The German Renaissance

The German Renaissance, part of the Northern Renaissance which influenced the German, French, English, and Polish Renaissances, which originated from the Italian Renaissance, was a cultural and artistic movement that involved many of Germans finest thinkers throughout the 15th and 16th centuries. Germany had a slow start to its renaissance, it took a little over a century for it to actually kick into gear. Many of its artists, scientists, and men of the church traveled to Italy during the early stages, and brought back the ideals of the Italian Renaissance. The most accomplished of these people were those that were able to use the basis of the Italian Renaissance thinking, but still retain their German culture.

This movement allowed for classical thinking, the arts, and the natural sciences to become the forefront of thinking within Germany. There was a renewed interest in classical learning; old documents were being brought forth for examination and study. This was of thinking was a must for anyone living in the renaissance, and to do such was a great part of one's education. Many great German artists came forth through this movement; artists such as, Albrecht Dürer, a painter and woodworker known for his woodcut prints and who is considered one of the most famous artists of that period, and a vast number of musicians. Even some of Germany's Renaissance Architecture was inspired by Albrecht Dürer's work.

Self-Portrait at 28, 1500 by Albrecht Dürer

Literature and art were referenced back to the times of Ancient Greek and Roman societies and mythology, no doubt because of the influence the Holy Roman Empire still had on Germany back in the 15th and 16th centuries. The natural sciences, through developed from the Greek and Roman philosophies and teachings, were more developed upon. During the beginning, most art included printmaking, altarpiece art, and smaller devotional works such as secular panel paintings and religious wood carving. A few years into the Renaissance, a big influence became the Protestant Reformation, which continued on through the German Renaissance. Many artists struggled after the Reformation because there was no longer a demand for religious art. This led to more artists painting for courts; mostly portrait art and landscape painting. They sold their new kind of art to the rich and noble.

Baldassare Castiglione's "The Book of the Courtier" and Martin Luther's German Translation of the Bible
Examples of Renaissance and Reformation impacts on art and literature

Seeing as I am myself a fan of most art forms, I find that renaissances are a most intriguing time in a countries history. It is a time when thoughts are expanded upon, ideas flow freely, and art is at its finest. I think it is very interesting how the Reformation affected the transition of the Renaissance. It basically forced artists to find a new subject matter because of the low demand for religious art. This opened up Germany to a whole new spectrum of pieces; woodworking was at its finest. I also remember reading that because of the division of Protestantism and Catholicism, there was a divide in what the north and south of Germany focus on, which can be noticed even to this day; north is the arts and sciences, while the south is literature and knowledge.

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