The Influence of the Renaissance

The historical period known as the Renaissance spans from about the 15th to 17th centuries. ‘Renaissance’ means ‘re-birth’ and during this time Europe left behind the fixed ideas of the Middle Ages and created the beginnings of the modern world as we know it. The civilisations of ancient Greece and Rome were rediscovered, inspiring an interest in Classical learning which challenged medieval beliefs and ideas. The population was becoming wealthier which led to an increase in trade and travel and the spread of new ideas. The rise in prosperity also generated an interest in education, supported the flourishing of the arts and promoted scientific discoveries and new inventions. Perhaps the most important of these was the printing press (see image to the right) which enabled books to be printed rather than hand-written, and allowed the distribution of information to a much wider audience than ever before, further fuelling the clamour for more knowledge.

Italy was the birthplace of the Renaissance. Its importance as a trading centre, with many coastal ports on the Mediterranean Sea, had created a wealthy society whose money helped establish Italy as a place of learning and culture. Important universities were set up, including one at Padua which had a large medical faculty where anatomy was taught. Anatomy was also important in Italy due to the many artists who worked there. Employed by wealthy Italians to decorate their houses with paintings and sculpture, they wished to recreate the lifelike images produced 1000 years earlier by the Greeks and the Romans. Artists as well as doctors studied anatomy and carried out dissections to understand the workings of the body in order to create a more realistic portrayal of the human figure.

Use the information on this page to answer the following questions:

• Which centuries are covered by the term 'Renaissance'?
• Which two civilisations were rediscovered in the 'Renaissance'?
• Why was Italian society so wealthy during this period?
• Apart from people studying medicine, which other group carried out dissections and why?