Renaissance, a French word meaning rebirth, is called this, because during the time span of about 1330 to 1750 many Italians (and other Europeans) began to look back at the past, to civilizations such as Greece and early Rome. They saw the great successes of the past, and were in envy of them. Not only did these people envy the ancient Greeks; they wanted to model their own civilization after them. Their style influenced the Classical era of painting, drawing, sculpture and architecture. Artists worked to transform their art by studying, imitating, drawing and measuring famous classical pieces done in the past. While mythological scenes are creatively recreated through the unnaturalistic colors and atmospheric perspective. Ancient Greek inspired sculpture and architecture and early Roman architects such as Vitruvius who believed one should use both mathematical ratios as well as human characteristics in their planning. Classical antiquity also helped to centralize the philosophical outlook that put man at the center of life, eventually leading to humanism. (Alexandra Ehlenz)
