Section 2 Standards-Based Instruction Standards at a Glance In the last section, students learned about the start of the Renaissance. Here students will focus on exactly how learning and the arts developed in this era. Section Focus Question How did the Renaissance reflect new ways of thinking? Before you begin the lesson for the day, write the Section Focus Question on the board. (Lesson focus: During the Renaissance, many people tried something new by embracing the values of the classical past. They also shifted their focus from religion and the afterlife to human beings and life in the present, and people began to celebrate individual human achievements.) Prepare to Read Build Background Knowledge Read aloud this famous quotation from Protagoras, found on p. 480: Man is the measure of all things. Ask: Would people who supported the Crusades in the Middle Ages have agreed with this statement? (no) Why not? (Most people had a religious faith that would have measured all things by God, not by humans.) Point out that Protagoras lived more than 2,400 years ago but that his opinion became widespread during the Renaissance. You may wish to keep this quotation on the chalkboard and use it in Section 2 to illustrate the concepts of humanism, secularism, and individualism. Set a Purpose Read each statement in the Reading Readiness Guide aloud. Ask students to mark the statements true or false. Teaching Resources, Unit 7, Reading Readiness Guide, p. 17 Have students discuss the statements in pairs or groups of four and then mark their worksheets again. Use the Numbered Heads strategy (TE p. T38) to call on students to share their group s perspectives. The students will return to these worksheets later. 2 H-SS 7.8.1 Describe the way in which the revival of classical learning and the arts fostered a new interest in humanism (i.e., a balance between intellect and religious faith). E-LA Reading, 7.1.3 Clarify word meanings through the use of definition, example, restatement, or contrast. Renaissance thinkers looked to classical learning for a deeper understanding of human life. 478 Chapter 17 The Renaissance Universal Access Section New Ways of Viewing the World L1 English Language Learners L1 Less Proficient Readers Understanding Concepts The key concepts of this section humanism, secularism, and individualism are complex ideas. Assign students peer tutors with whom they can read and discuss Section 2. Tutors might work with pupils to put together visual aids that illustrate the key concepts. Students can use the illustrations Reading Preview Reading Skill Clarify With Restatement Writers sometimes restate the meaning of an unfamiliar term by using different words. If the term is complex, a paragraph might contain several restatement clues. When you see an unfamiliar term, read the entire paragraph. Look for descriptions and explanations of the term. Remember that the signal word or is often a clue to a restatement. L1 Vocabulary Builder High-Use Words create (kree AYT), p. 481 proportion (pruh POR shuhn), p. 483 Key Terms and People humanism (HYOO muh nihz uhm), p. 479 secularism (SEHK yuh ler ihz uhm), p. 479 vernacular (ver NAK yoo ler), p. 479 Niccolò Machiavelli (mahk ee uh VEHL ee), p. 479 individualism (ihn duh VIHJ oo uhl ihz uhm), p. 480 Background Knowledge During the Middle Ages, much of the heritage of Greek and Roman civilization had been lost to Europe. In this section, you will see how the rediscovery of this learning inspired the Renaissance. Renaissance scholars called this revival of interest in ancient works the new learning. The New Learning The new learning suggested that human beings and the wider world are objects as deserving of contemplation and study as matters of God and faith. It also led to new ways of seeing the world and the role of humans in it. These new viewpoints were defined by the three key Renaissance ideas: humanism, secularism, and individualism. Humanism Knowledge of classical Greek and Roman thought did not suddenly come to light in the Renaissance. During the Renaissance, however, interest in classical learning grew enormously. Special Needs in the textbook as a starting point; then tutors and pupils can work together to decide how each visual illustrates one or more of the three concepts. Tutors should work with pupils until pupils can articulate a good basic understanding of the three concepts. 478 Chapter 17
This new focus in education was called humanism, from the Latin word humanitas. Today, humanism refers to a general concern with human values. But in the 1400s, it had a more specific meaning: Humanism was a cultural movement of the Renaissance based on the study of classical works. Humanists valued learning not as a preparation for a religious life but as a means for self-improvement. The medieval focus on the sinfulness of human beings gave way to a belief in the human potential to achieve excellence in all things. Secularism The Renaissance marked a growing trend toward secularism. This was the view that religion need not be the center of human affairs. People began to view life as an opportunity for enjoyment and pleasure. This contrasted with the medieval attitude of life as a painful pilgrimage to heaven. The growth of secularism was clear in writings that were intended to entertain or inform rather than to promote spirituality. One example was The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio. This collection of tales, written in the mid-1300s, reflected the worldly views of Florentine society. It was written in the vernacular, or everyday spoken language of the people. Another example of secular writing was The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. Published in 1513, The Prince was a highly influential work of political thought. Image ssmm1458-tk See The New Education in the Reference Section at the back of this book. The School of Athens Classical learning inspired Renaissance artists and thinkers. This painting by the Italian master Raphael shows Plato, Aristotle, and other philosophers in ancient Athens. Critical Thinking: Interpret Paintings Which Renaissance idea do you think this work represents? Why? Teach The New Learning H-SS 7.8.1 Instruction Vocabulary Builder High-Use Words Before teaching this lesson, preteach the high-use words create and proportion, using the strategy on TE p. 473. Key Terms Following the instructions on p. 7, have students continue to preview key terms. Have students read The New Learning, using the Paragraph Shrinking strategy (TE p. T37). Ask: In general, what was it that made the new learning new? (Possible answer: The new learning challenged the idea that all knowledge comes from God, and it appreciated the achievements of individual human beings on their own merit, not just as vehicles to know God better.) Have students define secularism in their own words. Ask: Does secularism mean that people during this time gave up their religious faith? (Possible answer: Not necessarily; rather, they celebrated life on Earth instead of looking at it only as something that had to happen before you went to heaven.) You might tell students that to some extent, it can be said that the people of the Renaissance celebrated life as a way of honoring the God who (they believed) gave life. Independent Practice Have students begin to fill in the Interactive Reading and Notetaking Study Guide. Interactive Reading and Notetaking Study Guide, Chapter 17, Section 2 (Adapted version also available.) History Background Raphael The School of Athens, pictured on this page, was commissioned for the pope s palace in the Vatican. Raphael borrowed the features of several contemporaries to represent the philosophers and students in the painting. Plato (standing in center, long white beard) is believed to be a portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. Section 2 New Ways of Viewing the World 479 Euclid (left foreground, bent forward, writing on slate) is a portrait of Donato Bramante, the founder of the school of High Renaissance architecture. Heraclitus (seated on steps, writing, leaning head on hand) is a portrait of Michelangelo. Monitor Progress As students fill in the Notetaking Study Guide, circulate to make sure they understand the three major concepts of the Renaissance era and provide assistance as needed. Interpret Paintings Possible answer: It reveals secularism, because the characters in the picture are scholars and students who are not theologians or clerics. It reveals humanism, because the scholars and students in the picture are studying the literature of the past. Chapter 17 Section 2 479
Instruction (continued) As students read about Machiavelli, you may wish to share these quotations from The Prince and ask for comments: A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise. Since it is difficult to join them together, it is safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking. If you have not yet shared the Build Background Knowledge activity on TE p. 478, you may wish to do so now. If you shared the activity earlier, review the quotation from Protagoras and ask students if their thoughts about it have changed. Two Art Styles These paintings show two versions of a popular subject: Mary and the infant Jesus. Critical Thinking: Contrast What differences do you see in these paintings? How does the work on the right reflect the spirit of the Renaissance? In the book, Machiavelli described how leaders get power, keep power, and lose power. In his words, he chose to represent things as they are in real truth, rather than as they are imagined. Today the word Machiavellian is used to describe someone who manipulates or controls others. But Machiavelli was simply describing the realities of politics. Individualism The third idea that defined Renaissance thought was individualism. This is the belief in the importance of the individual, as opposed to the larger community. This concern for the individual was rooted in classical philosophy. The Greek philosopher Protagoras, for example, wrote that man is the measure of all things. Renaissance thinkers took this to mean that the individual is the ultimate judge of what is good or important. Individualism encouraged artists and writers to seek recognition of their accomplishments. This was very different from the typical attitude of the medieval period. The artists who made most medieval art are unknown. The same is true of the designers and builders of the great Gothic cathedrals. Their Medieval Art Little or no expression Stiff pose Figures not in proportion Painted in tempera, an egg-based paint 480 Chapter 17 The Renaissance Universal Access Contrast Possible answer: In the painting on the left, the figures are stiff and expressionless; in the painting on the right, the figures are much more realistic and lifelike, with more emotion and better proportion. The painting on the right reflects the humanism that was an important part of Renaissance thinking. L1 English Language Learners L1 Less Proficient Readers Mastering Content-Area Vocabulary This chapter contains many specialized vocabulary words from the fields of art and architecture, such as anatomy, model, sculpture, oil, tempera, and so on. Students may recognize some of these words by other definitions (for example, they may think of oil as a fuel). Have students note down any L1 Special Needs unfamiliar art-related words, or familiar words that are being used in unfamiliar ways. They can try to define the words with context clues and then look them up in a dictionary to find out how they relate to the field of art. Finding definitions for these words will help students throughout this chapter. 480 Chapter 17
names were unimportant because it was believed that art glorified God and not the artist. But the people of the Renaissance cared very much about the identity of those who created art and literature. In their view, creativity gave glory to the individual and should be recognized. How did individualism in the Renaissance differ from medieval ways of thinking? New Directions in Art These new ways of thinking were evident in the art of the Italian Renaissance. In content, style, and materials, art reflected a change in focus from religious devotion to worldly concerns. Changing Content Most medieval art dealt with religious themes. Much Renaissance art did as well, but often with a twist. Many Renaissance artists wove secular themes into their religious works. For example, in The Journey of the Magi, commissioned by the Medicis, the procession to visit the baby Jesus is used to show off the wealth of the Medici family. Renaissance Art Vocabulary Builder create (kree AYT) v. to make something exist Renaissance art often treated secular themes in a realistic style. Emotional expression Natural pose Figures in proportion New Directions in Art H-SS 7.8.1 Instruction Have students read New Directions in Art. Remind students to look for support of the main idea. As students read the subsection Changing Content, ask: What element or elements in a Renaissance religious painting probably would have surprised a medieval viewer? (Possible answers: the inclusion of secular themes; the inclusion of patrons in the scenes depicted) Display the color transparencies Giotto s The Mourning of Christ and Botticelli s The Adoration of the Magi. Ask: How do these paintings break with the traditions of medieval art? (The figures are realistic, and there are secular elements in the paintings.) Color Transparencies, Giotto s The Mourning of Christ, Botticelli s The Adoration of the Magi Ask: Why do people get their picture taken today? (Possible answers: to remember how they looked on special occasions; because their friends want something to remember them by) Point out that this is a good example of individualism; it shows that many people view other individual people as important and valuable. Explain that during the Renaissance, people began having their portraits painted for basically the same reasons; in other words, they wanted to preserve themselves in some way for their loved ones. Painted in oil Section 2 New Ways of Viewing the World 481 History Background The Sistine Blend Perhaps the greatest Renaissance mix of Christianity and classicism is found in the ceiling frescoes of the Sistine Chapel (a detail of which appears on p. 493). In this Michelangelo masterpiece, nine large central panels show biblical events from the creation of the world through Noah s flood. Ten smaller panels, five on each side of the ceiling, contain portraits of biblical prophets and pagan sibyls (prophets). Michelangelo s work is said to glorify God by portraying His noblest creation, human beings, in a magnificent and anatomically accurate mold. At the same time, the heroic proportions and muscular strength of those bodies pay homage to the classical past. In the Middle Ages, people believed that the community was more important than the individual. In the Renaissance, people began to acknowledge and praise individual talents and achievements. Chapter 17 Section 2 481
Instruction (continued) As students read the subsection A New Realism, urge them to refer to the pair of Madonna-and-child paintings on pp. 480 481 to illustrate differences between medieval and Renaissance art. Invite students to tell which style they prefer, and why; be sure to point out, however, that the two styles reflect different purposes more than they reflect a difference in artistic talent. If any students in class paint as a hobby, encourage them to comment upon what the text says regarding oil paints and tempera paints. Tell students that they will learn more about art s mathematical elements in the feature on pp. 484 485. Independent Practice Have students complete the Interactive Reading and Notetaking Study Guide. Interactive Reading and Notetaking Study Guide, Chapter 17, Section 2 (Adapted version also available.) Renaissance Realism New materials helped Renaissance artists produce more realistic art. The painting at right, by Jan van Eyck, celebrates the wedding of an Italian merchant and his wife. Critical Thinking: Evaluate Information How does this painting show a concern for realism and daily life? Monitor Progress Tell students to fill in the last column of the Reading Readiness Guide. Probe for what they learned that confirms or invalidates each statement. Teaching Resources, Unit 7, Reading Readiness Guide, p. 17 Increasingly, the subjects of Renaissance art were not religious at all. Greek and Roman mythology provided popular themes. For example, Botticelli s The Birth of Venus portrays an event in Greek mythology. Much Renaissance art reflected the flowering of individualism and secularism. Individual portraits, usually of wealthy people, became popular, as did self-portraits. Landscapes and scenes of daily life were also common. Hardly religious topics, these subjects represented a break from the themes of medieval art. E-LA 7.1.3 Clarify With Restatement What does adorn mean? What signal word is a clue to the restatement in the sentence? A New Realism Medieval art tended to be stiff and unrealistic. The human subjects in such art showed little expression. They seemed to be more in the spiritual world than in this world. Sculpture was used to adorn, or beautify, churches or tombs. It did not celebrate the human figure, as ancient Greek and Roman sculpture did. 482 Chapter 17 The Renaissance s Evaluate Information Possible answer: It portrays two real people in their house. Everyday objects, like the round mirror, are visible in the painting. It reflects what the two people looked like, what they wore, and how they lived. Reading Skill Adorn means to beautify ; the phrase adorn, or beautify gives the word and its restatement. Universal Access L3 Advanced Readers L3 Gifted and Talented Creating a Renaissance Art Handbook Have students use the information from Section 2 to create a handbook that introduces people to how Renaissance art differs from medieval art, the principles from which the Renaissance grew, key points of the art s content and style, the materials that artists used, and so on. Each section of the handbook should consist of an introductory paragraph, followed by a list of Things to Remember where students apply the information to pieces of Renaissance art. Students should illustrate the text. When finished, the handbook should provide a thorough but novel restatement of the material in Section 2. 482 Chapter 17
In contrast, Renaissance art was more realistic and focused on the living world. Artists tried to show human emotions, from bliss to grief. They used live models to draw the human form. They were fascinated with nature and portrayed every detail of it. New materials made greater realism possible. Oil paints were developed in the 1400s. These paints were made by mixing powdered colors with linseed or walnut oil. In contrast to the tempera (egg-based) paints used in the Middle Ages, oil paints produced softer shades and a richer blending of tones. Renaissance artists also took inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman ideas about art and beauty. These ideas emphasized the importance of harmony, proportion, and mathematical ratio in the creation of beautiful objects. These principles had a great influence on the Renaissance style. How did Renaissance art differ from medieval art? Looking Back and Ahead In this section, you have learned how humanism, secularism, and individualism inspired Italian artists to create works of great beauty. In the next section, you will see how the Renaissance spread north. Section 2 Check Your Progress Comprehension and Critical Thinking 1. (a) Identify What three ideas made up the new learning in the Renaissance? (b) Link Past and Present Are these three viewpoints important to our society today? Explain. 2. (a) Recall What ideas about art and beauty did Renaissance artists adopt from the ancient Greeks and Romans? (b) Evaluate Information Why did Renaissance artists embrace realism in their work? H-SS: 7.8.1; E-LA: 7.1.3 Reading Skill 3. Clarify With Restatement Read this sentence: Today, the word Machiavellian is used to describe someone who manipulates or controls others. What does Machiavellian mean? Vocabulary Builder Read each sentence that follows. If the sentence is true, write yes and explain why. If the sentence is not true, write no and explain why. 4. Secularism marked a shift in focus from the spiritual world to the physical world. Vocabulary Builder proportion (pruh POR shuhn) n. relation of parts within a whole For: Self-test with instant help Visit: PHSchool.com Web Code: mxa-7172 5. Texts written in the vernacular required readers to learn a classical language. Writing 6. When writing a persuasive speech, it is important to identify the audience. Who the listeners or readers are influences the content and the style of a speech. List a few questions that will help you define the audience for a persuasive speech. Section 2 New Ways of Viewing the World 483 Assess and Reteach Assess Progress Have students complete Check Your Progress. Administer the Section Quiz. Teaching Resources, Unit 7, Section Quiz, p. 26 To further assess student understanding, use the Progress Monitoring Transparency. Progress Monitoring Transparencies, Chapter 17, Section 2 Reteach L1 If students need more instruction, have them read this section in the Interactive Reading and Notetaking Study Guide and complete the accompanying question. (Adapted version available.) Extend Have students choose two paintings from this textbook or from other sources. One should come from the Middle Ages (see Chapter 16); the other, from the Renaissance. Students can write essays that compare and contrast the paintings and the ways in which each reflects the philosophy of the age in which it was painted. Writing Rubrics Share rubrics with students before they write their questions. Score 1 Questions do not help to define the audience; they generally show little thought. Score 2 Perhaps only one or two questions are related to the potential audience. Score 3 Questions help define the potential audience somewhat but could be more analytical. Score 4 At least three questions do an excellent job of defining the potential audience. L3 Section 2 Check Your Progress 1. (a) humanism, individualism, secularism (b) Possible answer: Today we still praise, admire, and reward individual achievements. Many elements of our society are secular, although many people are still very religious. We are humanists, but perhaps not quite in the same way that Renaissance people were. 2. (a) They adopted the ideas of harmony, proportion, and the use of mathematics in composition. (b) They wanted to celebrate the living world. 3. Possible answer: taking and holding onto power by manipulating people and keeping firm control 4. Yes. Secularism tended to focus on life for the here and now, not on eternity. 5. No. The vernacular was the language that people of a given place spoke. 6. Questions should help students define the characteristics of a potential audience. Renaissance works of art were more realistic and more secular. Their art celebrated the beauty of the present world, especially human beings. Artists used new technologies in their paintings. Chapter 17 Section 2 483
Math Meets Art in the Renaissance H-SS 7.8.5 Build Background Knowledge Have students summarize what they know from Section 2 about the interest that many people of the Renaissance had in classical Greece. (Possible answer: There was an interest in classical thought and a desire to apply classical ideas to contemporary means of expression.) Ask: How did that interest affect artists? (Possible answer: It inspired them to include classical themes in their works and to celebrate the human figure.) Instruction Have students read the introductory paragraph. Ask students if they ever have used any of the concepts mentioned in art projects. Invite students who have done so to share their experience. Draw attention to Leonardo da Vinci s sketch of a human head. If time permits, stand (or have a volunteer stand) in front of a mirror and mark his or her reflection with a grease pencil to verify that the proportions are accurate. (Alternatively, use a head shot photograph on an overhead transparency.) Before moving on to the next piece of art, ask: Does analyzing the human face in this way make the art seem less realistic? (No; it seems to make the art more true to life.) Math Meets Art in the Renaissance Believe it or not, there is a lot of geometry and math in art. Renaissance artists learned from the ancient Greeks that using mathematical principles brought harmony, beauty, and realism to their works of art. Geometry and Harmony Raphael was one of the most famous Renaissance artists. He combined curving lines and gentle colors to add beauty and harmony to his paintings. He balanced his art within geometric forms, such as a triangle or a rectangle. History-Social Science 7.8.5 Detail advances made in literature, the arts, science, mathematics, cartography, engineering, and the understanding of human anatomy and astronomy (e.g., by Dante Alighieri, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo di Buonarroti Simoni, Johann Gutenberg, William Shakespeare). Perfect Proportions Proportion is the relation of parts within a whole. For example, in the human head, the eyes are halfway down the face. Leonardo da Vinci made many drawings like this one to make sure his proportions were accurate. In this painting, Saint George Slaying the Dragon, the three figures form a triangular shape. 484 Chapter 17 The Renaissance Universal Access L1 English Language Learners L1 Less Proficient Readers L1 Special Needs Putting Art Ideas to Work Divide the class into three groups, one for each principle idea presented in the feature. Instruct groups to discuss their principle idea and some topic ideas for art works that might exemplify that principle idea. Based on the group s discussion, students in each group should work individually or in pairs to create a piece of art. When the art works are complete, then groups should discuss them and write a brief commentary about the art and the principle that they illustrate. Display the work and have a group representative share that commentary as other students examine the group s creations. 484 Chapter 17
Geometry and Harmony We live in a three-dimensional world; it has depth. But an artist s canvas is a flat surface. Artists of the Renaissance learned how to use mathematical principles to achieve perspective. Perspective is the way things look relative to one another, depending on the distance from the viewer. Artists discovered that if lines were drawn on a two-dimensional surface and made to come together at a vanishing point, it would give the look of depth and distance. Explore Renaissance Art Visit: PHSchool.com Web Code: mxp-7172 This drawing shows how linear perspective creates a vanishing point in Leonardo da Vinci s painting The Last Supper. Analyze LIFE AT THE TIME Find a Renaissance painting in this chapter, in an art book, or on the Internet. Use what you learned about math in art to analyze the painting. Pretend you are an art critic, and write a critique, or an analysis, of the painting. Instruction (continued) As you discuss the sketch of The Last Supper, which depicts a scene from the Bible, ask: Where is this picture s vanishing point? (It is on the head of Jesus, the figure in the center of the scene.) You also might explain that the horizontal line through the center of the picture is called the horizon line ; it is where the sky and ground meet. The other lines are called orthogonal lines. If possible, display a picture of the finished painting. Elicit that the use of perspective seems very natural; indeed, students probably would not have been aware of it if they had not seen the sketch. Invite students to comment about why Saint George Slaying the Dragon (which depicts a legendary act by the patron saint of England) is interesting or appealing for reasons other than its subject matter. (Students may refer to the contrast between its light and dark figures but also should address the triangle made by the figures.) Display the color transparency, Math Meets Art in the Renaissance at this time. Color Transparencies, Math Meets Art in the Renaissance Monitor Progress Have students share their responses to the Analyze question on the Student Edition page. Correct any misunderstandings. Life at the Time 485 History Background Northern and Southern Renaissance Art The term Renaissance includes two distinct but related art movements. Southern Renaissance refers to the movement in Italy; Northern Renaissance, to the movement outside of Italy, especially in France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Southern Renaissance artists focused on proportion and perspective whereas Northern Renaissance artists focused on color and detail. Differences in climate help explain why we see more frescoes in Southern Renaissance art and more oil paintings in Northern Renaissance art; differences in natural resources help to explain why we see more wooden sculptures in Northern Renaissance art and more marble sculptures in Southern Renaissance art. Analyze LIFE AT THE TIME Reviews will vary, but should demonstrate an understanding of the principles presented in the feature and should give an opinion about the work in question as well as an analysis of it. Chapter 17 485