Renaissance

Imagine growing up in a time where human creativity and ingenuity was all around you and you even had a chance to contribute to that scene. This time period, called the Renaissance, put much influence of western culture around the world and is the reason why we have so many accessible, “normal” things around us today. Like the performing and fine arts, government, religion, inventions, and even food has revolutionized so many different cultures. The world before the Renaissance was at a point of no progression however with the rebirth of the Greek and Roman cultures, we can see how these changes in technology, thought, and philosophy kept the world turning and created a non-stop vision for humanity.

The Renaissance mainly took place in Italy, specifically Florence however the question as to when the Renaissance period began is up for debate for there is no exact date to it. There were many events that kick started it and one of them was the change of trading routes with India and China. Forcing Europeans to travel west, one man by the name of Christopher Columbus, was inspired and had the theory to sail the ocean westward and eventually hit the Asian content. This led to the discovery of the American continents and the abundant new crops that came with it. With this, word got around about this new land and people started heading west to build new civilizations and gain wealth for their name. Because of Columbus and his theory, we were able to learn more about this world that we live in and continue to progress as more thinkers inspire each other.

The invention of the printing press pushed this change along and inspired so many people especially with religion. Gutenberg was the man who created this revolutionizing device and one of the first books he made copies of was the Bible. Now that the Bible was easily accessible, everyone had the opportunity to learn how to read and communicate via paper. Many saw this as an importunity to have their voices heard and ideas out there to the general public. A revolutionist named Martin Luther challenged and protested the Catholic church and its beliefs and handed out flyers stating the many wrong doings and false doctrine the church was preaching. This reached out to many people and these people began to question the right way to worship. This caused a divide in religions for there was not only Catholicism anymore but the rise of the Protestant church.

Alongside the discovery of the new world and expansion of word, western civilization art, architecture and music styles and techniques changed the game for many artists around the world. The introduction of linear perspective was brought to pass by a man named Filippo Brunelleschi. This is when you bring in depth to a two-dimensional image by finding a vanishing point where the lines from a certain spot meet together. This technique has inspired numerous Renaissance artists bringing us many art pieces that have also inspired future artists like School of Athens by Raphael and Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Brunelleschi is also known for the creation of the Duomo of the Santa Maria delle Fiore cathedral in Florence, Italy, which was inspired by roman architects who built the Parthenon in Rome. This revival of classic Roman and Greek culture is responsible for the creativity and inventions of these people.

I am a Humanities major and learning about the Renaissance helps me to understand the breakthrough and revival of Greek and Roman culture and how those cultures really shaped the entire world. I want to be a museum curator in the future and learning more in depth about the history and culture behind Renaissance art, music, and literature, helps me to put in perspective where these artists and philosophers got their ideas from. I am able to see the bigger picture. Studying about the Renaissance time period has opened my eyes to the stagnant state humanity was in but when the rebirth of Greek and Roman culture came back and seeing how improvements can be made, there was progression in the world and without it we would not be where we are today.

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