The Renaissance And Its Influence On Classical Culture

The renaissance began in Italy and spanned over 150 years, from the late 13th century to the early 17th century. It was a time of great invention and discovery. Renaissance means â€Å"rebirth† in French, as it was a rebirth of interest in classical culture. During this era the focus became more human centered, known as classical humanism. This was an occasion of great innovation, scientific discovery and creativity. During this period linear perspective began to be used in visual art to create an idea of space. It is said that Brunelleschi developed or began using linear perspective to give a realistic appearance in his work. During the renaissance the culture began to be more analytical and mathematical so realism and naturalism were†¦show more content†¦The 17th century through the early 18th century was the baroque period – a period of Roman-Catholic renewal. They commissioned artists to ornate the churches with beautiful works of art in hope of bring the people to inspire faith and religious commitment. Many things, including the Roman Catholic Church and politics, influenced the baroque art. The protestant reformation was beginning and the Catholic Church was trying to prevent the spread of this. The grandeur of this era was greatly influenced by the Spanish and French kingdoms that commissioned artists to do work in many of their chapels and cathedrals. The style was characterized by intense light, dramatic use of color, drastic contrast of light and shadow, known as chiaroscuro Many of the artists painted scenes of martyrdom and death and tried to draw the viewer in the scene. Often the artists would draw on biblical themes and stories. The artist’s most popular mediums were fresco and oil paint on canvas. There are many similarities between these two periods; often artists during the baroque history were trying to recreate renaissance pieces of artwork. These two episodes are sequential as they share many things with variation. During both stages fresco painting were popular to adorn chapels and oil on canvas. Both emphasized emotion and feeling through their artwork, while the later focused more on the drama in the subject they were trying to show. Most often both periods showed movement and emotion in