Renaissance humanism

Rare card · No. 59831

Renaissance humanism is a worldview centered on the nature and importance of humanity that emerged from the study of classical antiquity. Renaissance humanists sought to create a citizenry able to speak and write with eloquence and clarity, and thus capable of engaging in the civic life of their communities and persuading others to virtuous and prudent actions. Humanism, while set up by a small elite who had access to books and education, was intended as a cultural movement to influence all of society. It was a program to revive the cultural heritage, literary legacy, and moral philosophy of the Greco-Roman civilization. It first began in Italy and then spread across Western Europe in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. During the period, the term humanist (Italian: umanista) referred to teachers and students of the humanities, known as the studia humanitatis, which included the study of Latin and Greek literatures, grammar, rhetoric, history, poetry, and moral philosophy. It was not...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Leonardo da Vinci, Public domain