03/04/2024

How did the ideas of the humanists spread?

Learning Objectives:
• To understand how the ideas of the humanists spread leading to the Renaissance.
Key term

Renaissance: a French word

meaning “rebirth.” It refers to a
period in European civilization that
was marked by a revival of Classical
(Greek and Roman) learning and
wisdom.
(Copy this into your exercise book.)
In what ways does the
painting on the right
(produced during the
Renaissance) differ to
the one on the left
(produced during the
late Medieval period)?
 Renaissance Art

During the Renaissance some of the most beautiful and culturally

significant art ever produced was created. As we look at the next few
slides think about the answers to the following questions.
- Were the painters and sculptors of the Renaissance period religious
believers?
- How has painting improved and changed from the Medieval period?
- How much do you think they understood about human anatomy to
help them create these works of art?
The creation of Adam by Michelangelo

-Were the painters

and sculptors of the
Renaissance period
religious believers?

-How has painting

improved and
changed from the
Medieval period?

-How much do you

think they
understood about
human anatomy to
help them create
these works of art?
Madonna by Rapheal
-Were the painters
and sculptors of the
Renaissance period
religious believers?

-How has painting

improved and
changed from the
Medieval period?

-How much do you

think they
understood about
human anatomy to
help them create
these works of art?
The proportions of the human body – Da
Vinci
-Were the painters
and sculptors of the
Renaissance period
religious believers?

-How has painting

improved and
changed from the
Medieval period?

-How much do you

think they
understood about
human anatomy to
help them create
these works of art?
The Birth of Venus - Botticelli
-Were the painters
and sculptors of the
Renaissance period
religious believers?

-How has painting

improved and
changed from the
Medieval period?

-How much do you

think they
understood about
human anatomy to
help them create
these works of art?
 Renaissance Knowledge

Science The earth and

sky

The human
Art body
Copy out the diagram into your
books.
What do you already know about the
Renaissance? Note down some key
aspects of Renaissance knowledge
you have already discovered.
Religion
 Knowledge of the human body

Understanding of human anatomy changed during the Renaissance

period because universities began to include the dissection of human
bodies in their lectures. This had been forbidden as sinful in the
Medieval period and medical students were forced to rely on the works
of Galen which were approved by the Church. Galen was a Roman
doctor who had dissected pigs and other animals as Roman law
forbade human dissection. Because of this his books contained around
300 anatomical mistakes including
- That the human jaw was in once piece
- Men had one fewer pairs of ribs than women
Add to your diagram!
 The spread of knowledge

Changing policy in universities to allow dissection was obviously helpful

to allow medical students to be present in the dissection room to
understand what mistakes Galen had made.
However if these changes were restricted to only the students in the
room it hardly adds up to a general ‘renaissance’ in human knowledge.
Something else was needed……

Can you and your partner work out what needed to be invented to help knowledge
spread?
 The Printing Press!
Printing press?
What is this?

And do you
have any idea
how it works?
 The Printing Press!
Printing press?
The device works by having all the
letters arranged in a metal frame ,
spelling out the words in the book.
The letters are rubbed with ink and a
piece of paper laid on top. Finally a
handle is turned and a huge screw
presses the paper down onto the
inked letters and bam … you have a
printed document!!!
 The Printing Press!
Printing press?
The printing press is probably the
most important invention of the
Renaissance period and one of the
most important in human history.

Why do you think that is the case?

(Think about how it might contribute
to the spread of new ideas.)
Why might the Catholic Church wish
to ban or control the ownership of
the printing press?
Human Anatomy

This is an image from one

of the anatomical
notebooks of Leonardo da
Vinci in the late 15th
Century.

How might this developing

understanding of the
human body call into
question Catholic beliefs?
Add to your diagram!
Vesalius
In 1543 Vesalius published the book The Fabric
of the Human Body.

This included anatomical “fugitive” sheets, so

named because of their unfortunate tendency
of being torn or misplaced over time, allowed
readers to visualize the layers of organs lying
beneath an illustrated subject’s flesh!!
 It’s not just medicine
Galileo was an Italian astronomer,
physicist and engineer and is sometimes
called ‘the father of modern science’.

He invented the thermoscope and used

the telescope to make many discoveries
including the 4 largest rings of Jupiter
and Saturn’s rings!

He even championed the theory that the

earth revolved around the sun – this was
much hated by the Catholic Church! Add to your diagram!
 Was it a Renaissance for everyone?
How might the below have been affected by these new ideas?

Scientist General population

Physician The Church

 A period of transition
As a result, what developed between 1500 and 1700 was a
period of change between changing attitudes and old traditions,
with some people defending the old ideas and others seeking
change and improvement.

Battle between
attitudes

Defending Seeking change

traditional ideas & improvement
 Plenary

Henry VIII was often referred to as a ‘Renaissance Prince’. The idea of a

Renaissance man stood for a person who strove to embrace knowledge
and develop himself. This included concepts such as the arts,
knowledge, physical achievements, and social ideals. More plainly and
for a prince, this could include cultivating a court known for patronizing
artists, musicians, and the like; establishing educational institutions, a
good degree of physical fortitude, and things such as chivalric love or
engaging in acts of charity.

Using this, write a ‘Renaissance Profile’ of yourself thinking about what strengths
you have that align with those of the ‘Renaissance Prince’.