Where credit is due..

Fifteenth century artistic production owes much of its acclaim to the massive uprising of humanism and the exploration of science. this century saw major advances in individual growth (personal, social, and economical.) education was widely expanding due to the development of the printing press in 1445. with books more readily available, Italy saw a dynamic rise in literacy levels. this drove many to socially excel. civic responsibility and moral duty become the norm. humanism encouraged self expansion and often rewarded it, unlike medieval ways. wealth and power became more attainable than before inspiring further strides for social advancement. those with political and/or economic power contributed more and more to the education and commissioning of art. this is where we notice the direct impact of humanism on fifteenth century art. the subject (mythological or classical) is representing the ideals of humanism (literature, social growth, expansion of education.) the increasingly more accurate depictions of the human anatomy and better representations of proportion and scale. all of these factors  greatly influenced the production of art at this time, changing the face of Renaissance art.