It was no accident that Florence wanted to create such a gigantic dome. In the 15th century, Italy  looked quite different from the Italy of today. The country was divided into numerous  independent city states.

The rivalry that existed  between them was expressed through either military action or the arts. This motivated each of their ruling families to attract the best scholars, painters, sculptors and architects to contribute to their city’s prestige.

At the same time, painting underwent a minor revolution, with the arrival of geometrical perspective!

Practically speaking, this meant that it was possible to create an impression of depth on a two- dimensional medium, thanks to “lines” that all seemed to end at the same place, called the “vanishing point”.

In the end, all the painters adopted this technique, which broke away from what was practiced during the Middle Ages. This marked the end of the idealized, symbolic art of this era! Artists now wanted to portray scenes with realistic landscapes and characters, experiencing real emotions.

This “oil” painting was all the rage throughout Europe, and with it, colours were brighter and more transparent.

Modifications and highly detailed work became possible.

Near the end of the 15th century, there was also movement in the intellectual sphere. A new school of thought emerged: humanism.

There were two aspects to this:

• Firstly, pride of place was given to human beings. A human being is intelligent and curious, and always in search of the truth.
• Secondly, ancient Christian texts were again considered a source of inspiration for this.

He had enormous influence in the world of art. In architecture, for example, the ancient treaty of Vitruvius would inspire all the builders of the time.

Thanks to these writings, there was enthusiasm in Italy with regard to Antiquity. This resulted in an increase in archaeological excavations, with the hope of finding ever more ancient works. When the statue of Laocoon, so often mentioned in Roman writings, emerged from the ground, the event took on European proportions.
 
All of these sculptures were considered to be harmonious and balanced, or, put simply, perfect! They were therefore a must as models for modern artists, who certainly did not hold back on this.
 
 

Artistic subjects that had been forgotten for centuries, suddenly came back into favour: a (renewed) welcome was extended to nudes and portraits!

Maybe we should summarize? At the end of the 15th century, then, this was the situation in Europe:

• Artists with new ideas…
• Who had the benefit of revolutionary techniques
• Support from families who were patrons of the arts
• An exciting intellectual context
• Seeking to return to antique sources

If we mix it all in together, what we get is the “Renaissance”! This was a time of cultural upheaval that was to last until the 16th century.

Which countries were the most affected?

Towards 1504, a sculptor was putting the final touches to his work in Florence. Michelangelo had portrayed King David, a hero from the Bible, in a 4-metre-high statue.

This sculpture was much talked about, because it met all the criteria to make it a masterpiece of the Renaissance:

• It was a technical feat: the sculpture was created from a single marble block. Michelangelo won this battle with matter simply by reasoning.
• It was a Christian subject, but its form was antique (seen in its nudity, and the swaying hips)
• It was a political statement that, like David, the city of Florence was determined to face up to its rival cities.