The Renaissance was the period that gave the world a profound number of significant discoveries and innovations. The areas of art, literature, music, architecture, and science were brought to a new level by the outstanding figures who lived and created in that era. The movie Renaissance Italy offers an overview of how the 14th-16th-century evolution progressed in Italy and how it affected both Italians and the rest of the world. The film is divided into several segments, each one dedicated to a different aspect of the Renaissance in Italy. The main point made in the documentary is that the contribution of Italian Renaissance artists and scientists was so extraordinary that it is still remembered and cherished in many parts of the world.
The evidence presented in the movie makes a convincing point since it is based on old texts, maps, drafts, sketches, paintings, and other original and reliable sources. To make the documentary more engaging and convenient to percept, its creators arranged it into several parts: “The City-States,” “Cultural Achievements,” “Significant Individuals,” and “Art and Architecture.” In each of these sections, information was given about the corresponding issues or people. The data were accompanied by a large amount of evidence that was arranged in an interesting and compact way. The narration begins by explaining the term “the Renaissance,” which means “reborn” in French. Further, the spheres that underwent flourishing change in the Renaissance epoch are enumerated and illustrated. Such a combination of lexical and historical information makes a good ground for further understanding of the film.
Particular attention is given to the historical development of Italy in the Renaissance, which is described in detail with special emphasis on politics, trade, social life, and warfare. Backing up the data with historical facts, the narrator provides an account of how families were formed and explains the dependence of a wife on a husband. With respect to cultural life, such prominent writers and poets as Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio are mentioned. The narrator explains that these famous individuals were popular not only for their own creative writing but also for finding and translating the works of the classics. Hence, the connection between the Renaissance and the period that preceded it is emphasized.
The chapters “Significant Individuals” and “Art and Architecture” contain interesting information on the most influential scientists and artists of the Italian Renaissance. A detailed chronicle of Machiavelli’s, Galilei’s and Da Vinci’s lives and achievements is given along with the information about Michelangelo’s, Raphael’s, and Brunelleschi’s contributions. The evidence on each of these outstanding figures is highly effective since the makers of the documentary have shown many paintings and sculptures as well as described each of these noble figures’ way to success. It was especially sad to find out that the Catholic Church admitted that it had been wrong about Galilei’s work only in 1992, and even then, it did not apologize for such treatment.
The information and evidence given in the documentary succeed in justifying the point made about an outstanding impact of the Renaissance on the future of art and science. Not only biographical data of the most prominent figures are offered but also many instances of factual indications are suggested to the audience. The creators of the movie have managed to present a realistic picture of the Renaissance in Italy with the help of carefully selected proofs.