Section+17-2+The+Northern+Renaissance

Key Words:

 * __Utopia__: Greek for "no place", and in English it means ideal place because of More's book //Utopia//.

Key People:

 * __William Shakespeare__: Most famous writer in the Elizabethan Age, some think best playwright of all time, born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, near London.
 * __Johann Gutenberg__: Craftsman from Mainz, Germany who developed a printing press around 1440.
 * __Frances I of France__: Invited Leonardo da Vinci to retire in France, he also hired Italian artists and architects to remodel Fortainebleau, his castle which became a showcase for the arts during this period.
 * __Albrecht Dürer__: Traveled to Italy in 1494 to study and came back Germany with woodcuts and engravings, very popular.
 * __Hans Holbien__: the Younger: Painted portraits, almost photographic (details), emigrated to England and painted royal family, including King Henry VIII.
 * __Jan van Eyck__: Flemish Renaissance painter, made the oil-based paints by layering paint on top of paint on top of paint.
 * __Pieter Bruegel the Elder__: realistic details and individual people, painted large numbers of people and got scenes from everyday life, rich colors, vivid details, balanced space.
 * __Erasmus of Holland__: Believed Christianity at the heart, not ceremonies or rulers, thought people should study the Bible.
 * __Christine de Pizan__: Highly educated (for the time) and 1st women with writer's salary, wrote in French: short stories, biographies, novels and manuals on military techniques.
 * __Queen Elizabeth I__: Ruled from 1558-1603 well educated, spoke several languages, wrote poetry and music, but didn't support art and literature.

Key Terms:

 * The Northern Renaissance Begins:**
 * By 1450, northern Europe was recovering from the tragedies, at the end of the 100 years war in 1453, cities grew rapidly, wealthy merchants could help artist increasing the arts.
 * England and France under monarchs rather then city-states, rulers sponsored arts.
 * Italian Renaissance mixed with northern traditions; artists liked realism, humanists looked at social reforms based on Judeo-Christian values.
 * Artistic Ideas Spread:**
 * French king claimed Naples throne in 1494, dragging war through northern Italy, many artists fled to the north bringing styles and techniques with them, Italians brought home Northern European styles.
 * German Painters:**
 * Dürer's work showed religious subjects, classical myths, and realistic landscapes and spread through Renaissance.
 * Dürer influenced others, including Hans Holbein.
 * Flemish Painters:**
 * Wealthy merchants in Flanders made it the artistic center in N. Europe, oil painting popular and spread to Italy.
 * van Eyck's work showed realistic detail giving personality, influenced others.
 * Flemish painting's peak: after 1550 because of Bruegel.
 * Northern Writers Try to Reform Society:**
 * Italian humanists wanted to bring back classical languages and texts, N people used them to study old Church teachings and they were critical in Church's failure, Christian humanism began which focused on education and promoted women education.
 * Christian Humanists:**
 * Most famous: friends Desiderius Erasmus of Holland and Thomas More of England.
 * 1509: Erasmus wrote //The Praise of Folly//, poked fun at greedy merchants, heartsick, quarrelsome scholars, and pompous priests.
 * 1516: Thomas More wrote //Utopia//, imaginary land without greed, corruption, or war, little use for money.
 * More also wrote in Latin, popular, translated into many languages.
 * Women's Reforms:**
 * Very few could read and write, many would only send their sons to school if it was affordable, one woman spoke out: Christine de Pizan.
 * Christine de Pizan was one of the first writers to question treatment on boys vs. girls, wanted equal education.
 * The Elizabethan Age:**
 * Renaissance spread to England in mid-1500s, aka Elizabethan Age because of Queen Elizabeth I.
 * William Shakespeare:**
 * Shakespeare was living in London and writing poems and plays by 1592, soon performing at the Globe Theater.
 * Shakespeare used classics as inspiration, plays in English, understanding of humans, revealed souls (dramatic conflict), showed human flaws.
 * Printing Spreads Renaissance Ideas:**
 * Chinese invented block printing, carved words/letters on wood, dipped in ink, put on paper, 1045: Bi Sheng invented a movable type, methods good for Europeans, not Chinese.
 * Gutenberg Improves the Printing Process:**
 * 13th century, block pieces reached Europe, used to create whole pages, still slow and not satisfying Renaissance hunger for knowledge.
 * Press helped technology, make books easier and cheaper, Gutenberg Bible finished in 1455.
 * The Legacy of the Renaissance:**
 * Renaissance period full of artistic and social change, dignity and individuality importance, movable printing big, etc.
 * Changes in the Art:**
 * Emphasized classics, paintings and sculptors focused on individuals and realistic ways, secular and religious art, vernacular writings, praised individual achievement.
 * Changes in Society:**
 * Printing: information available and cheaper, more books=more learning, more maps=new discoveries, legal laws written=people understanding what they are, Christian humanists changed views on how life should be lived, people started to question political structure and religious practices.