The Classical and Renaissance art periods are two of the most important and celebrated art periods in our history. The two periods were alike in many ways with only a few differences setting them apart. In the end, the Renaissance was a “rebirth” of the Classical art style, architecture and beliefs.
The Classical period was a time of spectacular architecture, philosophical pondering, and human development; taking place between 500 – 323 BC, Ancient Greece enjoyed wealth and power. The arts, literature, and drama thrived. The Classical Period made world changing discoveries in medicine, mathematics, physics, and astronomy. The city of Athens, one of the most powerful and influential cities in the Classical period introduced the world to Democracy and has shaped today’s western governments. Some of the philosophers of the Classical Period have become the most well known philosophers know to man today and have had influence on Western thought and civilization. To this day the teachings of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle are still pondered today.
Classical art focused mainly on five forms: architecture, sculpture, pottery, painting, and music. Ancient Greece was dominated by religion. This resulted in the temples being big and beautiful. The Classical period brought change in the style of sculptures. The Greeks believed in humanism and their art displayed this. The Greeks took great pride in the importance of the individual in society in the forms of art, philosophy and government. The Greek artists developed their style to depict real people. They began to use a realistic approach of figures. Sculptures were perfectly formed figures without flaws, and looked upon as a form of beauty. This was a time of natural beauty focusing on earthy things instead of the mythological world.
Man became the focus in daily life through Democratic politics in the new culture. Practical thinking and reason became the moving force behind this cultural change through passion and desire. Art in the Classical period sees changes in facial expression. Ancient Greeks believed that hiding their emotions was a noble quality of all civilized men, while the public display of human emotion was a sign of barbarism. Logic and reason are the dominant human qualities even during the most dramatic events. Sculptures which portray violent scenes show no facial expression; however, the enemies have dramatic facial expressions (Suzanne Hill 2006). The statues of the temple of Zeus at Olympia are a perfect example of the logic over reason approach. In this sculpture, it is very easy to tell who the Barbarian is and who the civilized Hellene is from the expressions on the statues faces. The Barbarian Centaurs show emotion, while the civilized Hellene is emotionless.
The Classical art period produced some of the most breathtaking sculptures the world had seen. Today, artist still travel to see the remains of architectural structures and sculptures of the Classical period. One of the most famous architectures of the Classical period was the Parthenon. A temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their protector. The construction began in 447 BC and was completed in 438 BC, although decorations of the Parthenon continued until 432 BC. It is considered the most important surviving building of the Classical period (Parthenon 2011).
Renaissance Art period meaning “rebirth” began in Italy during the fourteenth century and lasted through the sixteenth century. The renaissance period was the end of the middle ages and the start of the modern era. The fourteenth century started out with major catastrophes; the Hundred Years war, the black plague, and the uproar in the Catholic Church. Man had lost all confidence in his government, the church and mankind. In this depressing time the Europeans were searching for a new beginning, a culture rebirth – renaissance.
The Renaissance Art period brought change to the arts, culture, humanities and the science world. Scientist made discoveries that have made impacts on our natural world today as we know it. The renaissance thinker changed the way people saw themselves and how they saw the world around them. Humanism and education were pushed as a way to create well-rounded citizens who could actively participate in society also known as the “Renaissance Man”. They enjoyed the mind, beauty around them, power; the importance of the individual and believed mankind’s achievements should be praised.
This new intellectual movement gave motivation and inspiration to the artist to create new forms of art. The impact on the art world during the renaissance period was enormous. Artist were now looked upon as independent personalities and compared to poets and writers. Prior to the renaissance, the subject was religious, and the primary reason was to provoke a religious emotion in the viewer. Paintings were not realistic looking and they did not have perspective. Usually the main subject of the paintings was made larger than all the others, and landscape was usually left out. Before the renaissance period, the patrons of art were mainly commissioned by the Catholic Church, collectors and aristocrats, and they gave the artist strict guidelines on how the finished art was to look (2000, Metropolitan Museum of Art).
The black plague lead to a decline in population, therefore making a surplus in food and a increase in the economy. The surplus in food lowered the cost and increases income for the population. Wealth was no longer just for the nobility but also to middle class merchants, bankers, and tradesmen’s who quickly learned they could elevate their culture status and beautify their home by becoming sponsors and purchasing art. The new wealthy middle class became the new patrons of art. Artists were given greater flexibility in what they were able to paint, and they took advantage of it by exploring new styles, new materials and new techniques. The Renaissance, like the Classical period was a religious period, although the educated lay population became more interested in the natural world around them, this renewed interest in ancient Greece design, and included an emphasis on human beings and the environment they lived in.
The characteristics of Renaissance style were given to the human body. They studied human anatomy, math, and worked with color. Shadow and light to give the body realistic form and expressions, and that, became known as Realism. The artist painted subjects in everyday clothing in every day events. The artist wanted the viewer to feel emotion when looking at their work. The concept of perspective was introduced which created space and distance in the painting. The Renaissance artist rediscovered linear perspective, horizon line and vanishing point. Oil paint was introduced and it gave the artist the ability to add texture, they could work slowly and make changes due to the paint drying slower.
The Classical and the Renaissance art periods were similar in style in the sense that they both focused on humanism: secularism, and individualism which shaped our Western Civilization. The Classical period artist focused on naturalism in sculpture, which influenced the Renaissance artist to explore and improve in areas of depth, perspective and scale. This style helped the Renaissance artist to paint and sculpt man in detailed form and realism. Examples of how the Classical period help inspire the Renaissance artist are: The Myron's Discobolus, meaning 'Discus Thrower', is a famous Classical Greek statues, of Greek Art. The early Classical period saw many changes and innovation in art. Classical sculptors began to explore how movement could be portrayed in their work, and experimented with brave new poses and detail in the human body. Michelangelo's David, created in 1504 is a Renaissance interpretation of a common ancient Classical Greek theme of the standing heroic male nude. This statue showed Michelangelo's technological ability, and his study of the Classical arts. The detail in realism is spectacular.

Michealangelo is often known as the greatest artist of the Renaissance period, excelling in painting, poetry, sculpture, and architecture. Michelangelo was best known for capturing the detail of the human body, which was important during the Renaissance period. The list of his achievements is endless, although he is most recognized for painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
The Renaissance period changed the way of life that took place in European culture during the 15th and 16th centuries. The Renaissance was the rebirth of many old ideas and the creation of many new, which laid the groundwork for advances in art, math, music, science, philosophy, politics and astronomy. The humanist approach taken from the Classical period influenced the Renaissance and helped influence many European thinkers. The thriving culture helped to encourage new styles in art, formed different views in the church and religion. The Renaissance made a huge impact on the rest of Europe, leaving artistic roots that remain essential even today. Its artwork and architecture has defined and influenced artists well into the 20th century. The art of the Renaissance is still considered to be some of the most important achievements of the European culture. Leonardo Da Vinci, was famous in his own time and is still known as the model of this time period. He was a master of both the art and science world. His painting the Portrait of Mona Lisa (1479-1528), figure of a woman, dressed in the fashion of her day and seated in mountainous landscape has become the portrait of the Renaissance period. His artistic talent and achievements made Da Vinci a true "Renaissance man.

References

Hill, Suzanne (2006). Three periods of Ancient Greek Art Retrieved from http://www.suite101.com/content/three-periods-of-ancient-greek-art-a5827
Metropolitan Museum of Art (2000). The Art of Renaissance Europe Retrieved from http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/publications/renaissance.htm
Parthenon (2011, May 1). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:57, May 1, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parthenon&oldid=426943969