The document discusses the impact of the Black Death pandemic in Europe in the 14th century. It killed 30-60% of the population, reducing numbers from 450 million to between 350-375 million by 1400. This labor shortage improved conditions for peasants and marked the rise of the middle class. The Renaissance period that followed was characterized by a renewed interest in classical art and literature. Major artists like Giotto, Donatello, Botticelli, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci emerged and pioneered new styles and techniques that defined the era.