The Northern Renaissance

Christian Humanism

Christian Humanism

• Emphasis on early church writings – provided answers on how to improve

society and reform the church– Used Hebrew and Greek texts and writing

of the Church fathers– Led to criticism of the church

Erasmus• Most famous and celebrated of all

northern humanists• Made new translation of the Greek

and Latin version of New Testament– “purer” editions

• In Praise of Folly (1513)– Criticized immorality and hypocrisy of

church leaders and clergy– Inspired new calls for reform

• Martin Luther

Thomas More (1478-1536)• A civic humanist

– Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII

– Utopia (1516)

• Mixes civic humanism with religious ideals

• Sees accumulation of property as a root cause for society’s ills

– People must be willing to sacrifice individual rights for the common good

– War, poverty, religious intolerance and other problems of early 16th century do not exist in Utopia

Other Writers• Jacques Lefèvre d'Etaples (1454-1536)

– Produced 5 versions of the Psalms• Challenged single authoritative version of the Bible

• Francesco Ximenes de Cisneros– Spanish humanist

• Reformed Spanish clergy and church– Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition– Complutensian Polyglot Bible

• François Rabelais (1494-1553)– Secular writing portrays confidence in human nature

• Gargantuan and Pantagruel (1532-1542)– Fold epic and comic masterpiece; championed secular learning

• Michel de Montaigne– Developed the essay form

• Skepticism– Doubt that true knowledge could be obtained; thus must be tolerant of other views

Other Writers• William Shakespeare

– Greatest of the English Renaissance authors• Reflected ideas of classical Greek and Roman

culture, individualism, and humanism• Comedies, tragedies, histories, and sonnets

• Miguel de Cervantes– Don Quixote

• Among the greatest pieces of Spanish lit• Critical of excessive religious idealism and chivalric romance

Northern Renaissance Art

• Flemish Style– Heavily influenced by Italy• More detail throughout paintings

– Oil paints– More emotional– Preoccupied with death

Jan Van Eyck

•Most famous and innovative of 15th century•Perfected oil painting•Naturalistic wood panel; religious symbolism•Masterpiece: Ghent Altarpiece (1432)•Most famous: Arnolfini and his Wife (1434)

Peter Brueghel the Elder•Not really influenced by Italians•Focused on lives of ordinary people•Peasant Dance•Peasant Wedding•The Battle Between Carnival and Lent

Germany

Albrecht Dürer•Foremost northern Renaissance artist•Master of the woodcut•Master of Italian techniques of proportion, perspective, and modeling•Numerous self-portraits

Hans Holbein the Younger•Painted Erasmus and More, numerous portraits of Henry VIII and family members•The Ambassadors

Fugger Family

Spain

Mannerism•Reaction against the ideals of balance, symmetry, simplicity, and realistic use of color•Elongated figures, twisted poses, and compression of space

El Greco•Greek artist who painted in Spain•Perhaps greatest of the Mannerists•Burial of Count Orgaz