Humanity, with the passing of the years and, subsequently, of the centuries, has had to go through numerous well-known eras that marked a milestone in their way of seeing things. From the vast Egyptian empire, the Babylonians, the Greeks, the Romans, Alexander the Great, among others, numerous empires and world powers have paraded through this our world setting the standard to follow during his time in power.
During these times, and depending on each government, art and architecture have been upset, and today we have on many occasions taken part in our works of characteristics of those times.
Western Europe was the one that laid the foundations and guidelines for a new movement that still, more than six hundred years later, continues to give people talk. We refer, of course, to rebirth.
During this movement, many elements of modern life that we know today were turned around, mainly the arts. It was a moment of transition between the Middle Ages and the Modern Age that was recognized for the increase of knowledge in different branches, and was the one that laid the foundations for the recognition of science as a branch and as a truth, which had been reviled during the Middle Ages. In this post we will know the main characteristics of the renaissance.
Let's know the term "Renaissance"
This term was coined claiming certain elements of classical Greco-Roman culture, and was applied as a return to the values of Greco-Roman culture and the contemplation of culture and life in a freer way than the dogmatic way of doing things instilled in the centuries that lasted the Middle Ages, which was characterized by being very strict and harsh with its detractors.
In this stage known as the Renaissance, the way of seeing the human being was changed and great advances were made in the fields of the arts, philosophy, chemistry, physics, mathematics, architecture and in artisan work.
In this way, the theocentrism that reigned in the Middle Ages could be replaced by anthropocentrism, which was more interested in the knowledge of the nature of the human being.
The characteristics of the Renaissance have been extensively studied and evaluated, and a consensus has been reached that one of the greatest characteristics of this time was its art, which today we know as Renaissance art. It was the one that came to replace medieval art, which was considered barbarian, and later became known as Gothic art. This movement in art was the one that set the tone for moving forward with the rest of the branches that make up the humanities, and also served to give a boost to the branches of science.
Let's talk about the history of rebirth
The epoch of the Renaissance marks the beginning of the modern age, a period that is usually established between the time of the discovery of America in 1492 and the French Revolution in 1789, and that, in the cultural field, is divided into the Renaissance and the Baroque; and it had subdivisions such as Mannerism, Rococo and Neoclassicism.
The Historical antecedents of the Renaissance can be traced to the decline of the medieval world occurred throughout the XNUMXth century due to various factors, such as the decline of the Holy Roman Empire, the weakening of the Catholic Church due to earthquakes and the heretical movements that gave rise to the Protestant Reformation.
Stages of rebirth
Different historical stages marked the development of the Renaissance. The first of these happened during the XNUMXth century: called quattrocenter, and includes the early Renaissance, which is also recognized as the Low Renaissance, which takes place in Italy.
The second stage arises in the sixteenth century and is known as Cinquecento: His artistic domain is referred to the classicism that is also known as high Renaissance. During this stage, great figures such as Miguel Ángel, Rafael, Da Vinci emerged, among others. This is the time of the Renaissance heyday.
The quattrocenter was centered in Florence and Tuscany. The simplicity and structural and decorative clarity was the fundamental feature of the architecture of this moment. The classical models underwent a stylization process and are adapted to the Christian temples of the time.
The Cinquecento had its center in Rome. In the mid-1500s Donato Bramanate finished his famous project for the Basilica of Saint Peter, which would be the building that would set the tone in the XNUMXth century. During this stage, buildings tend more to monumentality and grandeur. The palaces were adorned with bas-reliefs or freestanding sculptures.
Its main features
The characteristics of the Renaissance are many and are known globally, since we still see and use them even now, despite the fact that more than six hundred years have passed, we still continue to admire Renaissance art and enjoy the philosophical knowledge gained at the time. . The most important characteristics of the Renaissance were:
Humanism:
This characteristic can be defined as the emphasis that was given to life in this world, beyond the spiritual life that was what prevailed during the Middle Ages.
The humanists of the Renaissance took great interest in what refers to man, in his dignity and his very possibilities for life in this world. During the rebirth represented a big change, as it passed from the contemplative life that was lived in the Middle Ages to the active life. In this way, a great contribution was made to humanistic studies.
Appreciation of aesthetics:
One of the main characteristics of the Renaissance was the new appreciation that was given to aesthetics and the fine arts. For them, the artistic works of ancient Greece and Rome had a much greater aesthetic and cultural value than those achieved in the time of the Middle Ages.
This is why at the moment of seeing a sculpture made in the Renaissance period, it looks very similar to a Greek sculpture. In these times, aesthetics became more important, and women also began to dress in more harmonious ways, in contrast to the simple way of dressing that prevailed in the Middle Ages.
The importance of science and reason:
During this time the idea that there is a completely rational scientific explanation for any existing phenomenon was defended, and explanations given by the Catholic Church or that were not scientific explanations were disregarded. It was in this period that the great advances in science were achieved and the first scientific experiments took place..
Music:
Music was very popular during the time of the Renaissance. Although in the Low Renaissance it was used as part of Catholic Masses, a little later it came to be used in Protestant religions and troubadours could be seen in the streets. This led to various studies being carried out to determine the effects of music on the senses, and in this way great advances were achieved in this area.
Literature:
A good part of the characteristics of the Renaissance took place in what we know as literature. Renaissance writers such as Petarca and Giovanni Boccaccio took a new look at Greece and Rome, reviving their traditional language and values.