The Northern Renaissance

By: Salomón Castillo, Nicolás Esquivel, Franklin Figueroa, Nicole Peng, Sebastián Samayoa, Patricia Venegas

Northern Renaissance Begins

The Northern Renaissance describes the Renaissance in northern Europe.

Before 1450, Renaissance humanism had little influence outside Italy; however, after 1450 these ideas began to spread across Europe.

Important changes in Northern Europe

• Invention of the printing press, c. 1450.• Advent of mechanically reproducible media such as woodcuts and

engravings.• Protestant Reformation and the translation of the Bible from the original

languages into the common languages.• International trade in urban centers.

Artistic Ideas Spread• In 1494, a French King claimed the throne of Naples and launched

an invasion through northern Italy.• Many Italian artist and writers left for a safer life in Northern

Europe. They brought with them the styles and techniques of the Italian Renaissance.

German Painters• Perhaps the most famous person to do this was the German artist

Albrecht Durer.• Many of his prints portray religious subjects.• The popularity of Durer’s work helped to spread Renaissance.

German Painters• Durer’s emphasis upon realism influenced the work of another

German artist, Hans Holbein.• Holbein specialized in painting portraits that are almost

photographic detail.• He painted portraits of King Henry VIII and other members of the

English royal family.

Flemish Painters• The first great Flemish Renaissance painter was Jan van Eyck.• By applying layer upon layer of paint, van Eyck was able to create a

variety of subtle colors in clothing and jewels.• Flemish painting reached its peak after 1550 with the work of Pieter

Bruegel the Elder.• He captured scenes from everyday peasant life such as weddings,

dances, and harvests.

Northern Writers try to Reform Society

• Italian humanists wanted to revive classical languages and texts.• Northern humanists were the worst to inspire people to live a

christian life.• This created a movement called Christian Humanism.

Christian Humanists• One of the best known were Desiderius Erasmus of Holland.• In 1509, he wrote The Praise of Folly, he poked fun of many people• He believe in a Christianity of the heart, not of celebrations.

Christian Humanists• Another well-known Christian Humanist was Thomas More of

England.• In 1516, he wrote Utopia.• Utopia means “no place” in Greek.• The book was about a place where greed, corruption and war did

not exist.

Women’s Reforms• Europeans used to send only their sons to receive education.• Christine de Pizan spoke against this, she was the first women to live as

a writer.• Her book The book of The city of Ladies talked about why men did not

educated their daughters.• She was one of the first Europeans to question different treatment of

different sexes.

The Elizabethan Age• The renaissance spread to england and that period was known as

the Elizabethan age; after queen Elizabeth I.• As a queen she did much to support English art and literature.

William Shakespeare• Was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon.• By 1592 he was living in London, and writing poems and plays.• His works examine human flaws,he also had one of his characters

deliver a speech that expresses the Renaissance’s high view of human nature.

Printing PressIs a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium (such as paper or cloth), thereby transferring the ink.

In Renaissance Europe, the arrival of mechanical movable type printing introduced the era of mass communication which permanently altered the structure of society

Printing Press• The relatively unrestricted circulation of information and

(revolutionary) ideas transcended borders.• Across Europe, the increasing cultural self-awareness of its peoples led

to the rise of proto-nationalism, accelerated by the flowering of the European vernacular languages to the detriment of Latin's status as lingua franca.

Printing Press Characteristics

• In its classical form, is a standing mechanism, ranging from 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 m) long, 3 feet (0.91 m) wide, and 7 feet (2.1 m) tall.

• Type, or small metal letters that have a raised letter on one end, is arranged into pages and placed in a frame to make a forme, which itself is placed onto a flat stone, 'bed,' or 'coffin.

Printing Press Characteristics

• The text is inked using two balls, pads mounted on handles. The balls were stuffed with sheep's wool and were inked.

• This ink was then applied to the text evenly. One damp piece of paper was then taken from a heap of paper and placed on the tympan.

• Great artistic and social change.

• Marked a break from medieval times.

• Impact of printing press.

The Legacy of the Renaissance

• Techniques and styles of classical Greece and Rome.

• Pieces of art are portrayed in a more realistic way.

• Mundane and religious works.

• Individual achievement.

Changes in the Arts

The Legacy of the Renaissance

The Legacy of the Renaissance

Changes in Society

• Printing made more information available.

• Desire for learning and rise in literacy.

• Published works (discoveries, maps and charts) got to be developed

by others.

Changes in Society• Christian humanists changed views on life.

• Political structures and religious practices began to be questioned.

• Legal proceedings made the laws clear so people could understand

their rights.

The Legacy of the Renaissance