Definition for Renaissance
From Biology Forums Dictionary
Renaissance (14th to 15th centuries) architecture sought to capture the forms and ideals of the ancient Greeks and Romans, and follow human rather than ecclesiastical principles and potentials. Three principle changes separate Renaissance style from its predecessors: (1) there is a mechanical and geometric revival of Roman buildings; (2) decorative detail appears on the facades of buildings; and (3) structural systems are hidden from view. Painting in the Renaissance style has a gravity and monumentality that makes figures seem larger than life-size. The use of deep perspective and modeling to create dramatic contrasts gives solidity to the figures and unifies the paintings. Atmospheric perspective enhances deep spatial naturalism. Figures are strong, detailed, and very human. At the same time, the composition carefully subordinates the parts of the painting to the whole. Renaissance sculpture reflects a newly developed skill in creating images of great lifelikeness, but the goal of Renaissance sculptors, unlike the classical Greeks, was not to idealize human form but to portray it in a more complex, balanced, and action-filled dimension. Relief sculpture of this style found new ways of representing deep space through the systematic use of perspective. Freestanding sculpture dominated and exhibited a focus on anatomy. Renaissance sculpture’s best examples are those of Donatello and Ghiberti.
