The Italian Renaissance

• The word 'renaissance' means re-birth.
• The renaissance was a re-birth of interest in the ideas of the Classical Greeks and Romans.
• EG: In the Middle Ages, people thought that the Bible was the best way to understand the world.

All theses changes happened within 1300-1600.

• Italy split up into different states, which where all ruled by different rivalling families. These were:
• Milan - ruled by the Sforza family.
• Venice - ruled by the Doge family.
• Mantna - ruled by the Gonzaga family.
• Florence - ruled by the Medici family.
• The Papal States - ruled by the Pope.
• Naples - ruled by the King of Aragon.

What started the Renaissance was this:

One day the Turks started to invade Constantinople, so the wimpy scholars fled to Italy with ancient manuscripts. The reading of these manuscripts led to experimenting with classical ideas...

• Galileo was an astronomer who re-discovered that the Earth was indeed round.
• Smart people made new weapons.
• Leonardo DaVinci checked out the foetus shape after just feeling pregnant women's bumps and watching births!
• Dissection of human bodies allowed.
• More detail of the human body in art (really! It helps in science!!). 

Bring up a picture of The Wilton Diptych, these are the tell-tale signs of a Middle-Ages piece of art!

• No real background: detail was not important, as pictures were used to tell a story, not to look good.
• Mary. Because she is the second most important person (baby Jesus is the first most important, but he's a baby!), she is the largest. Mary is also wearing blue, which was only saved for special people, it being so hard to produce.
• Angels - their faces are very similar because they are not very important. However, they are wearing blue, which shows some significance.
• Halos - ultra-religious people had a plate-shaped circle over their head.
• Saint's faces are similar, but still different to the others.
• Angel's height and badge - short, and the badge signified what they worshipped.
• St. Edmund is wearing blue and gold - two very expensive colours (they used real gold).
• Richards III is kneeling: praying towards baby Jesus (he is short because he's kneeling!!).
• The flowers of the floor by Mary and the angels show that even though they are highly important... they are still female (stupid sexist rules!!).
• Jesus is a baby, yet he can fully support himself! Magical!
• English flag: the artist tells the world that God loves England!