The document provides an overview of 15th century Northern European art during the early Renaissance period from 1400-1499. It discusses how the bubonic plague wiped out much of the European population, leading regions to specialize in goods and the middle class to grow. Capitalism replaced feudalism and cities like Bruges and Ghent gained power. The Dukes of Burgundy were major art patrons and humanism spread from Italy to Northern Europe. Portraiture using oils and altarpieces with symbols reflected middle class tastes. The madrigal was a popular secular music genre and Erasmus of Rotterdam was an influential humanist philosopher who criticized the church.

1. 15th Century Northern
European Art
Early Renaissance in Northern Europe
1400--1499

2. Guiding Question
 After studying the art of wealthy
Italian patrons, how can we
determine the cultural power of the
middle-class in Northern Europe?
Portraiture (with oils)
Altarpieces (with genre symbols)

3. Geography of Focus

4. Guiding Events and Figures
These may be political, scientific, literary, philosophical, religious
 Bubonic Plague spreads through Europe during
this time wiping out half of the population (in some
places more than 2/3rds of the population will die)
 This leads to regions of Northern Europe
specializing in goods; the middle class starts to
grow
 Cities like Bruges and Ghent gain more power
 Capitalism grows as Feudalism wanes
 The Dukes of Burgundy are major patrons of the
arts
 The courts are enamored with chivalric events—
jousts, processions, pageants
 Humanism, as we studied in Italy, reaches
Northern Europe as well

5. Reflections of the Age
MUSIC PHILOSOPHY
 The Madrigal is popular  Desiderius Erasmus of
 Secular songs about love, frivolity
Rotterdam
free from sacred limits  Humanist
 Uses Satire to Criticize the
Church
SCIENCE
 Copernicus argues that the Earth
revolves around the sun
 Based on a Greek geographer
and astronomer, Ptolemy

6. In subsequent presentations, you will
learn more about:
 Middle-class preferences in the Visual Arts
 The concept of Transubstantiation as it is
revealed in the visual arts
These presentations will prepare you to
incorporate the information in the
assignments and assessments for the
week