"The Renaissance is a period in history and a cultural movement marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity, covering the 15th and 16th centuries..."
The study of European history from the 14th to the 17th century when art and science flourished.
Renaissance art and architecture: Understanding the artistic styles and techniques used during the Renaissance period and the influence of the classical Greek and Roman art in Italy.
Humanism: An intellectual movement that emphasises the importance of human beings, individualism, and reason in the context of political and social structures.
Renaissance literature: Studying the works of great Italian writers like Petrarch, Dante Alighieri, and Boccaccio that established literary traditions and influenced artistic expression.
The Medici family: An influential family that was involved in banking, politics, and patronage of the arts, and played a significant role in the development of Renaissance art and humanism.
Exploration and discovery: The Renaissance era saw an era of exploration and discovery, with explorers like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama discovering new routes to Asia and the Americas.
Protestant Reformation: A religious movement started by Martin Luther in the 16th century, which had a profound impact on Europe, leading to increased literacy and the rise of nation-states.
Scientific revolution: Scientific discoveries and innovations in astronomy, physics, and medicine fundamentally changed the way people viewed the world and contributed to the growth of new academic institutions.
Politics and society: The Renaissance period saw the emergence of new political systems, social hierarchies, and intellectual movements that had a lasting impact on the modern world.
Economic developments: The Renaissance was characterised by the emergence of new economic systems, including a shift from feudalism to capitalism, and the growth of trade, commerce, and banking.
Gender and sexuality: The Renaissance period saw significant changes in the way people viewed gender roles and sexuality, with many women playing important roles in art, literature, and politics.
Italian Renaissance: This was a cultural and intellectual movement that originated in Italy in the 14th century and lasted until the 17th century. It was characterized by a renewed interest in classical art, architecture, and literature.
Northern Renaissance: The Northern Renaissance is also known as the German Renaissance, and it was an intellectual and cultural movement that emerged in the late 15th century in the Holy Roman Empire. It was characterized by a greater emphasis on Christian humanism and a rejection of the ornate style of Italian art.
English Renaissance: The English Renaissance was a cultural and artistic movement that took place in England in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was characterized by a renewed interest in classical literature, the arts, and education.
French Renaissance: The French Renaissance was an artistic and cultural movement that developed in France during the 16th century. It was characterized by a focus on religious art, classical themes, and courtly love.
Spanish Renaissance: The Spanish Renaissance was a cultural and intellectual movement that took place in Spain during the 16th century. It was characterized by a renewed interest in the classical heritage of Greece and Rome, as well as a fascination with the art and literature of the East.
Dutch Renaissance: The Dutch Renaissance was a cultural and intellectual movement that emerged in the Low Countries during the 16th century. It was characterized by a focus on science, technology, and commerce, as well as a renewed interest in classical literature and art.
Scottish Renaissance: The Scottish Renaissance was a cultural and intellectual movement that took place in Scotland during the early 20th century. It was characterized by a renewed interest in Scottish history and culture, as well as a rejection of Victorian values and an embrace of modernism.
Harlem Renaissance: The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural and artistic movement that emerged in Harlem, New York City, during the 1920s. It was characterized by a flourishing of African-American literature, music, and art, as well as a rejection of racial stereotyping and discrimination.
Indian Renaissance: The Indian Renaissance was a socio-cultural and intellectual movement that took place in India during the 19th century. It was characterized by a renewed interest in Indian culture, philosophy, and history, as well as a rejection of British colonialism and imperialism.
"...characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas and achievements of classical antiquity; it occurred after the crisis of the Late Middle Ages and was associated with great social change in most fields and disciplines, including art, architecture, politics, literature, exploration and science."
"In addition to the standard periodization, proponents of a 'long Renaissance' may put its beginning in the 14th century and its end in the 17th century."
"The traditional view focuses more on the early modern aspects of the Renaissance and argues that it was a break from the past, but many historians today focus more on its medieval aspects and argue that it was an extension of the Middle Ages."
"The intellectual basis of the Renaissance was its version of humanism, derived from the concept of Roman humanitas and the rediscovery of classical Greek philosophy..."
"...the development of perspective in oil painting and the revived knowledge of how to make concrete."
"The Renaissance began in Florence, one of the many states of Italy."
"...its political structure, the patronage of its dominant family, the Medici, and the migration of Greek scholars and their texts to Italy following the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks."
"Other major centers were Venice, Genoa, Milan, Rome during the Renaissance Papacy, and Naples."
"From Italy, the Renaissance spread throughout Europe... and also to American, African and Asian territories ruled by the European colonial powers of the time or where Christian missionaries were active."
"The Renaissance has a long and complex historiography, and in line with general scepticism of discrete periodizations, there has been much debate among historians..."
"The term rinascita ('rebirth') first appeared in Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists (c. 1550), anglicized as the Renaissance in the 1830s."
"The word has also been extended to other historical and cultural movements, such as the Carolingian Renaissance (8th and 9th centuries), Ottonian Renaissance (10th and 11th century), and the Renaissance of the 12th century."
"The Renaissance encompassed innovative flowering of Latin and vernacular literatures, beginning with the 14th-century resurgence of learning based on classical sources..."
"In politics, the Renaissance contributed to the development of the customs and conventions of diplomacy..."
"...and in science to an increased reliance on observation and inductive reasoning."
"...best known for its artistic developments and the contributions of such polymaths as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, who inspired the term 'Renaissance man'."
"Early examples were the development of perspective in oil painting and the revived knowledge of how to make concrete."
"...the Renaissance has close similarities to both, especially the late and early sub-periods of either."
"...and gradual but widespread educational reform."