Renaissance
The cultural and artistic revolution that began in the cities of Northern Italy in 14th century. It was characterized by a new confidence in human strength and dignity and was inspired by an increasing tendency to study the work of artists and thinkers of classical antiquity. The increasing importance of secular power to the European culture is reflected into the basic role that aristocrats-protectors had played during Renaissance. Some of these nobles, such as Lorenzo de Medici, were also gifted artists. The church have not ceased to be a great patron of the arts and the protection that great artists ensured (including Michelangelo) from Popes such as Alexander VI, Julius II and Leo X, not only changed the face of Rome but also the route of European art. Along with the changes, in the system and in the terms of "protection" of art, Renaissance has also changed radically whole position of the artist. Regarded as respectable artisans, the artists began to be treated with awe and respect, as inspired creators. Aside from admiration for the great artist’s inspiration, in Renaissance’s society dominated the ideal of universal human (homo universalis), who should have profound knowledge of the classics, be gifted in more than one kind of art, and capable scientist, engineer courtier, soldier, etc. The work of humanist scholars of Renaissance will change the character of European literary studies. The writer-scholar (first example Petrarch) was proud not for his knowledge of the metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas, but for his knowledge of ancient writers. The foundations of a new, elegant and structured, literary style were then laid, based on and inspired by the ancient Greek and Latin texts (great admiration was expressed for the style of Cicero, which was often used as a template). Thinkers like Erasmus proceeded on critical editions of classical texts and of Bible, whereas a great impetus was given to philosophical thinking through the rediscovery of many of Plato’s works. The revolutionary invention of printing was welcomed by the most enlightened humanists, who cooperated as literary advisor with printers of that era, such as Froben and Amerbach on the publication of key pieces. In the field of painting and sculpture, artists such as Giotto, Mazatsio, Donatello, Klaus Sluter, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, founded and led to perfection a new visual language, which, like classical art, considered human form and expression as the most important media for the realization of artist’s intents. The increased attention that was paid to human anatomy and knowledge of the laws of perspective led to forms filled with expressiveness in their movements and gestures, which were characterized by an intense physical "presence".