Renaissance culture was inherent in Central and Western Europe in the time interval between the 14th and 16th centuries. During this period, the picture of the world changed very radically: humanism found its place in it. The Renaissance culture was founded on antiquity. It was precisely because this era tended to revive the traditions of the ancient world, and it was called the Renaissance or the Renaissance.
Back in the 13th century, it wasn’t peculiar to art to depict a person in general (the human image was used only when writing icons), it depicted only the relationship of a person to God, and then in abstract forms. The architecture of that time was characterized by Gothic and ethereal.
But already at the beginning of the 14th century, art began to change radically: N. Pisano was changing the style of architecture, and the artist Giotto di Bondone began to paint completely new style paintings: three-dimensional, more lively, cheerful, realistic, with clearly defined objects of the environment.
Towards the end of the 15th century, the culture of the Renaissance reaches its peak: many artists work in a new style, using perspective, trying to portray the “ideal person”. In architecture, the Gothic style completely ceases to be used - it is replaced by the classical one, the basis of which is proportionality and balance.
If we talk directly about painting, it should be said that the artistic culture of the Renaissance is divided into several periods: Early, High, Late and Northern Renaissance.
A classic example of the art culture of the Early Renaissance are paintings by Sandro Batticelli. Such paintings as “The Birth of Venus”, “Mourning of Christ” and “Spring”, not only made the artist's name immortal, but also became one of the first successful attempts to portray the beauty of the human body.
The High Renaissance is characterized by the image of a harmonious and free personality, a sort of ideal. One of the most prominent artists of that time was Leonardo da Vinci - it is with his name that many associate Renaissance culture.
A brilliant artist, musician, architect, anatomist, sculptor, engineer, poet, seer - all this can be said about him. Many of his sketched, but not implemented inventions are used in the modern world, and the mysterious Mona Lisa to this day excites the imagination of many.
Late Renaissance is characterized by mannerism, which did not affect only Venice. This period can be called the period of decline of culture.
The Northern Renaissance is akin to the art of late Gothic. The most prominent artists of this period were the following: Baldung Hans, Jerome Bosch, Hans Holbein, Peter Brueghel and Jan Van Eyck.
The musical culture of the Renaissance is both related and distinct from the art of the Middle Ages. In Italy, during the Renaissance, the leading place still belongs to church chants, but polyphonic singing is already beginning to develop, which made it possible to complicate musical works and make them more emotional and unusual.
The Netherlands was able to significantly develop their musical traditions, forming a polyphonic school. It was noteworthy in that it taught young musicians not only Dutch, but also English, French and Italian traditions.
In France, attention was paid to music not only in the form of church hymns, but also in the form of a polyphonic secular song called a chanson.
In Rome, as in the Netherlands, a polyphonic school was founded. The peculiarity of the Roman musical tradition was complex music and a clear, clear text.
In Venice, the compositions were unusually magnificent and luxurious, and in England small home musical compositions gained unprecedented popularity.