With Brunelleschi’s contribution, objects could now be fixed in space, in relation to their three-dimensional world. The discovery of the rules of proportion and perspective, humans could now be depicted realistically, and painters also began experimenting with light and shadow in order to strengthen the sense of reality and increase the dramatic nature of a scene. It was the blending of this new painted naturalism with classical forms that gave the Renaissance its distinctive character. One of the most successful and lasting examples of this blending was in the theatrical scenery of the era. Entertainment was becoming a huge part of Renaissance court life as their daily celebrations – births, marriages, religious feast days, foreign visitors – were growing more and more extravagant, and theatre could not hold its own when compared to these lavish celebrations. A new take on theatre was needed, and since poets and humanists were the main supporters of the art, it made sense for theatre to look to the ancient performances for inspiration, especially because the members of the affluent Italian families that attended court believed …show more content…
Not only did these humanists support culture and the arts, as a whole, and put emphasis back on the works, including the plays and architecture, of ancient Rome, but they also, most importantly, shifted society’s focus to the individual, rather than the divine. This eventually resulted in the creation of linear perspective, which had immeasurable benefits for theatre design and art in general. Italian Renaissance theatre provided the foundations for the centuries of progress in theatrical design and production that followed, and that is largely due to the interference of the