"text": "Renaissance art completely revitalized the entire concept of art in Europe.

It branched
out beyond the merely religious purpose of medieval artwork. It reflected a new humanist
philosophy, and it engaged with its viewer in a novel yet natural way that had not been done since
the end of the classical period.\nFor about one thousand years, nearly all the art produced during
Europe's middle ages was for the purpose of religious instruction. Churches displayed most art,
representing scenes from the Bible and the lives of the saints. While Christian art certainly continued
during the Renaissance, artists began to experiment with different genres. Classical themes were
used, depicting scenes of the classical gods and mythological figures. Purely secular images also
became more and more common. Portraits and nude studies proliferated during this
period.\nRenaissance art also reflected the new humanist philosophy. It sought to capture the role
of the individual by displaying real emotion. This put a greater focus on the worldly matters of the
human mind and spirit than before. Renaissance art had an intellectual and cerebral element to it
that would influence later generations of artists. Subsequent generations of artists also sought to
portray windows into human desires and character.\nRenaissance art also sought to engage directly
with the viewer. It was meant to transport the viewer directly into its scene. Sculptures in the
Renaissance became freestanding objects that could be viewed from all sides. The paintings of the
period showed depth, perspective, and scale in order to portray a lifelike scene. The subjects of
sculpture and painting often look directly at the viewer or at an unseen part of their story with an
expression that is meant to be interpreted. This often necessitated long hours of study by the artists
in order to achieve their dynamic methods of display.\nMany paintings and sculptures from this
period are among the most famous in the world today. There was an appreciation for them during
their own time too, and the greatest of Renaissance artists became celebrities in their own
lifetimes.",

"text": "During the Renaissance, art was transformed in several ways, each of which has had
enduring effects on Western art.\nFirst, the secular spirit of the Renaissance led artists to emphasize
physical beauty and perfection in their subjects. The human body in particular became a subject of
particular fascination for artists, who portrayed the human form, often nude, in ways that
emphasized physical perfection that was both realistic and idealized. In this, they harkened back to
classical works that portrayed athletes, deities, and others in ways that emphasized physical beauty,
especially in sculpture.\nSecond, the Renaissance brought a concern with technique that was largely
absent during the medieval period. Painters experimented with new materials and techniques and
emphasized such technical features as proportion, scale, and perspective. These remain concerns of
modern artists.\nFinally, the Renaissance ushered in a change in status for artists, who had
previously been viewed as artisans. During the Renaissance artists were widely hailed as geniuses,
even celebrities. Men like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were celebrated for their works,
which were publicly displayed and, in some cases, earned them great wealth and status.",