2006-09-16 06:16:52 · 5 answers · asked by Cris C 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Are you referring to the plague in Europe that was along with changing patronage somewhat responsible for the birth of Humanism during the Renaissance?
2006-09-18 01:48:44 · answer #1 · answered by samanthajanecaroline 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Black Plague was immortalized in art form featuring the ever infamous Grim Reaper and/or skeletons riding on horses over corpses. You might want to check out pictures of "The Dance of Death," which refers to artwork about the plague (I will provide a link in my response).
Life sucked and people basically scratched their heads, wondering what they have done to deserve this punishment because they felt that these kinds of tragedies were punishments from God. They also believed that the disease can be caused by bad smells (germ theory was not around then) and people would go around wearing ridiculous bird-beak masks filled with incense, which didn't do any good.
After the plague, which took out 30 to 50% of the population of Europe, life started to really stink. The economy went crashing into the proverbial toilet, wealthy landowners lost half their workforce due to the plague, etc.
Do a google search on the Black Death and you'll get more information.
2006-09-16 13:33:24 · answer #2 · answered by chrstnwrtr 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The plague had a major effect on life by just about wiping out all the people in Europe. It also gave rise to "Ring around the Rosie", and stories like "The Pied Piper of Hamelin",. At least in Hamelin somebody figured out that the plague was spread by fleas living on rats. Some creative genius decided that Europe would be better off if they started keeping the streets clean. That was a giant step forward.
BTW- plague is still present in Arizona and New Mexico, spread by prairie dogs. I have taken care of a couple or three plague victims. They all lived.
2006-09-16 13:25:34 · answer #3 · answered by GreenHornet 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It is interesting to note that the famous Italian painter Titian painted all the way through the Black Plague and there is no evidence of it in his art. He lived to be 98.
Giorgione, another great painter, died from the plague in 1510.
2006-09-16 13:45:28 · answer #4 · answered by Easy B 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If this is an homework assignment, then research "A Distant Mirror" by Barbara Tuchman. There is a chapter with the title with almost the same words as your question.
I recall the book said there was a Cult of Death phenomenon. People wore skeleton costumes and danced the night away.
2006-09-16 13:21:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋