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TheRenaissanceFormanypeople,theRenaissancemeans14thto16thcenturyItaly,andthedevelopmentsinartandarchitecture,musicandliteraturewhichtookplacethereatthattime.Butthereisoneworkwhich,perhapsmorethananyother,expressesthespiritoftheRenaissance:theMonaLisa.Itisbelievedtobethebestexampleofanewlifelikestyleofpaintingthatamazedpeoplewhenitwasfirstused.PaintedbyLeonardodaVinciintheyears15031506,theMonaLisaisamysteriousmasterpiece.PeoplewanttoknowwhoMonaLisais,andwhysheissmiling.EvenifpeopledonotknowmuchabouttheRenaissance,theyhaveheardofthispainting.ButtheRenaissanceis,ofcourse,morethanjustMonaLisa.RenaissanceisaFrenchwordwhichmeans“rebirth”anditfirstappearedinEnglishinthe19thcentury.ThewordwasusedtodescribeaperiodinEuropeanhistorywhichbeganwiththearrivalofthefirstEuropeansinAmerica,anageofexploration,andthebeginningofthemodernworld.ItwasasifEuropewaswakingupafterthelongsleepoftheMiddleAges.FromItaly,theideasoftheRenaissancerapidlyspreadnorthwardstoFrance,Germany,England,andtherestofEurope.TradewithotherpartsoftheworldmeantthatEuropewasgettingricher,too.This meantthatpeoplehadmoneytospendonthearts;anditbecameeasierforartiststofindpeoplewhocouldaffordtobuytheirworksoremploythem.LeonardoworkedforimportantpeoplesuchtheDukeofMilan,and,towardstheendofhislife,theKingofFrance.RenaissanceartistsfoundnewideasfortheirworkinclassicalGreeceandRome.Buttheylookedforward,too,byopeningnewfrontiersinthearts.Paintersdiscoveredhowtoperspectiveandtheeffectsoflight;composersputdifferentvoicestogetherandcreatepolyphony(“manyvoices);architectspreferreddesigningbuildingswithmorelightwhichcontrastedwiththeheavinessoftheGothiccathedralsoftheMiddleAges.Thesenseofexplorationwhichmotivatedtheartistswenthandinhandwithanewtypeofphilosophy.AftercenturiesofacceptingamedievalworldviewinwhichhumanlifewasconsideredoflittlevaluecomparedwiththegreatnessofGod,philosophersbeganaskingquestionslike“Whatisaperson?”or“WhyamIhere?”Forthefirsttime,theyputpeople,notreligion,atthecentreoftheuniverse.TheRenaissancewasatimeofscientificinvention,too.Leonardo,aswellasbeingoneofthegreatestpainterstheworldhaseverknown,wasalsoaskilledinventor.Whereverhewent,hecarriedanotebookaroundwithhim,inwhichhewrotedownhisideas.Theyincludeddetaileddrawingsofthehumanbody,plansforengineerstobuildcanalsandbridges,andastonishingdrawingsofmachineswhichwerenottobebuiltuntilhundredsofyearslater,suchasaeroplanes,parachutes,submarinesandtanks.TowardstheendofhislifehewasemployedbytheKingof65Francetodoscientificresearch,andhedidnothavealotoftimeforpainting.Inshort,Leonardowasanextraordinarygenius,anexampleofwhathasbeendescribedas“Renaissanceman”:someoneinterestedineverythingandwithmanydifferenttalents.ButevenifhisonlycontributiontohistoryhadbeentheMonaLisa,itwouldhavebeengeniusenoughforalltime.READINGANDWRITING(2)ThursdayWearrivedontheovernightferrytotheHookofHollandandtookatrainto AmsterdamCentralStation.Itwasonlyashortride.Itsnoteasytofindyourwayaroundthetown.Alotoftheroadsfollowthecanals,whicharentstraightbutareshapedlikehorseshoes.Soyoucanwalkalongastreetforhalfanhourorsoandendupfiveminutesfromwhereyoustarted.However,mostpeopledontwalktherearethreemillionbikesintownandagoodbusandtramsystem.Thereareboats,too.Abouthalfofthemarefortourists,theothersarehouseboatswithpeoplelivingonthem.Wespentthewholedaywalking.Tomorrowweregoingtorentbikes.FridayWespenttodaylookingathouses.Thearchitectureisastonishing,quitedifferentfromotherEuropeancountrieswevebeento.Thehousesaretallandthin,andmanyofthemhaveafantasticallyornateRenaissanceappearance.IntheMiddleAgesthehousesweremadeofwood.Then,attheendofthe15thcenturytherewasahugefireandaboutthreequartersofthetownwasdestroyed.Afterthat,housesweremadeofbrick.UnlikeotherplacesinEurope,wherehouseownersweretaxedonthesizeoftheirwindows,herethetaxesdependedonthewidthofthehousesotheykeptthemnarrow,butbuiltthemtall.Well,thatswhatClairesays,andshereaditintheguidebook.SaturdayWevisitedtheVanGoghMuseum,insteadofthemorefamousRijksmuseum.Itwasastonishing.1hadntreallylookedatanyofVanGoghspaintingsbefore.Heseemstohavere-inventedtheart.Itdoesntmatterwhetherheisdoingaportraitoralandscapehesagenius.Inthelast70daysofhislifebeforeheshothimselfheproduced70paintings,andIreckontheyrealmostallmasterpieces.YetinallhislifeVanGoghonlyeversoldonepainting!Wemusthavespentthreehoursinthatmuseum.WhenwecameoutItoldClaireIthoughtVanGoghwasthegreatestpainterinhistory.SheremindedmethatwewereleavingforParistomorrow,whereweweregoingtoseethemostfamouspaintingintheworld. ThePuzzleoftheMonaLisaTheMonaLisaisthesubjectofmanystories,butthereisoneanecdotewhichremainsapuzzle.IsthepaintingintheLouvretheauthenticworkbyLeonardodaVinci.orjustacopy?Thestorybeganonedayin1911whensomeonenoticedtheMonaLisawasmissing.Aspokesmansaid,“Theburglarlefttheantiqueframeandtheglassbehind.Hemusthavegonethroughthebasementtothemaincourtyard.Apasserbysawamanwithamoustache,carryingaparcelunderhisarm,dashoverthestreetcrossing,alongtothecrossroads.Hethenfleddownasideroad.Wereappealingtoanyonewhosawthesuspecttocontactus.”SowhostoletheMonaLisa?Andwhy?NewsaboutthelossoftheMonaLisawascirculatedinalltheFrenchnewspapers,andtherewasawidespreadsearchfortheburglaralloverthecountry.Thepolicesaid,“Wedontthinktheburglarwasworkingalone.Wereseekingagangofcriminals.”Twoyearslater,amanwithamoustachewenttoandealerinFlorenceinItalyandmadeatentativeattempttoselltheMonaLisa.Theartdealercheckedit,agreeditwasauthentic.andthencalledthepolice.Whydidtheburglar,VincenzoPerugia,waitsolong?PerugiahadstolentheMonaLisaonbehalfofthechieforganiserofthecrime,EduardodeValfierno.ButPerugiamadeafundamentalmistake.HetrusteddeValfiernotopayhimforthepainting.ThedrawbackforPerugiawasthatdeValfiernodidntinfactneedthepainting,onlythenewsofthetheft.DeValfiernomadesixsuperbcopiesandsoldthem,claimingthateachonewastheauthenticstolenpainting.Ofcourse,thefactthatthereweresixsubstituteswasconfidential.Thesixbuyersdidntknowabouttheotherpaintings.Whatsmore,deValfiernodidntneedtopayhisdebttoPerugia.Aftertwoyears,Perugiagottiredofwaitingtobepaid,andtriedtosellthepainting.WhentherealMonaLisaturnedupinFlorence,DeValfiernosimplytoldhisbuyersthatitwasmerelyacopy.TheoutcomeofthestoryisthatPerugiagottheblameforthecrimeandwenttoprison.DeValfiernoremainedatlibertyfortherestofhislife.Butthereisstillapuzzle.TherewereanumberofprecisecopiesoftheMonaLisapaintedbygiftedstudentsofLeonardodaVinci.PartofthepaintingsfascinationiswhethertheoneintheLouvrewasauthentic.evenbeforeitwasstolen.AndifPerugiastoleacopy.whohastheauthenticMonaLisa? PrintingPrintingistheprocessofmakingmanycopiesofasingledocumentusingmovablecharactersorletters.InChina,printingwasknownasearlyasinthe7thcentury,duringtheTangDynasty;inEurope,itwasanimportantpartoftheRenaissance.PrintingansweredaneedbecausepeoplewerethirstyforKnowledge.Beforeprintingwasinvented,copiesofamanuscripthadtobemadebyhand,usuallyonanimalskins.Thiswasadifficulttaskthatcouldtakemanyyears,andwhichmadebooksveryexpensive.Printingmadeitpossibletoproducemorecopiesinafewweeksthancouldhavebeenproducedinalifetimewrittenoutbyhand.ItisbelievedthataGerman,JohannGutenberg,madethefirstprintingpressinEurope.Headapteditfromthemachinesfarmersusedtosqueezeoilfromolives.Itusedpaper,whichwasmoresuitableforprinting(andcheaper)thananimalskins.Paper,likeprinting,hadbeeninventedmuchearlierinChinaandithadfounditswaytoEurope,viasoutheastAsiaandthenIndia.Bythe10thcenturyAD,paperwasbeingproducedinBaghdad.ThefirstpapermillinEuropewasbuiltattheendofthe12thcentury.ThefirstbookthatGutenbergproducedwasaBible.ButastheideasoftheRenaissancedeveloped,sodidthedemandfortheGreekandLatinclassics,whichhadbeenlargelyignoredforupto2,000years.Peoplealsowantedbooksintheirownlanguages.Theinventionofprintingmeantthatthisdesirecouldbesatisfied.SoontherewereprintingpressesallovernorthernEurope.In1476WilliamCaxtonsetuphisownpressinLondon,andEnglandbecameoneofthemostimportantcentresoftheprintingindustry.Thisspreadofprintedbooksledtoarenewedpassionforartisticexpression.Withoutthedevelopmentoftheprintingpress,theRenaissancemayneverhavehappened.Withoutinexpensiveprintingtomakebooksavailabletoalargesectionofsociety,thesonofJohnShakespeare,agovernmentofficialinruralEnglandinthemid-1500s,mayneverhavebeeninspiredtotakeupwritingasaprofession.WhatwesterncivilizationgainedfromGutenbergscontributionisimpossibletocalculate.Printingistheprocessofmakingmanycopiesofasingledocumentusingmovablecharactersorletters.InChina,printingwasknownasearlyasinthe7thcentury,duringtheTangDynasty;inEurope,itwasanimportantpartoftheRenaissance.PrintingansweredaneedbecausepeoplewerethirstyforKnowledge.Beforeprintingwasinvented,copiesofamanuscripthadtobemadebyhand,usuallyonanimalskins.Thiswasadifficulttaskthatcouldtakemanyyears,andwhichmadebooksveryexpensive.Printingmadeitpossibletoproducemorecopiesinafewweeksthancouldhavebeenproducedinalifetimewrittenoutbyhand.itisbelievedthataGerman,JohannGutenberg,madethefirstprintingpressinEurope.Headapteditfromthemachinesfarmersusedtosqueezeoilfromolives.Itusedpaper,whichwasmoresuitableforprinting(andcheaper)thananimalskins.Paper,likeprinting,hadbeeninventedmuchearlierinChinaandithadfounditswaytoEurope,viasoutheastAsiaandthenIndia.Bythe10thcenturyAD,paperwasbeingproducedinBaghdad.ThefirstpapermillinEuropewasbuiltattheendofthe12thcentury.ThefirstbookthatGutenbergproducedwasaBible.ButastheideasoftheRenaissancedeveloped,sodidthedemandfortheGreekandLatinclassics,whichhadbeenlargelyignoredforupto2,000years.Peoplealsowantedbooksintheirownlanguages.Theinventionofprintingmeantthatthisdesirecouldbesatisfied.SoontherewereprintingpressesallovernorthernEurope.In1476WilliamCaxtonsetuphisownpressinLondon,andEnglandbecameoneofthemostimportantcentresoftheprintingindustry.Thisspreadofprintedbooksledtoarenewedpassionforartisticexpression.Withoutthedevelopmentoftheprintingpress,theRenaissancemayneverhavehappened.Withoutinexpensiveprintingtomakebooksavailabletoalargesectionofsociety,thesonofJohnShakespeare,agovernmentofficialinruralEnglandinthemid-1500s,mayneverhavebeeninspiredtotakeupwritingasaprofession.WhatwesterncivilizationgainedfromGutenbergscontributionisimpossibletocalculate.Venice,EndangeredCityTherecanbefewmorebeautifulcitiesintheworldthanVenice;butastheworldssealevelsriseduetothewarmingoftheatmosphere,thereisalsoadangerthatitsastonishingarchitectureandpreciousworksofartmayonedayendupatthebottomoftheMediterranean.OneofthemostfamouspartsofVenice,visitedbymillionsoftourists,isStMarksSquare.150yearsagoitusedtofloodonceortwiceayear.Nowitfloodseveryweek.Theeffectonpeopleslives,andonthewonderfulRenaissancebuildings,isterrible.OneVenetiansaid:“Idontknowanyonewhosleepsonthegroundflooroftheirhouseanymore.Itsalwaystoowetandsometimesthewatercomesin.”Thecitysbattlewithwaterdatesbackover1,500years.Itswealthhasalwaysdependedonitspositioninthemiddleofthesea,whichmeantthatitwaseasyforshipstostopthereandtrade.BythetimeoftheRenaissanceinthe15thcentury,itwasoneoftheworldsrichestcities,tradingwithboththeEastandtheWest.ButthecitysleadersalwaysdependedonskilledengineerstokeepVenicefromsinkingunderthewaves.Thewonderfularchitectureissupportedbyhugesectionsoftreespusheddeepintotheearthunderthewater.Woodisdestroyedbyacombinationofairandwater;butundertheearththereisnoair,sothewoodhassurvivedoneandahalfthousandyears.ForcenturiestheVenetiansmadecarefulcalculationsabouthowtokeepthewaterlevelfromgettingtoohigh.Butinthe20thcenturytheknowledgewasbasicallyforgotten.Peopledidnotrealisetheeffectthattakingwateroutofthegroundwouldhaveonthecity.Duringthe1950sfactoriestookwateroutoftheearth,makingitdrier;thentheweightofthebuildingssqueezedtheearthandtheentirecitystartedtosink.Bythetimethegovernmentfoundoutwhatwashappening,Venicehadsunk20centimetres.ThatproblemhasnowgoneawaybutthenewsaboutVeniceisstillverydisturbing.Acrosstheworld,theheightoftheseaisgoingupallthetime;andthewholeofthenortheastofItalyismovingdownwards,andtakingVenicewithit.Unlessthegovernmentcomesupwithananswersoon,thisRenaissancejewelcouldbelostforever.Venice,EndangeredCityTherecanbefewmorebeautifulcitiesintheworldthanVenice;butastheworldssealevelsriseduetothewarmingoftheatmosphere,thereisalsoadangerthatits astonishingarchitectureandpreciousworksofartmayonedayendupatthebottomoftheMediterranean.OneofthemostfamouspartsofVenice,visitedbymillionsoftourists,isStMarksSquare.150yearsagoitusedtofloodonceortwiceayear.Nowitfloodseveryweek.Theeffectonpeopleslives,andonthewonderfulRenaissancebuildings,isterrible.OneVenetians