Renaissance (Britannica Digital Learning)

The score of Western music was writ large during the Renaissance. Secular music rivaled church music for prominence, harmonic lines intertwined and changed music forever with the emergence of polyphony, and, in general, musical composition was taken to new heights. The composers and musicians who provided the soundtrack to this remarkable period are the subject of this comprehensive volume, which also takes an in-depth look at instruments of the day.

The ingenuity evidenced during the Renaissance was not just limited to the fine arts. A number of scientists and inventors also made astonishing breakthroughs in astronomy, medicine, physics, and more. Readers examine the scientific revolution, profiling Isaac Newton, Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo, and many other great thinkers who transformed the scientific and mechanical worlds.

Some of the world's most celebrated works of art-the Mona Lisa and The Birth of Venus, to name just two-were produced during the period of cultural reawakening known as the Renaissance. Painters of the era incorporated new techniques and ideals while reflecting in their works the dramatic social, religious, and political changes of the time. Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and El Greco are just a few of the notable Renaissance artists profiled in this volume, which also includes vibrant images of a number of influential works.

The allure of far-off lands, the promise of untapped resources, and a hunger for building global empires prompted Renaissance explorers to journey into the unknown. Battling harsh seafaring conditions, disease, and any number of unknown threats to their health and safety, the individuals profiled in this volume shaped the world map, setting the stage for future voyagers along the way.