The Northern Renaissance

Chapter 17 Section 2

I the Northern Renaissance• Unlike Italy which was divided into

city-states, England & France were controlled by Monarchs• Rulers sponsored the arts

• Renaissance spread north and mixed w/ N traditionsunique N Renaissance• Humanists more interested w/ rel. ideas

then secular ones• Renaissance idea of human dignity

inspired N humanists to dev. Plans for social reform based on Christian values

II Artistic Ideas Spread• When French king invaded Naples many Italian artist fled to safer N

Europe and brought w. them style and tech. of the Renaissance• Artists who studied in Italy also brought back new ideas to N Europe

A. German Painters

•Albrecht Durer paints portraits and realistic landscapes• His emphasis on realism

influenced Hans Holbien•Hans Holbein specializes

in portraits that aren't almost photographic in detail

B. Flemish Painters•Renaissance also emphasized individualism and worldly pleasures• Jan van Eyck used oil

painting tech. that painters still use today (layering)

•Pieter Brueghel captures scenes of everyday peasant life

III Northern Writers Try to Reform SocietyA. Christian Humanists

• Thomas Moore was concerned w/ societies flaws and tried to show a better model•Writes Utopia about an

imaginary land inhabited by a peace-loving ppl• Utopia means “no place” in

Greekmeans an ideal place in English

B. William Shakespeare•Write in Renaissance England and regarded as one of the best playwrights of all time•Displays deep understanding of human beings•Macbeth/King Lear/Hamlet/Romeo & Juliet

•His plays examine human flaws•QUOTE on pg. 426 (high view of human nature)

•Renaissance period in England also known as Elizabethan Age•Was a poet and patronized the arts

IV Printing Spreads Renaissance IdeasA. Gutenberg Invents the Printing Press • Block printing begins in China

• Carved out letter on wooden block, inked the block, then pressed it on paper

• Gutenberg draws on this idea to invent printing press• Printing Press= machine that presses

paper against a tray full of inked movable type

• Prints Gutenberg Bible

B. Printing Spreads Learning• Printing press had rev. impact on European society• Could now make hundreds of copies that were cheap and affordable to the

masses

• New ideas spread quicker than before• Availability of books encouraged ppl to learn and caused a rise in literacy