Renesansi

Renesansi, also spelled Renaisansi in Indonesian contexts, is the term used to describe a period and cultural movement in Europe roughly from the 14th to the 17th century characterized by a revival of classical learning and wisdom after the Middle Ages. The word derives from Latin renascentia meaning rebirth, and from the French Renaissance.

It began in the Italian city-states, especially Florence, with humanist scholars such as Petrarch and Boccaccio, and then spread to Northern Europe. The influx of Greek manuscripts after the fall of Constantinople in 1453 helped revive classical philology and philosophy.

Core features include humanism, a revival of classical texts in literature, philosophy and education; secular and individualist orientations; innovations in art such as perspective in painting; scientific inquiry and methodological shifts; and the invention of the printing press, which facilitated the spread of ideas.

Prominent figures include artists Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael; scientists Copernicus, Vesalius, and Galileo; writers Erasmus and More. The movement influenced politics, religion, education, and exploration, and contributed to the Protestant Reformation and the broader transition to early modern Europe.

Renaissance movements varied by region, with Italian and Northern renaissances emphasizing different aspects. Some analyses address continuities with the late Middle Ages and note its Eurocentric focus. In broader usage, the term Renesansi can also appear in discussions of revived cultural movements, though its most established sense refers to the European historical period.