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Humanism shifted Europe's focus from The Church, religion and God's will to the philosophy of secularism. The belief that humans have free will, rather than everything being God's will, caused philosophers to look toward individual expression, self examination and personal freedom.
Medieval art focused largely on the religious. Aside from that, however, there was always secular art produced, the Bayeux Tapestry being one example. The secular gradually became more important in the second half of the Middle Ages and was largely like art today in its subject matter, which included themes relating to love, war, normal life, and so on.
The term for the renaissance focus on positive human qualities is humanism. It is defined as an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.
History can be divided into many periods in many different ways, depending on what you are interested in and on how wide or narrow a focus you apply. For example, you could define history (and pre-history) as the stone age, the copper age, the bronze age, the iron age, and the steel age; or you could define it as ancient, middle ages, renaissance, and modern. Or you could focus on a region, such as the Americas, and define periods as Pre-Columbian, colonial, post-colonial and modern. Or you could focus on one country and look at periods specific to the history of that country. For England, for example, they might include the pre-Roman period, the Roman period, the Saxon period, the Plantagenet dynasty, the Tudor Period, the Stuart period, the Victorian age, or several other overlapping designations.
There are several photography lessons available in the Columbia SC area. Each has a different focus. The Midlands technical College offers a photography certificate program. "Snap Classes" (snapclasses,com) offers classes for the hobbyist.
Humanism emphasized the importance of human values, dignity, and potential, shifting away from the traditional focus on religious or supernatural matters. It placed an emphasis on human reason, individualism, and critical thinking, marking a departure from the rigid dogmas of the past. Humanism also led to a revival of classical learning and a focus on secular subjects such as literature, history, and art.
Humanism shifted focus away from religious authority and tradition towards human potential and capabilities. It emphasized critical thinking, rationality, and individualism over dependence on divine revelation. This marked a shift towards a more human-centered worldview.
Renaissance
Medieval art tended to focus on the religious subjects theme.
The intellectual movement of the Renaissance was characterized by a revival of interest in classical learning, a focus on humanism and individualism, and advancements in science and the arts. It encouraged critical thinking, creativity, and a new approach to understanding the world. This period marked a shift from the medieval mindset to one that embraced cultural, artistic, and scientific innovations.
Humanism focused on the study of classical literature, history, and ethics, emphasizing the potential of human beings and their capabilities. In contrast, medieval scholasticism was centered around theological and philosophical teachings of the church, placing an emphasis on reasoning and logic to understand faith and doctrine. Humanism promoted individualism, critical thinking, and a revival of ancient texts, while scholasticism was more concerned with harmonizing faith and reason within a theological framework.
Religion
Humanism is a concern and focus on human beings. Both the religious and the non-religious can care about others. But with a religious humanism, including a Christian humanism, the concern will first be with the god and obey the religion's rules and perhaps converting people to the religion. Then after all that, you might worry about the person starving to death. With a secular humanism your first concern is with the person starving. A religion will always put the god first, then people, even if the religion does care about the well being of other people. A secular humanism goes directly to caring about the person.
The Renaissance was characterized by a renewed interest in learning, the arts, and classical knowledge. It emphasized humanism, individualism, and a belief in the potential of human creativity and achievement. This period marked a shift from the medieval focus on the divine to a celebration of human intellect and potential.
Religious images were not a major focus of Renaissance art as opposed to Medieval art.
Northern humanism emphasized a greater focus on religious and moral reform, as well as a profound connection to Christian theology. It also placed a stronger emphasis on the importance of education and the development of the individual's relationship with God.
Religious images were not a major focus of Renaissance art as opposed to Medieval art.