5 Key Ideas of the Renaissance

The Renaissance rekindled Europe’s spark by reviving classical wisdom and celebrating human potential, transforming art, science, and society.

1

Classicism

Scholars hunted ancient Greek and Roman texts to revive classical learning and spark Europe’s rebirth. These ideals shaped symmetry and proportion in art, literature, and architecture.

2

Humanism

Humanism placed people at the center of study, celebrating human achievement and rational thought.  The printing press spread humanist texts by Petrarch and Erasmus far and wide.

3

Individualism

The Renaissance fostered the “Renaissance man,” valuing well-rounded personal achievement across disciplines.  Artists signed works and studied anatomy to express individual creativity.

4

Secularism

A shift toward worldly life encouraged art and architecture focused on human experience, not just religious themes.  Powerful patrons like the Medici funded public works to uplift civic virtue.

5

Scepticism

Thinkers questioned received wisdom, leading to breakthroughs in science, astronomy, and anatomy.  Galileo’s telescopic observations challenged medieval cosmology and spurred modern science.