Renaissance Era: Arts and Literature

Beginning of Renaissance

Apr 5, 1300

The start of the Renaissance in 1300 really sparked the creativity in many painter, musicians, and writers. Arts and literature began to expand. It became more vast and also very important during this time. The start of the Renaissance changed the way we view arts and books today. People began to use arts and literature to express themselves; whether they were angry, happy, or sad.

Renaissance Era

Period: Apr 5, 1300 to Apr 23, 1564

The City of Women

Sep 10, 1405

Modern day women now can write freely without worry of judgment, but during this time women had basiclly no rights. So, the fact that Christine de Pisan was able to write her own book and have it published and read by many was astonishing. Her book mainly highlightes women during that time period who were educated and faithful. She set women equal to men, which was forbiden during that time, and because of that she got great honor from fellow women and even some men.

Perpective Art

Jun 12, 1435

Things were changing during the Renaissance, and that included the way people saw things. Art was no more two-dementional, but instead three-dementional; things would seem to pop out at you more. In perspective paintings, different parts would meet at a center point and sort of split up the painting into different pieces. That way, an artist could paint buidings and people in one frame and have the buildings look further back than the people.

The Last Supper

Apr 24, 1498

This Leonardo da Vinci painting is by far one of the most known paintings in the world. Da Vinci painted this picute for the Duke of Milan whom he worked for for 18 years. It depicts Jesus and his 12 disciples having their "last supper" before Jesus was to be crucified. Funny enough, Leonardo was a major procrastinator and he many times failed to complete a painting, so the fact that he finished this one was extremely important for him.

Pieta'

Oct 15, 1500

Michelangelo wasn't just a painter but also a sculptor. The Pieta' was one of his most famous works; it showed a picture of Mary lamenting over her son after his death. He sculpted the whole thing out of marble for Jean de Billheres who was a French cardinal. Michelangelo really captured the sorrow of Mary and the pain of Jesus' frail body after such a horrific death.

David

Nov 9, 1504

Michelangelo's creativity never ceases to amaze me. He was only 29 years old when he painted this 17 foot tall mastepiece out of white marble. Unlike other artists who painted pictures of David after his victory, Michelangelo took things from a different point of view and sculpted him before his mighty battle. The sculpture almost seems alive when you look at; due to the way Michelangelo did his work. You are able to see and kind of feel the veins in David's hands and the tension in his body.

School of Athens

Sep 4, 1511

Raphael made this painting almost as a tribute to the great thinkers of his time. In this picture you can see Aristotle, Plato, Ptolemy, Pythagoras, and more. Raphael even painted Michelangleo in his portrait to annoy him after Michelangelo yelled at him for sneeking into the Sistine Chapel and seeing his secret work of art. Raphael also decides to add another special person to his steller painting; he painted himself at the bottom of the painting next to Ptolemy looking right at us!

Sistine Chapel Ceiling

Dec 4, 1512

This masterpiece still around today was created by Michelangelo. He was dangled about one hundred feet in the air painting the ceiling of this chapel which is located in Rome. He painted the chapel for Pope Julius II to replace his older plain blue ceiling. Paintings on this ceiling includes: The Creation, The Great Flood, Fall of Man, David and Goliath, and much more.

The Smile =)

Nov 20, 1517

This painting has the most books, songs, and pirated copies than any other painting in the world. The Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo da Vinci is "the most famous painting in the world." Many people have tried to figure out who this famous "smile" belongs to, some say Da Vinci drew it for Francesco Giocondo's wife to commorate the death of their daughter or the birth of their son. Whatever the reason is that he painted it, it really is an astonishing piece of work.

Shakesperean Era

Apr 23, 1564

William Shakespeare is truly one of the greastest known writers of this time. His stories tell tales that entertain many; the young and the old. Some of his greatest pieces of literature include: Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream and many more. His stories have been modernized and made in to various movies and television shows.