The Renaissance is ... The Renaissance: culture, art

The Renaissance, which began in Italy in the first quarter of the XV century, turned the medieval world, changing it forever. In translation from the French or Italian "Renaissance" - it's "born again", which is associated with the revival of ancient traditions in art. The Renaissance is a magnificent breakthrough in humanity, there can be no doubt about it. At that time wonderful works of painting, sculpture, and architecture were created. Written (and published) great books. The creations of human genius, created by the famous masters of the past, continue to fascinate so far and will never lose their charm.

Scary Middle Ages

It is generally known that the Renaissance era replaced the Middle Ages, which were, as usual, dark, of course, severe, and characterized by a variety of religious atrocities - all about the Inquisition. There are sources that bluntly state that because of the intrigues of the cunning Catholic Church, the Renaissance has fallen into decay.

Part of this view of things has the right to exist, but it is unlikely that the merits of the clergy in this process are so great. Just human society develops cyclically, every revolution follows a reaction, and the Renaissance epoch became the victim of completely legitimate processes, especially since many of its ideas were alien to the ignorant, endemic epidemics of those times. It is very difficult to inspire a person with his divine essence when he is poor, dependent and in constant fear.

The Church as a stronghold of civilization

Some historians directly blame the Middle Ages for various crimes against humanity, even where it does not correspond to reality. For example, some sources take the liberty of asserting that science did not develop in the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, many modern European universities appeared exactly on the site of former monasteries (Oxford) or the efforts of clergy (Sorbonne).

It makes no sense to deny that almost all the formation of antiquity was ecclesiastical (and it continued to remain so for many decades). This is easily explained: the highest percentage of elementary literate people was concentrated in the clergy, and if so, who would teach "unreasonable ones", how not to monks and other clerics?

The development of civilization is continuous. Although sometimes mankind had to take a step back, but the culture of the Renaissance would never have taken place in the form in which we know it if it had not passed its thorny path in the darkness of the Middle Ages. Thus, great literary works would not have been born if they had not been preceded by the centuries-old work of numerous nuggets (whose creativity we call folklore only because their names remained unknown). If there were no medieval knightly poetics, it would be unlikely that Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy and Sonnets of Petrarch would have taken place.

Seeds should fall on fertile soil

It is not too correct to oppose the previous era to the next one. Voltaire argued that history is a myth with which everyone agreed. It is impossible not to acknowledge the veracity of this witty statement. The history of the Renaissance, a phenomenon of complex and diverse, can not be treated unequivocally. There are a huge number of versions explaining this grandiose event in the history of mankind, many of which have the right to exist.

Out of school confidence that the Renaissance artists suddenly discovered the ancient culture and amicably began to imitate it, should be recognized as schematic. After all, examples of the works of Greco-Roman art did not disappear anywhere, significant works of ancient authors were translated in Medieval Europe, beginning from the VIII century, however, no Renaissance has happened eight centuries.

Of course, the fall of the Second Rome (Constantinople) in 1453, when the cultural figures frightened by the Muslim horde (and not only) rushed to the West, taking with them libraries, icons and (most importantly) their knowledge and experience, played a huge role. In the end, the influence of Byzantium on the art of the Renaissance is beyond doubt. Let the Roman church reject the iconography, but it grew on another field. The icon of the Mother of God and the famous "Sistine Madonna" by Michelangelo for all differences - both in technique and in filling - are an image of the same woman with the same baby.

The confluence of favorable circumstances

Revival became possible due to a combination of many factors and reasons, one of which is really that the Renaissance is a kind of response of the Catholic Church, whose influence in those days was colossal, the wealth was innumerable, and the desire for power was insatiable. This state of affairs gave rise to a powerful protest in society: rarely do people like harsh dogmas and asceticism prescribed in all spheres of life. Man had to constantly feel on himself a higher (and hostile) force, which at any moment could fall upon him, punishing him for his sins. The requirements of the holy church were contrary to human nature itself.

The second factor, of course, is the rapid development of the state. Secular power, acquiring a harmonious hierarchy and considerable means to manage its subjects, did not at all burn with the desire to yield to the palm tree of the primacy of spiritual power. Examples of fierce battles between the church and powerful monarchs are not uncommon in history. One of them is the Renaissance, due to its death.

The third reason is probably the fact that the Renaissance is a time when cultural life joyfully left the monasteries, where it was locked for many years, and concentrated in rapidly growing and rich cities. Severe dogma, which prescribed to artists to write only in this way and in no other way, restrictions in the subject matter, etc., could cause admiration in people who were genuinely talented. They aspired to freedom, they received it.

The fourth, important condition for the birth of the Renaissance, was money, no matter how cynical it may sound. It is no coincidence that it is precisely the richest descendants of Italy in those days that are responsible for the emergence of this remarkable style. The Renaissance was not born in poverty. The dogma that an artist should be hungry is untenable. The whole Renaissance era is proof. The Creator must also eat - which means he needs orders, in the means and space to apply his talent.

Blessed Florence

All this was found in Florence, and not least thanks to the ruler of the city - Lorenzo the Magnificent. The court of the nobility was brilliant. The most talented painters, sculptors and architects found in Lorenzo a reliable patron. Numerous palaces, temples, chapels and other architectural works were built in the city. Painters received numerous orders.

As a rule, it is common to divide the three periods of the Renaissance, but some researchers include another - the so-called Protorenaissance, still closely related to the Middle Ages, but already acquiring new, light-filled features. One of the most notable events of that time was the construction of the Florence Cathedral (XIII century) - a magnificent structure with a wonderful interior decoration.

Early Renaissance

After the "preliminary preparation", the Early Renaissance came on the stage: historians call the years of the beginning and the end of this period fairly unanimous - from 1420 to 1500. Eighty years were needed to get rid of strict canons dictated by the church and turn to the legacy of glorious ancestors. During this period, the imitation of ancient models becomes massive. Images of a naked human body with a loving reflection of the tiniest muscles and veins characterize a new style, unknown to Catholic Europe. The Renaissance became a real anthem of earthly beauty, which was sometimes sung in such frank forms that would terrify viewers a hundred and fifty years ago.

It can not be said that these trends have found understanding among all contemporaries: there were fiery wrestlers with the Renaissance, who, thanks to their activities, reached the obscurantism of dubious eternal glory. The brightest example is the head of the Florentine Dominican monastery - Savonarola. He was an inexhaustible critic of the humanistic "lasciviousness" and did not hesitate to burn works, so outraged. Among the irretrievable losses are several paintings by famous masters of the era, including Sandro Boticelli. His brush belongs to such famous paintings of the Renaissance as "Birth of Venus", "Spring", "Christ in the crown of thorns." I must say that almost all the surviving paintings of the author are devoted to biblical themes, and it is difficult for a modern person to understand what could anger the severe Dominican in them.

However, the process was started, and it was not humanly possible to stop it. Savonarola died in 1498, and the Renaissance continued to march around the country, conquering new cities - Rome, Venice, Milan, Naples.

Among the most notable and characteristic representatives of the Early Renaissance are the sculptor Donatello, the artists Giotto and Masaccio. In this period, painting laws were first applied to the laws of perspective, discovered in the XV century. This allowed later to create voluminous, three-dimensional paintings of the Renaissance - previously such artists were not available.

In architecture, the vector of further development was set by Filippo Brunelleschi, creating a magnificent dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

High Renaissance

The peak of the development of the era was the third period of the Renaissance - the High Renaissance. It lasted only 27 years (1500-1527) and is associated primarily with the work of great masters, whose names are known to each of us: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael.

At this time, the cultural capital of Europe is transferred from Florence to Rome. New Pope Julius II (entered the throne in 1503) was an outstanding man, a great admirer of art and a fairly broad-minded person. If it were not for the benevolence of this spiritual person, people would not see many works of art that are rightfully considered the pearls of the world cultural heritage.

The very best masters, marked with the seal of genius, receive numerous orders. The city is boiling with construction. Architects, sculptors and painters work shoulder to shoulder (and sometimes "combining posts"), creating their own immortal works. At this time, the construction of St. Peter's Basilica - the most famous and grandiose temple of the Catholic faith - is being designed and begins.

The painting of the Sistine Chapel, executed by Michelangelo with his own hands, embodies the whole sense, perfection and beauty that the Renaissance painters gave us, who chose the Human (that is, with a capital letter) center of their Universe: a godlike creature whose possibilities are virtually limitless.

Everything comes to an end

In 1523, Clement VII became Pope and immediately got into a war with Emperor Charles V, creating the so-called Konyak league, which included the Italian city-states of Florence, Milan, Venice, and France. The Pontiff did not want to share power with the Habsburgs, and the Eternal City had to pay for it. In 1527 the army of Charles V, who had not received a salary for a long time (the emperor had lost control in the course of military operations), initially besieged, and then broke into Rome and plundered his palaces and temples. The great city was depopulated, and the High Renaissance came to an end.

The British Encyclopedia states that as a complete historical era the Renaissance, the century (1420-1527) ruled in blessed Italy, ended. Those who do not agree with the compilers of the most famous reference book in the world, call the period that began after 1530, the Late Revival and still can not come to a consensus when it ended. There are arguments in favor of the 1590s, and 1620's, and even 1630-ies, but it is unlikely that individual residual phenomena may be signs of an entire era.

The Age of Degeneration

At this time, cultural phenomena are very diverse, there are currents that are considered manifestations of crisis and degeneration in art (for example, Florentine Mannerism). It is characterized by a certain pretentiousness, excessive detail, concentration on the "idea of the artist", accessible only to a narrow circle of experts. Sculpture, architecture and painting of the Renaissance, who were in constant search of harmony, gave way to unnatural poses, endless curls and monstrous colors, characteristic of a new trend in the art world.

However, while talking about the final death of the Renaissance early. In some cities in Italy continue to live artists of the Renaissance, which remain true to the great traditions. Thus, the great Titian, who can be considered the brightest representative of the Renaissance, worked in Venice until 1576.

Meanwhile, Italy and Europe suffered hard times. Following the unimaginable freedoms in the Middle Ages, which carried with them the Renaissance, a serious reaction came. The reformed holy Inquisition again took the reins in its own hands. The fires burned in the squares - fire devoured and heretics, and their works.

Almost all the books contributed by the new Pope Paul IV to the Roman Index of Prohibited Books were abolished (earlier the corresponding lists were published in the Netherlands, Paris and Venice). The proceedings of the inquisitors were grave, because it was in the Renaissance that book printing appeared - at the end of the 15th century Gutenberg managed to create the first printed Bible. Heretic appeals of the Renaissance humanists scattered, of course, not with millions of copies, but the holy fathers had something to do.

Historians say that religious persecution in Italy was the most merciless in Europe - a brutal retribution for an age of freedom and beauty.

The Northern Renaissance is one of the phenomena of the Renaissance

Most often, when they talk about the Renaissance, they mean precisely the Italian Renaissance - this phenomenon was born and reached its peak here. Today in Italy, entire cities can be considered monuments of architecture, painting and sculpture of the era.

However, of course, only the Apennines did not limit the Renaissance period. The so-called Northern Renaissance originated in Europe closer to the middle of the XVI century and gave the world many fine works. A characteristic feature of this style was the greater influence of medieval Gothic art. Here, the ancient heritage was not so closely watched as in Italy, and the subtleties of anatomy showed greater indifference. The creators of the era of the Northern Renaissance include Durer, Van Eyck, Cranach. In literature this event was marked by the work of Shakespeare and Cervantes.

The influence of the Renaissance on culture can not be overemphasized: it is huge. Rethinking and enriching the ancient culture, the Renaissance created its - and gave humanity a huge number of immortal works of art, which, of course, have improved the world in which we live.