What Motivated the Influencers?
To understand what
influenced Renaissance artists, one must first understand the causes of the
Renaissance. The Renaissance was caused because of many factors: the corruption
of the Catholic Church, Greek and Roman ideas that gave people more
answers than the church did, and the rise of the middle class. Renaissance art
was influenced by the increased awareness of nature, revival of classical
ideas, and more individualistic views of man. These ideas came along with the
social and economic changes like secularization of daily life, the rise of
rational money-credit economy, and a widely increased social mobility. Artists
strove to portray lifelike human forms with correct proportions and
expressions. Many studied science advancements, and many studied corpses to
better their understanding of the human body. They also wanted to highlight the
achievements of the past, so people would not forget them. Ancient Rome
influenced the art of many artists. Old Roman and Greek statues became the
model for Renaissance art. Humanism was another major influence on Renaissance
art. Many artists did sculptures depicting god(s).