RENAISSANCE HUMANISM

'Renaissance humanism is the term generally applied to the predominant social philosophy and intllectual and lterary currents of the period from 1400 to 1650.'    -The History Guide, lectures on modern European intellectual history.

As far as I can tell this means that Renaissance humanism basically describes people's outlook on life during the renaissance period, in a broad sort of way. In the 1400s society seemed to be changing its philosophies a great deal, and shifting its priorities from those of medieval times. For example, during the medieval times everything was basically focused around religion, and there wasn't much around in the way of science, or individual expression. But during the renaissance period, people became more interested in culture and art, and all paintings no longer had to be about biblical themes. Instead, people were finding a kind of middle ground. Spirituality was still important, but it was being combined with the human experience of life and society in the here and now. People were developing a new appreciation for the actual culture of humanity, and expressing it through their art, with beauty being a big theme throughout. During the renaisance period, artists became much more intersted in finding and expressing beauty through painting, sculpture and architecture. In general, renaissance society's philosophies and priorities became more focused on the human experience of life, and the enrichment of it through culture, art, and relationships. In a way, 'Renaissance Humanism' is basically describing what people's tastes and interests were directed towards during the renaissance period.

So I guess one could say then that Ron Mueck's work is, in a way, an extension of this 'renaissance humanism' philosophy. His 'Pregnant Woman' sculpture is almost a perfect modern counterpart of what artists were doing in the renaissance. It is all about evoking emotion and spirituality through the beauty of the female body, or human form, with a modern touch of the risque, or controversial. In fact, the subject matter of the whole pregnancy and nudity thing would probably have been a little too risque back in renaissance times, but its not much of a stretch to imagine that artists from the renaissance would be making exactly the sort of work Mueck is making now if someone teleported them into today, and gave them the modern tools and technology available to Mueck.