Renaissance Artists

The artists that I researched represented Renaissance ideas and commonalities in different ways. For example, the painting of "The Cure of the Folly" was a satire of the Flemish custom of wearing amulets made out of books and scriptures. The inscription reads, "Master, cut away the stone - my name is Lubbert Das." Lubbert Das was a comical figure of Dutch literature. During the time of the Renaissance, many political and social events were portrayed through art. This painting reflected the satire of the time and was also a piece of art that served the purpose that a political cartoon would serve now.

Christopher Columbus: Hero or Villain?

Christopher Columbus was not a perfect hero; however, he was a hero that changed the world. Columbus was originally aiming to find a route to the Indies. When he came upon the islands in the Caribbean, the welcoming natives that he encountered seemed like the ideal people to use as servants. He and the people of that time did not see a problem with using those people as servants. But servants were not what he was originally looking for - spices and gold were Columbus’ real ambitions. When he found the riches of the New World, he became greedy. The greed that he experienced can change anyone into an entirely different person. Some people consider him a villain because of the deception and manipulation that he used in order to gain the riches of the land. People need to be able to see past Columbus' faults and recognize that he was a human, just as we are, and that he made some mistakes. Without Christopher Columbus, the world would be much different than it is today. Explorers would have stumbled upon America eventually, but the opportunities and possibilities that America gave to the people of the Old World at that time changed the future greatly.