The spread of the Italian Renaissance to England, France, Germany, and Flanders (Netherlands)

1
The Northern Renaissance

• The spread of the Italian Renaissance to England,
  France, Germany, and Flanders (Netherlands)

2
Essential Questions

• What contributions did writers and philosophers
  make to the northern Renaissance?
• How did the works of northern artists differ from
  those of the Italian Renaissance?

3
Northern Renaissance Background

• The Renaissance began in Italy in the 1300s
• It did not reach Northern Europe until after 1450
• Economic growth began later which delayed the
  support of the arts

4
The Renaissance Spreads North

• Trading Ideas

• Northern Europeans traded ideas, goods spread
  Italian Renaissance north
• Fleeing violence, Italian artists brought
  humanist ideas, painting techniques north
• Northern scholars traveled to Italy, brought
  ideas home
• Universities started in France, Netherlands,
  Germany

5
Philosophers and Writers
6
Shakespeare and His Characters
Spread Renaissance Ideas

• William Shakespeare

• Use of language, choice of themes made plays
  appealing even to uneducated
• Plays helped spread ideas of Renaissance to mass
  audience
• Focused on lives of realistic characters, unlike
  morality plays
• By Shakespeares death, 1616, London scene of
  thriving theatre district

• Many believe English playwright William
  Shakespeare greatest writer
• Plots not original, but treatments of them
  masterful
• Drew inspiration from ancient, contemporary
  literature
• Knowledge of natural science, humanist topics
  expressed in plays

7
Albrecht Durer (German)

• Known as the German Leonardo
• He traveled to Italy in 1494
• After returning to Germany, he produced woodcuts
  and engravings
• Many of his prints portray religious subjects and
  classical myths
• The popularity of his works helped to spread
  Renaissance styles

8
DURER woodcuts

• Samson Killing the Lion

• Hercules

9
Jan van Eyck (Flemish)

• Van Eyck used oil-based paints to develop new
  techniques.
• By applying layer upon layer of paint, van Eyck
  was able to create a variety of subtle colors in
  clothing and jewels
• His paintings display realistic details and
  reveal the personality of their subjects

10
(No Transcript)
11
Pieter Brueghel (Flemish)

• Interested in realistic details and individual
  people
• He was very skillful in portraying large numbers
  of people
• He captured scenes from everyday peasant life
  such as weddings, dances, and harvest

12
Bruegel
13
(No Transcript)
14
Changes from the Italian Renaissance

• Humanism in the north led to calls for social and
  religious reform (More Erasmus)
• N. Renaissance artists reflected a more
  down-to-earth view of humanity
• Tried to depict people as they really were
• Use of oil paints produced bright colors and a
  hard surface, which lasted longer

15
Elizabethan Age

• The Renaissance spread to England in the
  mid-1500s
• Named for Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
• She was well educated and spoke French, Italian,
  Latin, and Greek
• She supported the development of English art and
  literature
• The theatre flourished under her patronage
• William Shakespeare and many others composed
  plays that broke free of past styles.