AP European History
AP European History
The humanism of the Italian Renaissance began to make its way into the rest of Europe during the second half of the fifteenth century. This movement in the rest of Europe, widely regarded as The Northern Renaissance, manifested itself somewhat differently than in Italy. Whereas Italian humanists focused on secular topics and texts and did not concern themselves very much with the study of Christianity or Christian texts, the humanists of the Northern Renaissance took a much different approach. They studied the early Christian texts along with original Greek and Hebrew. Basically, the difference between me Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance is this: both were humanist movements, but me Northern Renaissance emphasized Christianity and the Italian Renaissance emphasized secularism and individualism.
Jan van Eyck (c.l390-1441) – Even into the sixteenth century, Jan van Eyck’s fellow painters often referred to him as the King of the Painters. A Flemish painter, van Eyck helped found the Ars Nova or “new art” style of painting in northern Europe in the fifteenth century, which is now associated with the Northern Renaissance in Europe. This “new art” followed much of the form of Renaissance art that developed in the Italian tradition though it evolved into its own distinct style. Van Eyck’s art is known for its bright and vivid colors, outstanding detail, and three-dimensional appearance. Perhaps the most recognizable van Eyck work is the portrait Giovanni Arnolfini and his Bride (1434), a striking portrait that epitomizes van Eyck’s use of color, detail, and three-dimensional effects.
Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466-1536) – Desiderius Erasmus was the greatest of the northern humanists and perhaps the most influential of all Christian humanists. Although his work later attributed to the movement known as the Protestant Reformation, Erasmus did not consider himself a religious reformer. Erasmus believed that Christianity should return to the simple “philosophy of Christ.” He sought ways to educate people about the early Christians and about Christ. Erasmus felt that the Vulgate, which was the standard Latin translation of the New Testament, contained errors. Therefore, he edited and published new translations of the New Testament in Greek and then in Latin. The other influential works of Erasmus include Adages, a book of classical proverbs, and The Praise of Folly, a satirization of contemporary society.
Thomas More (1478-1535) – Having received a good education in his early life, Thomas More originally set out to be a lawyer. However, this English humanist became fascinated by the classics and he learned both Greek and Latin. More translated several works by Greek authors and wrote original works in Latin. His most famous work, Utopia, was also his most influential work. Utopia describes the ideal society, a community in sharp contrast to the one in which More lived. The work illustrated More’s views of the political and social problems of contemporary society. More’s devotion to his beliefs later cost him his life. King Henry VIII executed More when he refused to recognize the king as the head of the Church of England.
Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) – Montaigne was a French writer who wrote essays. He introduced the essay as a sincere literary form. The subjects of his essays were usually subjects he had pondered and considered. His Essays (1580) cover a variety of subjects ranging from cannibalism to bodily functions to death and dying.