Characteristics Of Humanism In Renaissance Art

Humanism in Art and Literature of the Renaissance Period

The Renaissance is a period in mankind’s history that spans approximately from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century. The Renaissance period is interesting as it is a period of rebirth – a period of renewed interest towards classical learning and worldviews, as well as a resurgence of art and pedagogy. In this era, artworks proliferated as artists gained more recognition as people of great talent and skills. Scholars also experienced a major change in the era as the passion to learn from the past spread amongst them in the Renaissance period. As a whole, there had been a greater emphasis on the world they were living as compared to the studies derived from presence of heavenly being.

In the Renaissance era, there were a great number of artworks produced and this is mainly caused by the increasing respect for artistic talents. People in that era appreciated not only the art, but also the creator of it. Talented painters and sculptors were considered geniuses. Unlike the medieval era where the artists had little importance and the emphasis lies on the product, in the Renaissance era artists were well-known, highly regarded and respected. Artists like Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, and Da Vinci were respected and entrusted on important work on a grand scale. Michelangelo’s painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel for example, was a magnificent feat that spans 128 feet long and 44 feet wide. Another important feature to notice on the Renaissance painting is that Renaissance artists painted their own face in some of the artwork they were commissioned. This is important to highlight as it shows that artists at that time have a high self-confidence, probably a result of public recognition of their talent, and regard themselves highly, hence putting their own faces or figures on the painting – especially considering that the paintings were mostly of biblical nature. This shows that artists at that time were humanists that values human feat and saw the importance of taking pride in their own

Scholars in the era had benefited with the development of the printing press technology. With the invention of the printing press, books can be mass produced and were able to reach a wide audience. An example of this would be Machiavelli’s The Prince and Castiglione’s The Courtier. Both books were an explanation of how people behave and how people should behave in a certain position. The books were an attempt to decipher the essence of human interaction, a take on a familiar position and how to achieve success in it. The books were written with a humanistic approach and are no longer as limited to theological matters compared to the middle ages. Another example of a well-known humanist scholar at that time was Michel de Montaigne. Michel de Montaigne is the author of a series of essays called The Essay. It was the first form of essays and the essays touched on a very wide variety of topics: philosophy, ideals, and values. Montaigne’s essays were also mainly discussing the humanistic value and the importance of it. While he did not dismiss religious belief, his essays focused on the acts of man and not based on religious