Humanism and the Humanistic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Humanism and the Humanistic - Essay Example On the other hand, humanism and humanistic in art refer to art that places the study of human nature as its primary interest. Additionally, its ideals are often secular (they are not religious). Learning and art in the Middle Ages (3rd to the 13th centuries) was mainly centered on religion and the church. However, people became more secular at the onset of the 14th century. Thus, they started thinking less and less about God, religion, and the church. As such, they commenced thinking more and more about themselves, their daily lives and surroundings. The study of medieval and ancient Roman and Greek writings on the government, art, philosophy and scientific matters partly influenced the development of humanism. When people and scholars commenced studying these writings in the Renaissance period, their focus and interests shifted from the traditional fields of study such as medicine, law, and religion. They, therefore, became interested in scientific fields and areas such as the natural world, astronomy, biology, and science. Artists, musicians, composers and writers now started creating and designing their work with themes that were not religious. Furthermore, to focus on t hemselves and their lives, writers authored memoirs and autobiographies about themselves while artists routinely signed their work. The emergence and rise of humanism can be naturally viewed in paintings that were done by artists during the Renaissance period. In the middle ages, before the rise of humanism, artists used to employ a hieratic scale that made saints or religious figures appear larger than the non-religious figures. As humanism grew, artists started making less important or ordinary figures be the same size as the religious figures. Moreover, saints or holy figures started looking more like common/ordinary people. Humanistic art in the Renaissance forced saints and religious figures to