The Italian Renaissance: art and architecture
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe some examples of Renaissance art and architecture.
Key learning points
- New artistic techniques were developed during the Renaissance.
- Da Vinci's artworks like the Mona Lisa display these techniques.
- Painters studied one another's work to improve their craft.
- St Peter's Basilica in Rome is a classic example of Renaissance architecture.
- Renaissance architecture drew on classical models.
Keywords
Sfumato - the artistic technique of allowing tones or colours to gradually shade into one another is called sfumato
Chiaroscuro - the use of light and shade in drawing and painting is called chiaroscuro
Basilica - a basilica is a church considered highly important by the Catholic Church
Common misconception
Pupils might think that because Renaissance architects used mathematical calculations to design their buildings, these were without subsequent problems or issues.
Explain to pupils that these architects often made miscalculations and many subsequent improvement works were needed to ensure buildings like St Peter's did not fall down.
Teacher tip
Enrich pupils' understandings of the Renaissance art discussed in this lesson by showing them further examples such as Michelangelo's sculpture of Moses. Michelangelo has ensured that a tiny muscle on the arm of the sculpture is contracted, showing his anatomical knowledge.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Who controlled most book copying before the Renaissance?
Q2.The printing press made book copying...
Q3.Holbein's portrait of Erasmus compared his work to the tasks of Hercules because...
Q4.During the Renaissance, the number of universities...
Q5.During the Renaissance, humanist ideas were spread in...
Q6.Match the factor to the role it played in spreading humanism during the Renaissance.
became centres of humanist teaching and learning
allowed the books that humanists studied to be copied quickly
travelled between universities, spreading humanist ideas
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Renaissance artists were inspired by the world.
Q2.Which Renaissance painting technique focused on a soft change between colours?
Q3.Renaissance painters used a range of dark to light tones in their paintings, a technique known as...
Q4.Da Vinci used principles to make his paintings more realistic.
Q5.Roughly how old was the old basilica of St Peter's before it was rebuilt?
Q6.The new St Peter's took inspiration from classical buildings like the Pantheon and the...
To help you plan your 7 history lesson on: The Italian Renaissance: art and architecture, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 history lesson on: The Italian Renaissance: art and architecture, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the The Renaissance: what do the artefacts of the Renaissance tell us about it? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.