AP European History AMSCO Guided Notes
1.3: Northern Renaissance
AMSCO Guided Notes
AP European History Guided Notes
AMSCO 1.3 - Northern Renaissance
Essential Questions
- How were Renaissance ideas developed, maintained, and changed as the Renaissance spread to northern Europe?
I. Visual Arts in the Northern Renaissance
1. What region became the leading center of art in northern Europe during the 15th century and what were the characteristics of Northern Renaissance art?
2. How did Northern Renaissance artists differ from Italian Renaissance artists in their approach to perspective and proportion?
A. Albrecht Dürer
1. Why did Albrecht Dürer travel to Italy in 1494 and what artistic techniques did he develop?
2. What is a woodcut and how did Dürer use this medium in his artistic work?
B. Jan van Eyck
1. What new artistic medium did Jan van Eyck excel at and what does his signature phrase 'As best I can' suggest about his approach to art?
2. What details does van Eyck include in the Arnolfini Portrait and what do these details reveal about daily life in the 15th century?
C. Pieter Bruegel the Elder
1. What subjects did Pieter Bruegel the Elder paint and how did his choice of subjects reflect Northern Renaissance values?
2. How did Bruegel's experience studying in Italy influence his artistic development?
D. Rembrandt
1. What artistic style did Rembrandt employ and what were his most distinctive techniques?
2. How did Rembrandt's approach to portraiture differ from traditional portraiture, and what did he believe about the purpose of realistic representation?
II. Christian Humanists Seek Religious Reform
1. How did the Renaissance interest in secular matters affect the Roman Catholic Church and what practices did reformers criticize?
2. What did Christian humanists mean by their motto 'Ad fontes' and how did this principle guide their approach to religious reform?
A. Erasmus Pleads for Reform
1. What was Desiderius Erasmus's educational background and how did it prepare him to advocate for religious reform?
2. What were the main arguments Erasmus made in Praise of Folly and what specific Church practices did he criticize?
3. How did Erasmus's approach to reform differ from Martin Luther's approach?
B. Thomas More Calls for a Utopia
1. What positions did Thomas More hold in English government and how did his education at Oxford contribute to his career?
2. What social reforms did Thomas More advocate for in his book Utopia?
Key Terms
Northern Renaissance
Albrecht Dürer
Jan van Eyck
Pieter Bruegel the Elder
Rembrandt
Christian humanists
Desiderius Erasmus
Thomas More