Harewatercolor, 1501
Albrecht Dürer
Dürer was a German painter, printmaker and mathematician.
Dürer lived in Nuremberg, Germany.
He showed great diversity in his art, both in subject matter and form.
He painted both religious and secular subjects.
His woodcuts and engravings were known throughout Europe, and influenced many other artists.
Represents himself as an idealized almost Christ-like figure. Almost like an icon
Christ-like comparisonChrist=creatorDurer=creator of art
Sketch of Praying Hands.
2. Hans Holbeina. influenced by Italian and Flemish School
b. painted portraits of famous people
1) Erasmus, T. More, King Henry VIII
c. portraits reflected Renaissance interest in the individual
D. Similarities1. Techniques like perspective
E. Differences1. Italians
a. figures based on Greek and Romans styles & ideals
b. Admiration of the human form (the ideal)
2. N. Europea. figures more real (frail, bald and imperfect)
b. depicted early fathers of the Christian church
1) emphasizing importance of bible in Christianity
2) Christian Humanism
Comparison between the Renaissance in Northern Europe and Italy
Northern Europe Italy
Did not study the classics as much
Heavy emphasis on reading the classics
Art emphasized everyday life in greater detail
Art depicted everyday life, but not as detailed
Artists supported by royalty and nobility
Artists supported by wealthy merchant class
Linked with religion although studies of
religion led to questioning of church
practicesChristian Humanism
Not as much emphasis on religious issues, humanism very
important