THE Europe in the eleventh century went through the call commercial and urban renaissance, a fact that led to great social and urban transformations. From the 12th century onwards, Italian cities, in particular, began a slow and prolonged process of cultural transformations.
In the 13th century there was a change in intuition and artistic sensibility, the result of a cultural revaluation gives Classic antiquity (Greece and Rome). During this period, the rationalism (human being's capacity for reflection), the critical spirit it's the naturalism (appreciation of nature). O cultural and artistic renaissance, which took place in the 16th century, took place first in Italian cities; later, the movement reached various parts of the European continent.
The Renaissance changed the ways in which the arts were produced. In the Middle Ages, religious works were valued, generally approached in a plane (straight). In the arts (paintings and sculptures), the Renaissance artists were based on observation of the world and
Leonardo da Vinci was not only a representative of the plastic arts (painter and sculptor), but he also studied music, architecture, engineering, was an inventor and philosopher. His works of art were based on scientific paintings from meticulous observations of nature - this scientific approach is present in the following works: “Última Ceia” (Santa Ceia) and “A Gioconda” (or Mona Lisa).
Considered the greatest Italian Renaissance sculptor, Michelangelo also practiced painting and architecture. His paintings diverged from the vast majority of Renaissance painters (themes of nature), as they were based on themes religious, so much so that his greatest work of art was the painting on the vault (arched form of architecture) of the Chapel Sistine. In it, the artist portrayed the biblical story of Genesis and the Last Judgment.
Another Renaissance artist who became well known in history was Rafael Sanzio. His works stood out for the painting of several Madonnas (paintings that represented the mother of Jesus) and almost all of his works currently decorate rooms in the Vatican (Catholic Pontifical State).
In architecture, he stood out Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446). His main works were the design of the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Friore and the Pitti Palace, both in Florence.
Another great Renaissance architect was the Italian Bramante Donate (1444-1514). His main architectural achievement was the plan for the reconstruction of St. Peter's Cathedral in the Vatican. In this project, Bramante conceived a building plan in the shape of a Greek cross with a large dome over the transept. With the architect's death, the works had a modification of the initial plan.
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By Leandro Carvalho
Master in History
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
OAK, Leandro. "Renaissance Artists"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiag/artistas-renascimento-italiano.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
