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The Renaissance in Italy is one of the most well-known periods in European history. It was a time of great cultural and artistic change, as well as economic growth. But why did this period start in Italy? And how can we account for its universal significance?
In this article, we will explore why the Renaissance began in Italy and what made it so significant.
The Renaissance was a time of great artistic change but equally important is its economic significance.
The climate for trade improved drastically over previous centuries as new technologies were introduced to increase efficiency. The middle class expanded significantly, creating more demand for artists and artwork that appealed to their tastes. This allowed the arts industries to thrive which, in turn, led people with money and power (such as kings) to invest even more heavily in artworks because it would pay off in political influence or trade agreements eventually. All these factors combined created fertile ground for Italian painters such as Leonardo da Vinci who saw an opportunity for innovation leading up until his
The renaissance was a time of great change in Europe. It started in Italy because the Italians were still using Roman numerals and it had been 500 years since they used Arabic numbers, which made books easier to read. The Italian government at the time also gave artists more freedom than other countries did, so people like Leonardo da Vinci studied there. This caused an explosion of art for that period The Renaissance saw a shift in European culture and society, such as the breaking of land-bound feudalism.
Some scholars argue that new trade routes to Asia from around 1450 allowed for increased contact with Eastern cultures (like China) which helped influence Western art and philosophy. Others say it was due to Italy being at the crossroads between Europe and Africa or because Italian cities were independent city states rather than part of larger kingdoms like most other parts of Europe at the time. Still others contend it had more to do with humanist values coming into focus in an increasingly secular world, thanks largely to inventions like moveable type printing, paper production, etc., all made possible by industrialization.
