The Renaissance, spanning the 14th to 16th centuries in Europe, was characterized

by advancements in art, painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and literature.

Contrary to the notion of a sudden break from medieval values implied by the term
"renaissance," modern scholars recognize that the shift was more gradual.
Historical evidence suggests that elements such as an appreciation for nature,
humanistic learning, and individualism were already present in the late medieval
period. These aspects gained prominence in 15th- and 16th-century Italy,
coinciding with broader societal changes like the secularization of daily life, the
rise of a rational money-credit economy, and increased social mobility.

In Italy, a precursor to the Renaissance, known as the "proto-renaissance," emerged

in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, influenced by Franciscan radicalism. St.
Francis, rejecting the formal Scholasticism of prevailing Christian theology,
celebrated the spiritual value of nature among the poor. This inspired Italian artists
and poets to find joy in their surroundings. Giotto di Bondone, a prominent artist of
this period, introduced a new pictorial style marked by clear structure and profound
psychological insight, deviating from the flat, linear decorativeness of his
predecessors. Concurrently, poets like Dante, whose Divine Comedy belongs to the
Middle Ages in plan and ideas, demonstrated a forward-looking emphasis on
subjective experience and nuanced human nature. Petrarch and Giovanni
Boccaccio, with their extensive studies of Latin literature and vernacular writings,
also contributed to this proto-renaissance.

Unfortunately, the plague of 1348 and subsequent civil wars disrupted the
burgeoning humanistic studies and the growing interest in individualism and
naturalism seen in the works of Giotto and Dante. The true spirit of the
Renaissance did not resurface until the early 15th century.