Under the patronage of Lorenzo, many new and famous artists were discovered. Artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Rahael, and Michaelangelo. These artists brought many new techniques and themes into the world of art that changed the way of art forever. It can be just simple techniques like sfumato(the smoothing/blurring of lines), the law of perspective(placement of lines to add dimension), and fresco(painting on wet plaster to bring out more color), or a much more serious theme such as humanism or the Great Chain of Being. Each of these artists also painted famous works displayed in Cathedrals, churches, and monasteries all over Italy like Michaelangelo’s ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Or for example Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man which is taught all over the world as one of the most philosophical things in history.

Lorenzo Medici was a member of one of the most powerful families in Florence during the Renaissance. Lorenzo was a humanist and a strong patron of the arts. He discovered many famous artists that are extremely well known all over the world while encouraging self expression in art and in life. Being extremely well liked by the people, Medici also met many enemies that wanted him and his brother dead. Unfortunately, Lorenzo’s brother Giuliano was assassinated by a rival family known as the Pazzi. The Pazzi wanted to kill Lorenzo and Giuliano out of fear that the new generation of Medici would grow too powerful in the eyes of the public. He died of Syphilis in 1519.

With the advancement of arts also brought forth new philosophy relating somewhat to hellenistic culture. Humanism was the idea that stressed man being the center of the universe and had dignity and value. It also help shed the light on the celebration of the individual. This encouragement helped art, music, science, and an individual’s personal talent flourish during the Renaissance. It also helped people study a vernacular language and individual subjects known now as the Humanities in school. The art in the Renaissance about humanism was often not religious but mostly mystical and drew from Greek/Roman myths and legends. Some people did not like this such as Savonarola, and led a revolt against Lorenzo and the rest of the Medici. He viewed anything not in the eye of God as sin and wanted to purge Italy of all of it through a “fundamentalist purification”. This would later be called the Bonfire of the Vanities, where Savonarola made people burn any vanities or non-necessities in a huge fire in an attempt to create a “heaven on earth”.

https://prezi.com/o4jotrpi0w_s/renaissance-humanism-in-the-modern-world/

https://sites.google.com/site/mrleesworldhistory/unit-11--renaissance