The Italian Renaissance

The Renaissance was a time of rebirth. It was a cultural movement that saw innovation and new ways of thinking. There was a growth in the arts, philosophy, math, science and literature. It was the end of the Dark ages and the beginning of a modern way of thinking. The arts played a huge part in the Renaissance. The construction of the gardens incorporated both the classics as well as the new forward, humanist ways of thinking.

Although the Renaissance was a time of innovation and new ways of thinking, it was still a “rebirth.” The Villa d’Este is one of the best examples of a true Italian Renaissance garden. There are many elements of the villa and its gardens that truly encompass both the rebirth of the classics and the new forward thinking ideas of the humanists.

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In the Renaissance, classic sculptures were often excavated and displayed within gardens. As the number of these ancient sculptures began to run out, artists started sculpting in ways that emulated the ancient pieces. These pieces although they were new, were also displayed in gardens as a way to look back at the classics. In the Villa d’Este you can find many statues throughout the gardens. Great examples of the ancient statues that can be found include multiple statues of Hercules. The alley of 100 fountains also portrays the ancient sculptures that Renaissance gardens had.

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Humanist, forward-looking thinking was a major part of the Italian Renaissance. This had an effect on the way gardens were thought about and therefore created. Before, gardens were small, enclosed places of paradise. During the Renaissance there was a certain liberation that transferred into the how people began to design gardens. They became much more expansive landscapes than they had been in the past. Villa d’Este once again shows the spirit of what an Italian Renaissance garden was. Villa d’Este is a massive landscape that expands out much more than gardens had in the past.

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Villa d’Este and all the other gardens that were created during the Italian Renaissance were a way for the Europeans to not only hold on to the spirit of the classic ideas, but also incorporate their new ways of thinking.

For more information about Villa d’Este, check out this link:

http://www.villadestetivoli.info/indexe.htm

Outside Sources:

"Villa d'Este." Wikipedia. N.p., 27 Feb 2014. Web. 1 Mar 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_d'Este>.

"Giardino all'italiana." Wikipedia. N.p., 06 Jul 2013. Web. 1 Mar 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giardino_all'italiana