Mystery of the Italian Renaissance

Mystery of the Italian Renaissance

We can look at sections of history and see certain movements that changed the course of history. One of those movements is the Italian Renaissance. An influx of new ideas coupled with new ways of looking at life and living opened the door for an artistic rebirth. Freedom to do so was a primary factor in this endeavor. Giotto, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Leonardo Di Vinci are just a few of the artists responsible for realizing the limitless possibilities of this new way of thought and putting them into action. While these artists were not attempting to change the world, they did so because they were following passions that lead them to open new doors of thought and creativity. The Italian Renaissance is an exploration of humanity that began with the notion of freedom and expression, evolving into an appreciation for the incredible machine of humankind.

One movement that might have been the most influential for the expansion of the Renaissance was humanism. A broad definition of this word can include a renewed interest in mankind and the things of mankind. This new interest included art and certain aspects of the mind. Individuals became open to exploring new channels of gaining knowledge. This movement led to an inquiry of antiquated points-of-view. Philosophy included an individual's creative prowess as well as a skill to reason. Many who subscribed to the humanist way of thinking believed that "humanists had an almost infinite faith in the liberalizing and improving power of classical education" (Cameron 72). Humanism was a word whose meaning included a "combination of instruction and generosity of spirit" (72) and a "peculiar combination of intellectual and literary disciplines combined with artistic, physical, and musical training" (72). These definitions reveal man's deeper interest in himself and his desire to approach new ideas in an attempt to do so. Humanism wanted to separate itself from the traditional ways of doing things and yet reach to the classics to find meaning for life and art. Humanism was no doubt a movement that was associated with the mind and it is only natural that a renaissance in art would follow this movement.

The beginning of the Italian Renaissance is recognized as the early 1300s when painter Giotto di Bondone broke the traditional ways of doing things. Richard Tansey explains that Giotto's "true teacher" (Tansey 635) was nature and a "world of visual things" (635). This new outlook was significant because it allowed artists to think about their work in completely different ways. Giotto began looking at his art as something he could create from observation and this was a radical way of looking at things in his day. Artists open to this new way of thinking understood the visual world needed to be "observed before it can be analyzed and understood" (635). Sculptor Donatello also infused this new way of looking at art and life in his work. His statue of Saint Mark is one of the best examples of how art was becoming an organic process. This statue is very lifelike and is strikingly different from those in previous works. Botticelli is another that deserves mention in regard to the Italian Renaissance. Botticelli was influenced by what he saw happening around him, especially the "spiritualized and mystical Platonism" (721). He was open to these new ideas because he was suddenly aware that he was free to do so.

Michelangelo is might be the most recognizable artist to emerge from the Italian Renaissance. He took Giotto's notions and ran with them, so to speak. He, too, was breaking away from tradition because he viewed art differently than others sis. In his book, Michelangelo, William Lace states that Michelangelo was responsible for bringing realism to art and "freeing it from the stiff formality of the preceding centuries" (Lace 7). Michelangelo wanted his art to appear as realistic as possible. His goal was to create something that suggested authentic emotion. In addition to this, Michelangelo also saw the artist differently than others did as well. He wanted to bring forth from the stone what was already inside it. Here we see an artist that sees himself as a part of the artistic process. This sort of though was new and it inspired many artists of the day. What we find so important about this new line of thinking is the freedom that the artists felt when approaching it. They felt no restraint and their freedom is demonstrated in their work. It is also worth noting that this type of thinking also paved the way the public viewed artists, according to Lace. Prior to Michelangelo, artists were not held in any special regard. Michelangelo's popularity and his influence in the arts changed this. The public became aware that artists were capable of doing something that not all men could do. Even Michelangelo knew this and stated that artists were extraordinary and should never be "judged by ordinary standards" (8). One look at Michelangelo's David reveals just how the artist wanted to sculpt something that was real and could also compel the viewer to feel something real as well. Pieta is another sculpture that reveals Michelangelo's expertise.

Leonardo di Vinci is another premier artist of the Italian Renaissance. His work is like other artists of his time in that he was introducing new ways of thinking about things. This did not include just art. Di Vinci also delved into the sciences. He is the person most historian point to as the forerunner of the "new, experimental style known as mannerism" (Craig 440). Mannerism can be seen as an extension of the Italian Renaissance; it became popular in the Late Renaissance and it opened doors for the "strange and even the abnormal and gave freer reign to the subjectivity of the artist" (440). Again, we see the notion of freedom as a motivating factor to explore art, science, and existence.