Northern Renaissance
Northern Renaissance
Northern Renaissance
Directions: Read all of the information on this card and view the images to complete your notes chart and
the review questions on the student handout.
Gutenbergs Shop
Welcome to the shop of Johannes Gutenberg. Here is where the
printing press has been introduced and has already been used
to publish many great works. More importantly, through the
capabilities of this press, work on various topics has spread
throughout Europe much quicker than it ever could before. The
Gutenberg Bible, printed in German, has allowed many
Christians to read the Bible who were unable to read it in the Latin vernacular. In addition
to the printing of books, Gutenbergs press has been responsible for spreading the word about
political and religious movements, including the production of Martin Luthers pamphlets,
leading to the Reformation across Germany and beyond. Gutenbergs invention and eorts
will be signicant for generations to come, bringing communication into the modern world.
Durers Studio
Bucklersbury
Welcome to the little area of Bucklersbury in London, England. Here is the home of
Sir Thomas More, the author of the book, Utopia. More, and his fellow humanists
were very concerned about society and the corruption they saw building in the
modern world. They wrote, oering suggestions about the ways humans could live
better and work according to the laws of God and society to make the world a better
place. Mores book, Utopia, suggested the creation of a perfect society where the rules were ell
established and all inhabitants agreed to the social code of behavior and cooperation. Also working
at Mores home, you could nd the Christian Humanist, Desiderius Erasmus working in his
humorous way to encourage others to have a more critical view of society and its pitfalls. Erasmus
wrote The Praise of Folly, in which he exposed the wealth and waste of the popes in the Catholic
Church. Through the works of More and Erasmus, many other writers joined in the Renaissance
movement to begin creating great literary works that would be known around the world. This
attention to literature would also revolutionize the academic world and would refocus learning and
bring a greater appreciation to literary contributions of all genres.
Brugles in the Flemish Region
Here at the Brugles Canal, you can see the beauty of the European cities and
countrysides that inspired many great artists in the Northern Renaissance
period. In the Flemish region, many young artists learned, trained, and
worked under two brothers, Jan and Hubert van Eyck.. Their many scenes
depicted from the Bible were detailed and realistic, bringing a fresh awareness t
o the contributions of Biblical art. Their art technique of painting with oils
on canvas allowed for texture and depth in the artwork, and this new style spread to Italy,
impacting the great artists of the movement there.
Another signicant Northern artist was Pieter Brueghel. Brueghel traveled to Italy and
back, often disguised as a peasant to learn about the people and scenes he wished to depict in
his art. His many paintings show the life of the peasant and country class in the early ages
of the Renaissance period. From wedding celebrations and festivals to the games children
played, he gave Europeans a glimpse of the life of the peasants of their world.
London
The French have always prided themselves for great elegance and beauty, and
their works in the time of the Northern Renaissance show those traits. First,
French architects began works on the many chateaus that lines the
countryside and some city landscapes. The combination of gothic style with
classical shapes brought the French their own detailed contribution to the
setting. In addition to the architecture, the French too had authors and poets
who inspired all of Europe with their pieces. Michel de Montaigne wrote the
rst known personal essays, introducing a new literary genre in which emotion and prose
could come together to express the personal views of the writer. Francois Rabelais wrote in a
completely dierent style, using humor and parodies to attack the wrongs he saw in everyday
life. His broad range of writing was often open and frank, never leaving the reader unaware
of his views on society and how individuals should make every eort to enjoy every minute of
life given to them in their lives.
Directions: Read the information and review the images on the Reading Handout. Complete your notes with
who, what, when, where and why for each location and answer the wrap-up questions on this response sheet.
on Gutenbergs Shop
Notes
What happened at this location?
How did it impact the growth of the Renaissance?
Notes
on Durers Studio
What happened at this location?
How did it impact the growth of the Renaissance?
Notes on Bucklersbury
What happened at this location?
How did it impact the growth of the Renaissance?
Notes on Brugles
What happened at this location?
How did it impact the growth of the Renaissance?
Notes on London
What happened at this location?
How did it impact the growth of the Renaissance?
Notes on Paris & Bordeaux in France
What happened at this location?
How did it impact the growth of the Renaissance?
What signicance did Northern Europe play in the Renaissance? What cultural
changes did they contribute?
How did the people of Northern Europe contribute to its advancement and success in
the Renaissance period? What specic individuals played a key role?
What are the topics and styles of the art and literature created in Northern Europe
during the early Renaissance period? List the artists and authors, pieces, styles,
themes, and techniques.