The Rebirth of Art and Math by Way of the Renaissance
By Dylan Rainman
Human beings throughout history have always created art. Whether that be by painting on the walls of caves or by creating sculpture from wood or stone, it is a human custom that has endured. A major aspect of this survival definitely has to be accredited to the Renaissance period. This was a period in which European nobility had an excess of money and gold florins were burning holes in their pockets. They spent this extra cash funding the arts which in turn funded scientific and mathematical ventures. This is where the term ‘Renaissance Man’ emerged, meaning one who specialized in all sorts of different fields like engineering and sculpture.
One influential family you may have heard of is the Medici family of Florence. They had a merchant empire which led them to become quite powerful. Popes and Queens have originated from the House of Medici as well as control of the largest bank of the time. From there they commissioned musicians, painters, architects, and inventors to complete such great feats as building St. Peter’s Basilica and inventing the piano. One such person who benefited from their great wealth is famed artist Leonardo da Vinci.
During this time period Monarchs and Bishops and many other wealthy, powerful people were sponsoring artistic ventures leading to masterpieces of all varieties. Michelangelo and Shakespeare were products of this time retaining great fame to this day. From this point on, art remains in the global spotlight and continues to prosper. Before the time of the Renaissance, art really took a backseat as most effort was put into farming or other proto-industrial jobs. If you search on the internet, most famous artists came from during or after this era. This shows how the Renaissance gave art a new purpose, and marked a rebirth.
After the Renaissance, more and more art came about and in hand, so did math. Before the Renaissance, math was a tool for bookkeeping and accounting. The Renaissance brought it to a place of innovation and discovery. People began to research and study math with no relation to finance. They found the best way to wrap spheres as well as proof that there is no end to math. Revolutions in math lead to its incorporation into many types of art. Perspective and music theory all rely heavily on fundamentals of mathematics. Math also brought about inventions such as film opening up whole new branches of art. If you ask me, math is an art form in itself.
Math and art continue to flourish today. We have museums devoted to classic and modern art as well as institutions like the Smithsonian, which document the progression of math and science. In schools we learn more than just grammar and reading. There are art classes and acting classes and classes on differential equations and classes on optics. We learn about geometry and film theory and how to take interesting photos. We learn about so much more than simple arithmetic and writing. The Renaissance planted the seeds which have grown over centuries to develop into the culture we live in today. Anytime I want, I can go to the MOCA or I can go to Khan Academy and learn about physics. We are no longer restrained intellectually. The Renaissance has set us free.
Art and math have been reborn into a world that accepts them with open arms. This rebirth has led to the genius of people such as Pablo Picasso, David Hockney, Terence Tao, and Andrew Wiles. Without the Renaissance to thank, we may still be living in the dark.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Medici family". Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Nov. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Medici-family. Accessed 28 February 2022.
