Comparison Between Italian and Northern Reinassance Art

The Renaissance was without a doubt the most powerful weapon that civilization has ever used to reflect and create their realistic pieces of art which represented the real humanistic spirit. There was an outstanding depiction of the Renaissance starting in Italy and then Northern parts of Europe. Anyhow, even though both the Italian Renaissance and Northern Renaissance are considered pieces of art, there were still many differences between them and also similarities which helped in the cultivation and reflection of Humanism.

To begin, differences such as in religion, ideals, and sometimes even reason of existence were evident between the two Renaissances. These differences were as a matter of fact evident based on the diverse roots of the two Renaissances. “The Northern Renaissance was distinct from the Italian Renaissance in its centralization of political power. While Italy was dominated by independent city-states, countries in central and western Europe began emerging as nation-states” (“Northern Renaissance”). These differences were crucial regarding the development of the Renaissance and the branches that got out of it, making the two Renaissances as much different as they were similar.

Similarities of course were shockingly not just similarities but same patterns of art, ideas, and beliefs. The paintings and anything worked by humanists were portrayed on the same realistic bases. “Painter Giotto di Bondone’s contribution to Italian Renaissance Art was in his depiction of the concept of space, something well known to the ancient Greeks and Roman” (“Giotto di Bondone,”). Manifest of Roman and Greek ideas was obviously apparent in the way these painters worked and in the way they gave their message to the humanity.

A crucial difference between the two Renaissances was between the portrayed figures on the paintings and as a result the ideas and messages given by these paintings. “Northern art was more concerned with Christianity than with Greek and Roman, in part a reflection of the turmoil of the Protestant Reformation” (“Northern Renaissance”). As a result of the different political and religious movements and events in Northern Europe, deeper religious feelings and beliefs were given out to people and also reflected by these modern paintings.

A major difference between the Northern and Italian Renaissances was that of language. “While Italy’s humanists turned Latin and Greek, the northerners began to write in the vernacular creating literature that was widely accessible. The greater use and respectability of the vernacular languages played an important role in the formation of the new nation states that were largely defined by language” (“Northern Renaissance”). Differences in language created afterwards immense disconnections from the two Renaissances.

Renaissance art and architecture was also different between Northern Europe and Italy since also the architects and artists used different techniques based on different ideaslsFor one thing, the north held on to Gothic (or “Middle Ages”) art and architecture with a tighter, longer grip than did Italy. Architecture, in particular, remained Gothic until well into the 16th century.” (“The Renaissance in Northern”).

The Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance were the two periods of time when humanity had to use their beliefs, ideals, and opinions to show the real picture of the world. Painters painted on a realistic background and artists used what they thought represented the reality. Similarities and differences can be found between these two Renaissances. An outstanding number of differences took the best on the similarities which are still evident even though time has shown mostly the first mentioned. In conclusion, the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance were two of the most important movements and events which marked the end of the 14th century with their different but also somehow similar ideals and beliefs, creating in Europe what we see now, differences and similarities between people of different religions, beliefs, and ethnicity.

Works Cited

“Giotto di Bondone, Italian Renaissance Painter.” Fine Art Touch. 26 Nov.

2006 .

“The Renaissance in Northern Europe.” Art History 101. 26 Nov. 2006

. “Northern Renaissance.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 22 Nov 2006, 22:19 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 26 Nov 2006 .