Italian Renaissance Essays (511 words) - Renaissance,

Italian Renaissance "How was the Italian Renaissance an age in which life was a work of art?" The Renaissance was an important time. It was a time when new ideas were formed, worldly places became more important, and great people became known. All of which paved the way to future inventions, philosophies, and life as we know it. During the Renaissance, new possibilities were explored. One of which was a group of people who called themselves Humanists. Humanism was a movement based on the literature and ideas of ancient Greece and Rome. Humanists focused on secular themes, rather than those that were religious. They also believed that individualism, human improvement and that people should develop their talents through many activities. Humanism was influential in that more attention was paid to literature, the arts and education. Because education was becoming more important, more schools were opened. Students were taught all that was taught in classical Greek schools such as Greek, Latin, history and philosophy. The humanists strongly believed that education could help people to improve themselves. Humanism also inspired literature to become more universal. Many authors were discovered. Also, a form of poetry, called a sonnet, was developed. The humanists were very important to the Renaissance, without their teachings much would have been left undiscovered. The city stated of Florence, Rome and Venice were also important parts of the Renaissance. Florence was ruled by a line of successful and wealthy rulers. Florence produced many great things. Great rulers, great architects, great sculptors and great painters. Thus leading the way through art. Rome was the leading renaissance city during the 1500's. Many artists and scholars went to Rome to be taught by master craftsmen. Rome also became a site of great religious increases. Venice was a city of great trading. It linked Asia and Western Europe in trade routes, also drawing traders from the rest of the world. Venice was also known for it's artistic achievements. Florence, Rome and Venice were three of the most influential powers during the Renaissance. The arts were extremely important to the Renaissance, and very influential. Architecture was modeled after classical Greek and Roman stylings. The greatest Italian architect was Filippo Brunelleschi, who was best known for his completion of a cathedral in 1436. Sculpture, as did architecture, reflected ancient Greek and Roman ideas. The best known sculptors were Donatello, Michelangelo and Ghiberti. Donatello was the first sculptor to cast free standing figures. Michelangelo was best known for his free standing figure of David, and Ghiberti for his ten biblical scenes on Florence cathedral's walls. During the Renaissance, painting acquired a more realistic style. Some famous painters of the time are Giotto, Michelangelo, and probably the most famous of all, Leonardo Da Vinci. Da Vinci is best known for his works of The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. During the Renaissance, boundaries were explored, new heights were discovered and a whole new way of life was found. The renaissance truly was an age in which life was a work of art not only because art was so important to that time period, but because everything was original and new. Without the renaissance, and the people who lived during it, such as Da Vinci, modern life may not have been so modern.

Free Essays on Frank Lloyd Wright

The Life and Works of Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright was the world’s most fabulous architect of all time. This was his ambition in life and he managed to meet his goals. Kaufmann and Raeburn quote him saying, "...having a good start not only do I fully intend to be the greatest architect who has yet lived, but fully intend to be the greatest architect who will ever live. Yes, I intend to be the greatest architect of all time" (Writings 21). With much research Kaufmann discovered that throughout Wright’s life he completed one hundred and eighty eight structures (338). All of his buildings were not simply concrete and/or wood but art. Born in Richland Center, in southwestern Wisconsin, on June 8, 1867, sometimes reported as 1869, Frank Lincoln Wright changed by himself to Frank Lloyd Wright was raised in the influence of a Welsh heritage. Kaufmann and Raeburn learned through Mr. Wright’s writings that the Lloyd-Jones family, his mother's side of the family, had great influence on Mr. Wright throughout his life. The family was Unitary in faith and lived close to each other. Major aspects within the Lloyd-Jones family included education, religion, and nature. Wright's family spent many evenings listening to William Lincoln Wright read the works of Emerson, Thoreau, and Blake out loud. Also his aunts Nell and Jane opened a school of their own pressing the philosophies of German educator, Froebel. Wright was brought up in a comfortable, but certainly not warm household. His father, William Carey Wright, who worked as a preacher and a musician, moved from job to job, dragging his family across the United States. His parents divorced when Wright was still young. His mother Anna (Lloyd-Jones) Wright relied heavily upon her many brothers, sisters and uncles, and was intellectually guided by his aunts and his mother (Writings 6-18). â€Å"Before her son was born, Anna Wright had decided that her son was gong to ... Free Essays on Frank Lloyd Wright Free Essays on Frank Lloyd Wright I have chosen to critique one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s well-known homes, the Kaufmann House. It sits on a wooded terrain in Bear Run, PA and was built in 1936. The principle building material used here is reinforced concrete and stone. This home is also a perfect example of Wright’s naturalistic style of integrating modern materials into a serene natural landscape. In the case of the Kaufmann House, the positioning of the house nearly on top of a small waterfall marries the house and landscape in an aesthetically exciting and mysterious way. I am a true fan of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work. In addition to a naturalistic style, which is my taste in homes, he has designed other homes such as a home with a distinguished sense of privacy in a busy downtown area. Unfortunately, I forget the name of the home at the moment and lack the literature at hand. Regardless, Wright’s designs focus on clean visual lines and integration of a home to its site. His use of modern materials such as reinforced concrete and traditional materials such as stone also marries today’s technology with the aesthetically pleasing feeling of days gone by. I do not feel that Wright’s work was necessarily representative of its time because Wright was creating homes that had no contemporary equal. I truly believe he was ahead of his time. I do, on the other hand, feel that his work was representative of the place and culture it was completed. The Kaufmann House, for example, works well with its site and has the subdued feeling of the Pennsylvania countryside. Because Wright was sensitive to the area in which his designs were to take form, it is hard to imagine the waterfall without the house and the house without the waterfall. In my opinion, this is what makes the Kaufmann House such a successful piece of architecture... Free Essays on Frank Lloyd Wright These ideas proposed by Wright represent a half century of ingenuity and unrivaled creativity. Wright was unquestionably a architectural genius and was years ahead of his time. The biggest obstacle which held Wright back throughout his career was the lack of technogaly that was present during his time. As a architect, Wright accomplished more that any other in history, with the possible exception of DaVincci or Michangelo. His philosophy of Organic Architecture showed the world that form and function could both by achieved to create a house that was both true to nature and affordable. Wrights homes, have today become monuments of greatness and distictionn. Most of them serve as museums, displaying the his ideas and the achievements of a lifetime of innovation. It wasn't until Wright published "The Natural House" however, that he fully was able to illustrate all of his ideas relating toward housing. In the "Natural House" wright defines the meaning of Organic Architecture and how it c an be applied to creating housing which provides a closeness to nature for the occupents. Wright was undoubtly a romantic and individualist. His feeling toward nature and self integrity can best be shown by comparing them to those shared by Emerson and Thoreau. Wrights deep love of nature and his individualism were formed from the events which influenced him as a child and up until his days working for Louis Sullivan. In order to fully understand the ideas which Wright proposed through his philosophy of Organic Architecture, one must first understand the events and influences which led to their creation. As a child, Wrights parents always encouraged him to be a free thinker and individualist. Both of his parents were intelligent and creative people by nature. They, of all people had the greatest influence on Wright. Throughout his life they were extreamly supportive of Wrights dream of becoming an architect, and always made sure that he had books and pic... Free Essays on Frank Lloyd Wright The Life and Works of Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright was the world’s most fabulous architect of all time. This was his ambition in life and he managed to meet his goals. Kaufmann and Raeburn quote him saying, "...having a good start not only do I fully intend to be the greatest architect who has yet lived, but fully intend to be the greatest architect who will ever live. Yes, I intend to be the greatest architect of all time" (Writings 21). With much research Kaufmann discovered that throughout Wright’s life he completed one hundred and eighty eight structures (338). All of his buildings were not simply concrete and/or wood but art. Born in Richland Center, in southwestern Wisconsin, on June 8, 1867, sometimes reported as 1869, Frank Lincoln Wright changed by himself to Frank Lloyd Wright was raised in the influence of a Welsh heritage. Kaufmann and Raeburn learned through Mr. Wright’s writings that the Lloyd-Jones family, his mother's side of the family, had great influence on Mr. Wright throughout his life. The family was Unitary in faith and lived close to each other. Major aspects within the Lloyd-Jones family included education, religion, and nature. Wright's family spent many evenings listening to William Lincoln Wright read the works of Emerson, Thoreau, and Blake out loud. Also his aunts Nell and Jane opened a school of their own pressing the philosophies of German educator, Froebel. Wright was brought up in a comfortable, but certainly not warm household. His father, William Carey Wright, who worked as a preacher and a musician, moved from job to job, dragging his family across the United States. His parents divorced when Wright was still young. His mother Anna (Lloyd-Jones) Wright relied heavily upon her many brothers, sisters and uncles, and was intellectually guided by his aunts and his mother (Writings 6-18). â€Å"Before her son was born, Anna Wright had decided that her son was gong to ...