Italian Renaissance As the fourteenth century ushered out the Middle Ages in Italy, a new period of cultural flowering began, known as the Renaissance. This period in history was famous for its revival of classical themes and the merging of these themes with the Catholic Church. These themes of humanism, naturalism, individualism, classicism, and learning and reason appeared in every aspect of the Italian Renaissance, most particularly in its art. Humanism can be defined as the idea that human beings are the primary measure of all things Fleming, 29. Renaissance art showed a renewed interest in man who was depicted...
Athena, goddess of reason.

Spreading outward on either side were groups corresponding to the separate schools of thought within the two major divisions Barrett, 87. No matter what theme of the Italian Renaissance is named, there is always some example of a corresponding art manifestation of it. For humanism it was David, for naturalism it was Annunciation, for individualism, it was The Last Supper, for classicism, it was St. Peter"s Basilica, and for learning and reason, it was The School of Athens.

It was these themes, which dominated every other aspect of the Renaissance, that dominated the artistic aspect.