Summary:
The Renaissance was a foundation for the Enlightenment.
The Renaissance in Europe was a political movement in Europe that revived Greek and Roman art, literature and learning. The Enlightenment sparked reason and the use of the Scientific method to explain the world. Although the Renaissance took place in the 14th and 16th century and the Enlightenment took place in the 18th century they have striking similarities. Science, art and religion are some of the examples that are progressed from one age to the next. The Renaissance was a foundation for the Enlightenment.
Science is a changing idea that is moved along in hurdles through the ages. Many of the scientific discoveries found in both ages were rediscovered from ancient Greek and Roman text from the great minds of Aristotle and Plato. Pertarch in the Renaissance was in love with ancient Greece and Rome and was considered the first humanist. During the Renaissance scholars believed that the people of Europe had lived in ignorance and darkness. Humanism was introduced in the Renaissance and is the idea that man can be improved. This also was seen in the Enlightenment. This occurred at a time when the world began to be explained and aided man not just in a spiritual sense but also with the discoveries of bacteria and even a vaccine for smallpox. Isaac Newton was one of these great thinkers with his mathematical principles to explain the forces in the world and even This was an improvement in mans every day life an idea shared by the Renaissance and the Enlightenment.
Art was also a shared improvement from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment. In the Renaissance portraits and paintings began to take shape from reality. Light, shadows, lines and a focal point were a few of the characteristics from the Renaissance that were mastered in the Enlightenment. This can be especially seen in Dutch art with detailed shadows from a single light source usually showing just a simple task as a masterpiece. Music also advanced beyond measure with simple harmonies in the Renaissance to full weavings of two or more melodies in an orchestra. Some of the great musicians of the time are still acknowledged today such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Religion is another major idea from both of these ages. Celebration of the individual came into play and the idea that work could be done for personal glory instead of for God was a huge idea that came into play during the Renaissance. This advanced further into secularism and that even God may not be needed in life. Religious tolerance though not common began to appear in the Enlightenment also is countries that are still very open such as Amsterdam and the Dutch. Religion began a rapid change during the Renaissance and progressed right into the Enlightenment.
The Renaissance was a powerful base to support the tower of the Enlightenment. Science, art and religion all drastically changed in the Renaissance and was a rehearsal for the Enlightenment. These two ages changed Europe and set views still seen today showing that the seeds of the Renaissance blooming into the flower of the Enlightenment.
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