50 Times People Took Pictures, Only To Realize It Was ‘Accidental Renaissance’ (New Pics)

Many describe the Renaissance as a period of European cultural, artistic, political, and economic "rebirth" that took place after the Middle Ages.

To gain a better understanding of how it came about and the key ideas of the time, we contacted Dr. Sally Hickson, who is an Associate Professor of Renaissance Art History at the University of Guelph, Canada.

"The Renaissance is usually thought to be about the rediscovery of the individual, but I think it's more about the rediscovery of the 'self' as opposed to the collective sensibility of the Middle Ages," she told Bored Panda.

"Basically, it's about locating meaning in human experience rather than fixating on the Christian belief in the glories of the afterlife."

According to Hickson, the Renaissance was guided by the idea that the human experience of the world can lead to spiritual enlightenment; a new appreciation of nature, the senses, the body, the mind, and human potential.

Medieval art, on the other hand, was "more 'abstract' in that people weren't meant to imagine themselves as part of the imagery (most of it religious) — they're supposed to be overwhelmed and lost in all the gold and splendor and blinded by the light. In the Renaissance, people begin to see themselves."

However, what helps the members of the 'Accidental Renaissance' subreddit determine whether or not a particular picture belongs to their collection?

"The widespread use of single-point perspective is a key to recognizing early Renaissance works," Hickson explained.

"You know, tiny figures contained within a perfectly proportional world, usually including architectural settings that help to set the scale."

Talking about other common characteristics, there's also a focus on nature, but Hickson stressed that it's usually an idealized version of it. "It's all about creating a perfect image of the world," she highlighted.

"Along with the usual altarpieces and depictions of saints, there's an interest in mythological scenes — the reimagining of the ancient world."

"Mostly, Renaissance art is about balance and perfection, and the scenes are imagined as complete within the frame. Not bursting out all over, which happens in the Baroque," the professor summarized.

However, if you're browsing these pictures on your way to an exhibition and then misattribute a painting, don't beat yourself up over it.

"I have a lot of students who can't tell Renaissance art from later Neo-classical art, but that's not surprising," Hickson said. "It's all about order, balance, perfection. I mean, there are variations in the later Renaissance — a painter like Titian is really different from an artist like Botticelli — so there's a progression within the Renaissance that can kind of freak people out."

"The Renaissance is not just one thing in terms of visual language. It's about an evolution of visual language centered on the full range of human experience," the art historian added.

When we first published a piece on the subreddit 'Accidental Renaissance' at the end of 2020, it had 748k members, or as they call themselves, 'universalis personae,' which, translated from Latin, means 'universal persons.' Now, the figure stands at 939k. Clearly, the period is still relevant.

Plus, pop culture hasn't forgotten about it either. Last year, for example, Beyoncé released an album called 'Renaissance,' and the cover art appeared to be a homage to Adam van Noort's Lady Godiva, painted in 1586.

"Parts of the Renaissance get lots of attention," Hickson said. "[There's] a lot of hype around Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, essentially."

However, it's up for debate how intentional our interest in the Renaissance is and how much of it is fueled by artistic curiosity.

Dr. Sally Hickson was in Rome just a few months ago, and she said people are still flocking to the Sistine Chapel. "I'm not sure what they're doing there, though. It's something they know they should see, but for many, it's more of a religious pilgrimage than an artistic one."

"There are a few works that are wildly popular. If you go to the Uffizi Gallery, everyone's in the Botticelli room."

"The Renaissance is sort of a global standard for art that everyone agrees to agree about," Hickson observed. "Even if most art since the Renaissance has been a form of rebellion against that standard. And we mustn't forget how Western-centric the Renaissance was/is."