The Most Important and Famous People of the Renaissance
Renaissance is another word for European culture. It refers to a period of European economic and political rebirth. Renaissance provides us with information about art that has spread in people’s hearts.
During the 14th to 15th centuries, renaissance encouraged the development of literature and art. As a result, many artists and literature writers became famous for their masterpieces during these centuries. This article will talk about some of the Renaissance people, their contributions, and other facts regarding their lives.
Most Famous Renaissance People
Many writers, mathematicians, explorers, composers, artists, and architects became famous during the Renaissance due to their expertise and talent. Below is a list of some well-known Renaissance people with their life facts.
Artists And Architects
Donatello
When we talk of 14th and 15th centuries artists, Donatello always comes first. Along with being a prominent artist, he was famous for his remarkable expertise in statues and sculptures.
His creations were mainly of wood, marble, and bronze. There exist many remarkable creations made by him. Some include the Feast of Herod, the Saint Mark statue, Zuccone, etc. Judith and Holofrence were his last creations which were completed in 1460.
Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci became a famous artist by the age of 14. There is no doubt that you would recognize the painting of Mona Lisa, which was the creation of this true Renaissance man.
Along with being a well-known artist, he was also a scientist, engineer, architect, philosopher, and sculptor. In addition, he was extremely fascinated by nature: how plants grow, why clouds form, and more. One of the drawings can be seen on the 1 euro coin of Italy.
Raphael
Raphael was one of the well-known artists of his time. Giovanni Santi, a painter, was his father. Raphael got his first painting lesson from his father. Later Raphael joined a workshop, and by the age of 17, he was known as a master.
His creations include The Transfiguration, Madonna in the Meadow, Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione, and many other paintings. People still admire his creation due to the clarity of form in his paintings.
Sandro Botticelli
He was one of the greatest artists of Renaissance time. Primavera and the Birth of Venus are his most popular paintings by which he earned a good reputation. His creations have a belief in secularism which was full of feelings. However, he was a religious person who mainly concentrated on mythological content.
Michelangelo
In Renaissance times, people had different thinking. For example, they used to think that making a human body on a piece of paper was a sin. At that time, Michelangelo was the only person who changed their thinking through his creations, hence, earning a good reputation.
Today, Michelangelo is well-known as a sculptor and painter. His creations include the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the Creation of Adam, the Torment of Saint Anthony, and many others.
El Greco
He was a prominent artist of his time. His creations were completely different from other artists as he made elongated figures. Even though he opened his workshop, he faced many financial problems due to non-payment for the creations he delivered to his customers. His creations include The Holy Trinity, Christ Healing the Blind, Saint Martin, the Beggar, and many others.
Titan
Tiziano Vecelli was the real name of Titan, who was a great artist of the Renaissance period. His first painting was Assumption of the Virgin, which had a true balance and bold colors.
It was the only reason he earned a great reputation and was appreciated by people. Later he created masterpieces such as the rape of Europa, Venus of Urbino, the death of Actaeon, and many other creations.
Mathematicians
Nicolaus Copernicus
He was a great mathematician as well as a well-known astronomer. He is popularly known as the father of modern astrology because he gave the theory: “the Sun is the center of the universe and not the Earth. Therefore, all the planets of the solar system including the Earth rotate around the Sun.” He also named it “heliocentric planetary theory.”
Galileo Galilei
He was a famed astronomer, mathematician, engineer, and physicist. He is also known as the father of modern physics. He had earned great prestige due to his discoveries. Rings of Saturn is one of his discoveries. He also discovered the four moons of Jupiter, which were later named Galilean moons.
Johannes Kepler
He was a prominent mathematician, astrologer, and astronomer. He also used to write books on music. His famous books include Harmonice Mundi, Astronomia nova, and many others. He also believed in “heliocentric planetary theory”; hence, he discovered three laws of planetary motion to prove this theory.
Writers
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare played a very important role in the English language. Many new words were introduced by him, which played an important role in the formation of English. He gave many new phrases for about 1700 words used in English today. Therefore, he was awarded respectfully with the Lucille award for outstanding revival.
Francesco Petrarca
He was very well known for his work regarding Italian poetry. His famous writings include Rerum vulgarium fragmenta, trionfi, songbook, and many more. He received an award with great respect, “the Poet laureate of Padua.” He was even one of the earliest humanists. His Italian poetry made him very famous. The father of humanism is the general name given to him.
Philosophers
Niccolò Machiavelli
In 1513, he wrote his most famous writing, “political treatise the prince.” ‘Father of Political Philosophy’ is a name given to him. His other famous writing was discourses on livy.
His interest not only ended in writing, but he also handled military affairs in the Florentine Republic. Father of modern political science is also a name given to him. He also believed in Christianity a lot.
Thomas More
His other name is Saint Thomas More. Utopia, a book published in 1516, was a very famous book by Thomas More. He supported the Catholic Church and also fought against its criticism His famous works include Latin poems, a merry jest, supplication of souls, and many more. Thomas More also studied King Richard 3’s history.
Giordano Bruno
He was a nature lover. Giordano Bruno believed that this universe we live in has many other infinite numbers of worlds. By profession, he was an astronomer and philosopher. His well-known writings include “De l’infinito, Universo e Mondi,” Cena de le Ceneri, and many more.
Composers
Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina
The Renaissance period included great composers like him. In the 16th century, he was the most famous person related to music composition. He ended up with 11 litanies, 72 hymns, 140 madrigals, 300 motets, and many more.
He focused a lot on influencing secular music and the church in Europe. After this famous legend’s death, he became even more famous. His first book of masses was studied and even hand-copied by J.S.Bach.
Orlande De Lassus
Mons was the city in which this 16th-century legend was born. In the list of the most creative and universal composers of the late Renaissance, there is the name of Orlande de Lassus.
He wrote about 2005 words in different languages, including French, Italian, German, Latin, etc. If you see the names of the three most popular and influential musicians at the end of the 16th century in Europe, you can see the name of Orlande De Lassus.
Explorers And Navigators
Christopher Columbus
Italian Christofer Columbus was a famous navigator as well as a great explorer. He is very famous and well known today because he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean and discovered many parts of the world. However, the Americas was the most known discovery by him.
The birthdate of Christopher Columbus is not accurate but is imagined between the 25th of August and 31st of October in the year 1451. Diego and Fernando were the two children of Christopher Columbus.
Amerigo Vespucci
Italian Amerigo Vespucci was a very well-known personality. He was a prominent merchant, explorer, navigator and belonged to the Republic of Florence. He was the first to know that North and South America are different continents. Therefore, the term America is derived from the name Amerigo Vespucci.
Hernán Cortés
He was a citizen of Spain and lived in a city named Medellin. His full name was Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano. He is very famous and well-known for his achievements, including claiming Mexico on behalf of Spain and conquering the Aztecs.
He was also well-known for the Spanish conquest of Honduras. However, he was not from a noble family. The status of his family was between the nobles and the middle class.
Ferdinand Magellan
He was born in Portugal in the city Sabrosa. The 1519 Spanish expedition, which was done through the East Indies in the Pacific Ocean to open a maritime trade route, was planned by him. When the crew members completed the expedition, they had completed the very first circumnavigation of the Earth.
Humanists
Erasmus Of Rotterdam
He was a Dutch philosopher and humanist proudly considered the Great scholar of the North Renaissance. He believed that one could change himself or improve himself by education. Hence, he promoted good quality education everywhere.
Leonardo Bruni
He was an Italian man famous for his statesmanship and human qualities. Some people called him the first modern historian. He was the first to write about three stages of history: antiquity, middle age, and modern age. In addition, he wrote treatises on architecture; it was one of his most famous works.
Leon Battista Alberti
He was an Italian priest, philosopher, architect, humanist, and cryptographer. He was born in Genoa, Italy. Along with Humanist qualities, he was well-known for his stunning architecture and linguistic qualities. However, he always focused on defining his building art, assembling cities or small buildings.
Conclusion
These famous personalities played an important role in different platforms in their own ways. Their lives may inspire today’s generation and teach us something very important.
They also played a very important role in music, writing, and many other platforms. Even today, many people follow their paths and become successful in their lives, and they see them as inspiration. All the above discussed famous persons brightened up the era of the Renaissance.