Madeleine Kouchnir 2nd5

How did Renaissance humanism impact Europe's intellectual and artistic

developments from 1450 to 1550?

The Renaissance was a key period in European history from the 14th to the 17th
century, characterized by its revival of European culture, economy, art, and politics. It
began in the city-states of northern Italy in the 14th century and then spread throughout
Europe over the next two centuries. The Renaissance was marked by its advances in
shipbuilding, increased leisure time to patronize art and appreciate other material
pleasures for wealthier people, and the reinstatement of merchant oligarchies. However,
the leading intellectual component of the Renaissance is humanism. Founded by
Francesco Petrarch, a Florentine poet, and scholar who traveled Europe to find classical
Latin manuscripts, humanism was an intellectual and cultural movement emphasizing
individualism, and a new human-centered outlook. Humanists believed that the study of
the humanities, particularly the classical works of Greece and Rome, could help
individuals reach their full potential, and contribute to society. People that were a part of
this movement were referred to as humanists. Renaissance humanism impacted Europe’s
intellectual developments through education, humanist philosophy, and politics, and it
also impacted artistic developments through new styles of art, as well as patronage and
power.

Indeed, the humanist movement had a profound impact on Europe’s intellectual

development from 1450 to 1550. One of the most significant impacts it had was on
education. Francesco Petrarch proposed a renewal of the study of the humanities and
classical Latin to return to the era of Ancient Rome, as Petrarch believed that the writers at
that time had reached a level of perfection. He explains his admiration for ancient Roman
writers like Livvy in a letter he wrote called Letter to Livy (1350). He wanted authors of the
Renaissance to follow these ancient models as he believed they contained important
knowledge and insights about the human experience, and that the study of these texts
would help develop people’s critical thinking. As a result, he and many other humanists
traveled through Europe and worked to rediscover classical texts. This renewed interest in
the works of Ancient Rome authors and Latin classics was called studia humanitates or
“liberal arts”. This program was centered around the study of classical languages,
literature, history, and philosophy, with a substantial focus on the human experience. This
devised program was made for the public good, and not only for religious purposes, and it
wanted to put educated people in the spotlight. It became the basis for education if you
wanted to be successful. Humanist schools start to open in Italian cities, but also in France,
Germany, and England, however, only boys were allowed in these schools. The fact that
these academies were only open to boys made it very difficult for girls to succeed.
Nonetheless, some succeeded as they came from wealthier families and therefore had
access to tutors, and others were self-taught. Baldassare Castiglione’s The Courtier had a
large influence on education at the time as it became a model template and promoted
the idea of the "liberal arts" as the foundation of a well-rounded education. His book
encouraged the qualities that an educated man should have, he should be
knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects should train his spiritual and physical
capabilities, and develop his critical thinking. Humanism also had a significant impact on
political thought during the Renaissance and beyond. Although there was still an ongoing
debate about what was the best form of government, some claimed republicanism, and
others heeded philosopher-kings, both sides agreed on the fact that educated men
should be set forth and active in the political affairs of the city. This political theory, called
“civic humanism”, sought to promote the idea of civic duty, that individuals had a
responsibility to contribute to the well-being of their communities. This approach offered
a vision of the ideal political community and the ideal citizen, by emphasizing civic virtue
and the importance of education. The most famous civic humanist and political theorist of
his era were Niccolo Machiavelli. His most major work is “The Prince”, in which he argued
that rulers should be willing to use any means necessary to maintain their power and that
the ends justify the means. He also compared Ancient Roman rulers to present rulers, and
argued that a ruler should be focused on preserving order and security, but without
having the populace turn against him. He used classical and contemporary rulers to
reinforce this ideology, like Cesare Borgia, a powerful political figure known for his
ruthlessness and his willingness to use any means necessary to achieve his goals,
including military force, and hired Leonardo da Vinci to murder his political enemies.
Therefore, Machiavelli believed that a ruler should be evaluated on the security, order, and
safety he provides his people with. European humanists also provided a new point of view
on Christianity. Northern humanists wanted to reform the Church, as they thought it was
too materially obsessed. They sought to integrate the values of classical humanism with
the Church’s beliefs. They thought that they could combine the best elements of
greco-roman spirituality and Christian culture. One of the most influential figures of
Christian Humanism is the dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus, who promoted the
importance of moral responsibility and individual growth in the pursuit of spiritual growth.
He thought that everyone should learn to read the bible. One of the most impactful works,
although controversial was “Utopia”, written by Thomas More. Although its purpose is still
unknown, it describes an island with an ideal community where all children receive an
education, and everyone lives in peace and harmony.

Renaissance humanism also impacted artistic developments from 1450 to 1550

through the patronage and projecting of power and status, as well as the shift in artistic
style. During this era, art became a way to flaunt your wealth, as wealthy individuals
commissioned works of art as a way to praise themselves and their families. They used art
to project their status in society, and those who could publicly pay the best artists to
become a part of their entourage. For example, in 1508 pope Julius II commissioned
Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Some patrons were less involved in
the artists' work, and merely gave them a specific subject to paint, while others were more
implicated, sometimes demanding changes. Julius II oversaw Michelangelo’s work very
closely and provided him with suggestions and criticism. Wealthy elites such as nobles
started spending less money on military gear, and instead adjusted to urban culture. Art
consumption patterns changed as more art pieces were purchased. Humanism was
characterized by a renewed interest in the focus on the individual, as well as the beauty of
the natural world. Therefore, the artistic style altered, and Renaissance artists created
works that were more realistic and they used naturalism. They wanted paintings to be
more lifelike and portray human ideals, thus the individual portrait emerged. Two very
influential painters during this period of time were the Florentine painter Giotto, Piero
della Francesca, and Andrea Mantegna. Giotto painted the human body and face in a
more natural way, and embraced the use of realism, while Francesca and Mantegna
started doing perspective paintings. Realism and perspective became important
elements of art. There are other important painters, like Rogier van der Weden and Jan
van Eyck who did oil-based paintings and brought artistic styles of the Renaissance
northwards to Germany and the Netherlands. Raphael Sanzio is also a very influential
artist in Europe, as he wrote many philosophical texts on art in which he accentuated the
importance of naturalism in art. One of the painters that introduced this new artistic style
was Titian. Due to the fact that artists’ works became more realistic and an imitation of
nature, they paid a lot more attention to detail and anatomy: they were more precise
when drawing or painting muscles on the face, the hands and fingers were more detailed,
etc… Generally, you could tell how much a painting cost by seeing how detailed the hand
was. For example, in “The Madonna of Chancellor Rolin” painted by Jan van Eyck in 1435,
we can see exquisite attention to detail on the man’s face rather than the woman’s, which
suggests that he paid more money. In the early sixteenth century, as large sums of money
had been put into the beautification of Rome, it became the center of art instead of
Florence. In the sixteenth century, a new artistic movement was created dubbed
“mannerism”. Mannerism was characterized by exaggerated, elongated forms and a
heightened sense of drama and emotion. It is a departure from the naturalism of the
Renaissance style. Humanism also emphasized the importance of individual artists, as
they began to sign and take credit for their work, as opposed to working anonymously as
they did before. This led to a greater focus on the individual artist's style and expression, as
opposed to just the subject matter of the artwork. Renaissance artists also worked less on
mythological and religious subjects, and more on human form-related subjects.

In conclusion, Renaissance humanism significantly influenced Europe's intellectual

and creative advancements between 1450 and 1550. The movement's focus on the value of
individualism and their capacity for creativity and success opened the door for novel kinds
of intellectual inquiry and artistic expression. The emergence of new scientific and
philosophical ideas, as well as the rediscovery of ancient knowledge were both influenced
by the emphasis on the study of classical texts and ideas. Humanism impacted
intellectual development through a new form of education, political thoughts, and the
creation of Christian Humanism. It also affected artistic development via new artistic
styles, the new characteristics of a Renaissance artist, as well as the importance of art for
individual power and patronage. Ultimately, Renaissance humanism marks a turning
point in Western civilization's history, ushering in the modern age by moving away from
medieval modes of thought.