Skip to main content

What are your thoughts on the imagery of the Italian Renaissance and the philosophy of reawakening the “man [who] is the measure of all things”...

The idea of reawakening the artistry and culture of the past and giving new energy to the creative and inquisitive spirit of people is, indeed, one that inspires many. The Renaissance imagery and philosophy of cultivating man's interest and talents as a viable measure of culture and scientific advancement brought human beings out of the stagnation of the Middle Ages and revived the creative spirit, a spirit that is intrinsic to progress.


A representative of the new thinking of the Renaissance, Giovanni Pica della Mirandola declared that God made man and woman to know the laws of the universe, to appreciate its beauty, and to be in awe of its greatness. In addition, God gave human beings the freedom of will and the ability to love. Mirandola further declared,



...the Creator [said] "I created thee a being neither heavenly nor earthly, neither mortal nor immortal only that thou mightest be free to shape and to overcome thyself. Thou mayest sink into a beast or be born anew to the divine likeness....To thee alone is given a growth and a development depending on thine own free will. 



Thus, the emphasis on the development of man's mind and spirit fell to man rather than to the Creator; blind religious devotion to the spiritual end of heaven characteristic of the Middle Ages moved to a new interest in human beings' place on earth with the Renaissance.


In order to "shape and overcome" their lower nature, those in the Renaissance sought to elevate the spirit and develop the mind with new knowledge of the world and science and art. To begin with, the classical arts and learning of Greece and Rome were revived. Artists such as Michelangelo and da Vinci inspired people. Then, too, there was a rebirth of intellectual energy. When the printing press was invented by Johann Gutenberg and books were printed, scholars as well as others were able to read books and expand their knowledge. Great men such as Galileo and Leonardo da Vinci designed inventions which improved scientific knowledge. Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci also left the world with inspiring art. For instance, the Sistine Chapel, whose ceilings hold the story of creation, has inspired many with its magnificent depictions of creation as Adam's finger touches his Maker's, and, then, Adam and Eve as they are expelled from the Garden of Eden.


After the Renaissance that began in Florence, Italy generated such art, innovation, and intellectual energy, other parts of Europe were influenced by this awakening, and they, too, markedly changed the path of many people's lives with remarkable achievements in art, science, and exploration.


Certainly, if Europe had continued to exist in the manner prior to the Renaissance, the world would be a far different and duller place. The art, learning, and discoveries of the Renaissance hold a beauty, inspiration, and significance that have truly changed humanity, as well as the course of history. Indeed, with its inspiring art and its reawakening of man's intellectual power, the Italian Renaissance produced a profound effect upon the civilized world.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

etymology - Origin of the greeting "Sweet dreams".

Does anybody know the etymology of the phrase "sweet dreams"? I tried googling but did not find anything satisfying. Is this a relatively new phrase of the modern world or has this been in use for some time? I think it's the latter one. Answer The OED has the interjection as "a farewell to someone going to bed" from the 20th century: 1908 Sears Roebuck Catal. 198/1 Tenor Solos..Good Bye, Sweet Dreams, Good Bye. But it goes back until at least the 19th and possibly 18th centuries. John Wolcot, writing under the pseudonym of Peter Pindar, used it in his poem "Orson and Ellen; A Legendary Tale" published in 1801: Also from 1801 in The infernal Quixote (Page 287) by Charles Lucas: In the March 1776 of The Universal Magazine was published "The Serenade. A Pastoral Tale. From the German of Gesner" , where the shepherd Daphnis watches over his beloved as she sleeps and sings: The same tale appears in 1776's as Idyl XI, " Daphnis ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Is there a word/phrase for "unperformant"?

As a software engineer, I need to sometimes describe a piece of code as something that lacks performance or was not written with performance in mind. Example: This kind of coding style leads to unmaintainable and unperformant code. Based on my Google searches, this isn't a real word. What is the correct way to describe this? EDIT My usage of "performance" here is in regard to speed and efficiency. For example, the better the performance of code the faster the application runs. My question and example target the negative definition, which is in reference to preventing inefficient coding practices. Answer This kind of coding style leads to unmaintainable and unperformant code. In my opinion, reads more easily as: This coding style leads to unmaintainable and poorly performing code. The key to well-written documentation and reports lies in ease of understanding. Adding poorly understood words such as performant decreases that ease. In addressing the use of such a poorly ...
Post a Comment
Read more

What are the similarities between the relationships of the characters in The Outsiders and Romeo and Juliet?

At first glance, it might appear as if the characters in  The Outsiders  by S. E. Hinton and  Romeo and Juliet  by William Shakespeare do not have much in common; however, when one isolates the core of the conflicts, it becomes clear that the relationships in both stories are rooted in rivalry and secrecy.  In both  The Outsiders  and  Romeo and Juliet , an overarching theme is rivalry. While   socioeconomic status separates the greasers from the Socs in The Outsiders , last names separates the Montagues from the Capulets, who appear to be relatively equal in terms of socioeconomic status. Due to these rivalries, there are instances of deadly interactions in both stories. In  The Outsiders , Johnny kills Bob (whether his actions were justified or not is debatable). In  Romeo and Juliet , Romeo kills Tybalt and Paris, and Tybalt kills Mercutio. These deaths have profound effects on the main characters. In Ponyboy's case, the Johnny's death and other events in the novel inspire h...
Post a Comment
Read more