Catthedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, Arnolfo di Cambio, Fillippo Brunelleschi . Image © James Taylor-Foster
After a prolonged period of cultural and intellectual starvation known as the Dark Ages, Europe was in dire need of a rebirth. A growing desire to both study and mimic nature itself began to emerge, with an inclination to discover and explore the world. Between 1400-1600 Europe was to witness a significant revival of the fine arts, painting, sculpture and Architecture.
Prior to the dawn of the Renaissance, Europe was dominated by ornate and asymmetrical Gothic Architecture. The period ushered in a new era of architecture after a phase of Gothic art, with the rise of a new notion ‘Humanism’. The idea of attaching much importance to the essence of individualism and downplaying religious themes. The effect of Humanism included the emergence of the individual figure, greater realism and attention to detail.