Music Time Periods: Renaissance Era

Renaissance Era: Influential Events, Institutions, and People

Leonardo da Vinci	Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni

The Renaissance Era in Europe was a period of innovation in multiple areas. Artists and scholars flourished across the continent. During this time period, Greek and Roman writings were rediscovered, which sparked heavy interest in discovery and education.
Technology such as the printing press was invented during this era. The printing press allowed documents to be duplicated and shared for the first time. However, the written word was still only accessible to the wealthy or the church. Despite this, more people were provided with information that they would not have had access to in the Medieval era.
The disbursement of material contributed to a decline in the Catholic Church. Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation was born. The humanistic spirit was prevalently demonstrated in the sculptures, paintings, literature, and music of the era.

You may have heard the term “Renaissance Man” or “Renaissance Woman,” which is used to refer to someone who has multiple talents or is good at many things. Leonardo da Vinci is a well-known inventor, scholar, and artist. Many of Italian artist Michelangelo’s sculptures and paintings can be seen today in museums and even the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.