The
Renaissance was the period of economic progress where cities were built. The term "Renaissance" came from the French language meaning "rebirth." In this period, another word was created for man. There was a
classical learning in study of the ancient Greek and Roman texts. The period stirred enthusiasm for the study of ancient
philosophy and
artistic values. The ideals of classicism - balance, harmony, proportion and intellectual order - became the artistic standard of the time.
As the classical Greeks believed in the harmonious development of the person - a sound mind, through the practice athletics - the Renaissance held up the ideal of the well-rounded man knowledgeable in a number of fields - philosophy, science, arts, including painting and music - and applying his knowledge to productive and creative activity. The great men of Renaissance were versatile - Michelangelo was a great sculptor,
architect and poet; Leonardo da Vinci was a painter, architect, scientist, and a mathematician. They developed their potentialities fully and showed how much a man can comprehend in his lifetime.