The Renaissance and Culture

I believe that the renaissance has been held in such high regard because of the amazing advances that were made during that time period. There were many different advances in philosophy, with philosophers such as Immanuel Kant and Jean-Jacques Rousseau contributing greatly to the philosophy of the time period. (Art and Popular Culture) Advances in the field of science during the renaissance were also very important. Astronomy was one field of science impacted greatly by the renaissance period with big names like Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei producing many great works during their time. Advances in literature were very important as well due to the creation of the printing press by Johannaes Gutenberg. (New World Encyclopedia)  This invention allowed books to be distributed much quicker along with encouraging authors to write in their native tongue, widening the reading audiences and helping spread the ideas of the Renaissance. With all of these technological and scientific advancements, it is no wonder why the renaissance was such an important time period.

When it comes to the art of the renaissance period, I believe it has proved to be popular mainly because of the quality of work being produced during that time, with artists such as Michelangelo producing works such as the Statue of David, Leonardo Da Vinci painting the Mona Lisa, and Raphael painting the Stanza della Segnatura. With all of these amazing artists coming out of the same period is is very clear why renaissance has become such a popular area of study for artists.

                Some may wonder why there is such a large focus on Michaelangelo and Leonardo; I believe that the answer lies within the amazing work that they produced throughout their lives. Not only did they produce amazing works of art but they were also very well educated people involved in the scientific community. Michaelangelo was a great artist, but he was also a great architect, poet, and engineer. Leonardo was famous for his works of art, but also became famous for his contributions to the scientific community. Leonardo was basically a scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor and anatomist. With well-educated artists such as Michaelangelo and Leonardo, it helped bring art and science into the same workplace. This is seen very clearly with Leonardo’s work within the science community. Producing over 13,000 pages of notes and drawings, Leonardo studied the human anatomy (Vitruvian Man), Engineering (drawing a flying machine), along with many other scientific studies. (Museum of Science) It is because of his amazing background in science and his beautiful works of art that have solidified his place in 16^th century history. It is because of intelligent and unique artists like Michaelangelo and Leonard that the renaissance period has become such popular topic for scholars and artists alike.

                The main reason the renaissance has become such a highly regarded time period is because of the culture that surrounded it. The Renaissance was a movement that affected the intellectual way of life. It influenced many changes within literature, philosophy, art, politics, science, and religion. With all of these major changes and influences happening during the same time, it is no wonder why this time period has spawned so much curiosity and interest.

Works Cited:

 "19th century philosphy." Art and Popular Culuture. N.p., 4/22/2011. Web. 6 Jan 2012. <http://www.artandpopularculture.com/19th_century_philosophy>.

 "Johannas Gutenberg." New World Encyclopedia. N.p., 4/2/2008. Web. 6 Jan 2012. <http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Johannes_Gutenberg>.

  

 "Leonardo." Museum of Science. N.p., 1997. Web. 6 Jan 2012. <http://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/>.