The Renaissance began in Italy in the 13th century as Christian art broke from medieval conventions. Interest grew in human emotion and the human form. By the 15th century, art reflected more detailed observation of anatomy, perspective, and the natural world. Humanism and Neo-Platonism philosophy developed, seeking to reconcile pagan ideals of beauty with Christianity. The Renaissance reached its peak in the early 16th century under artists like Michelangelo and Raphael in Rome.

1. SUMMARY OF RENAISSANCE
Early And High Renaissance In Italy; Humanism, Neo-Platonism.

2. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
13th Century
• Christian painting and sculpture were just beginning to break
away from the restraints of the dogma and conventions of the
earlier medieval period.

3. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
Virgin and Christ Child Enthroned St Francis

4. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
Legend of St Francis: 2. St
Plato Francis Giving his Mantle to a
Poor Man

5. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
14th Century
• Once attention had been drawn to human emotion, it was only
natural that interest in the human being himself and in his
physical surroundings should follow.

6. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
Madonna and Child Enthroned Nativity
with Angels and Saints

7. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
The Burial of the Virgin

8. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
15th Century
• More detailed observation of man himself and of nature followed
in the 15th century with the growth of interest in anatomy,
perspective, details of nature, landscape backgrounds, and form
and color in light.
• Paintings of the 15th century also reflect the growing curiosity
about man's achievement in Italy's past--that is, the Classic
past.

9. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
Nativity

10. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
Cortona Polyptych (central panel) Cortona Polyptych (detail)

11. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
Death of the Virgin

12. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
16th Century
• Christianity was added to Platonic ideal: Neo-platonism.
• Michelangelo in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and Raphael in
the Vatican Stanze are representative of this movement at the
beginning of the 16th century; they brought the Renaissance to
the highest achievement in painting in Rome.
• But the attempt to reconcile paganism and Christianity
foundered.

13. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
David
Madonna
and Child

14. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
Female head (La Scapigliata) Mona Lisa (La Gioconda)

15. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
Humanism
• Humanism was the basic concept of the Italian Renaissance.
• This concept can be identified with a belief in the power of
learning and science to produce "the complete man".
• The Humanists saw no conflict between the New Learning--the
newly rediscovered wisdom of the ancient world--and the
authority of the Church.

16. SUMMARY OF THE RENAISSANCE
Neo-Platonism
• Neo-Platonism in the Renaissance was the philosophy based on the
teachings and doctrines of a group of thinkers of the early Christian
era who endeavored to reconcile the teachings of Plato with Christian
concepts.
• The Neo-Platonists, being at the same time both lovers of the pagan
past with its Platonic ideals of physical beauty, and being
Christians, wanted to fuse this pagan idealism with Christian doctrine.
• The Neo-Platonists conceived of the Christian religion as an eternal
doctrine existing even before the advent of historical Christianity.