subject: Renaissance The Cultural Awakening Of Europe [print this page] True to its meaning in French, Renaissance means rebirth or cultural awakening in Europe which started in the 14 th to 17 th century. This cultural movement saw a resurgence of classical art forms and linear perspectives like painting and drawing apart from a slow yet steady educational reform. The changes set off by Renaissance were not uniform all over Europe; however this intellectual transformation of Renaissance served as a link between the middle ages and the Modern era. This period was marked by many cultural and literary upheavals and awakenings and is probably best known for the legendary contributions of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, who inspired the term "Renaissance man."
Renaissance that began in Florence, Tuscany in the 14th century spread gradually to the other parts of Europe. The social, political and cultural scenario of Florence, coupled with the patronage of its dominant family of the Medici had played a major rule in the propagation of Renaissance. The fall of Constantinople at the hands of the Ottoman Turks is cited as another reason for renaissance.
The Renaissance scholars were different from the medieval scholars of the 12th century, who concentrated in Greek and Arabic works of natural sciences, philosophy and mathematics, rather than on literary and cultural texts. Many works of Renaissance art also touched upon Christianity and it was during this period that many Greek Christian works, including the Greek New Testament, were brought back to Europe from Byzantium for the first time. These Latin and Greek works would have gone into extinction but for Renaissance. Some of the finest and ancient Greek Christian works, including the original Greek version of the New Testament paved the way for the Protestant Reformation later in Europe.
One of the salient features of Renaissance art was its realistic linear perspective which later on diversified into the other finer aspects of realistic expressions including light and shadow and human anatomy, which were etched out in all its splendour by Leonardo da Vinci in some of his prestigious creations. Nature and aesthetic color themes also were rigorously persuaded by many master craftsmen during this period. The works of Michelangelo and Raphael set a bench mark that were imitated by the other artists of the modern era and still continues to inspire many budding artists
