The practices of the Middle Ages emphasized the importance of Christian beliefs, as Christianity was thought to be the most powerful and undeniable force. When the Crusades were commissioned by the Pope, the information was brought back and eventually revived the thinking and artwork of Europe, signaling the Renaissance period. As a result, the understanding of human nature grew through great thinkers and artists who considered a person's individuality as the central point of his existence. The principles of the Pope and the Church were still followed by the people and influenced many, but the discovery of new information led to the realization that man is the most important subject. Patronage of the arts and a greater emphasis on education were two features of the Renaissance that reflected a change in attitude from the church-based Middle Ages, but individualism and freedom of expression were the most important factors. Although superficiality was condemned in favor of spirituality in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance challenged the Middle Ages' lack of individual analysis, neglecting rigid religious beliefs in favor of free expression. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Middle Ages were a time hungry for creativity in stark contrast to the much more vibrant period of the Renaissance. With the strong implementation of religious values, the Middle Ages was certainly not a suitable period for the pursuit of ideal human existence, because the pursuit of a peaceful afterlife was a more urgent matter. The passage from the depths of the religious order was shown in the works of painters such as the Italian Titian, (2) the best painter of the Venetian school. Titian's painting Adoration of Venus depicts a large gathering of Christian cherubs frolicking in the shadow of the Roman goddess Venus. The painting shows cherubs looking at the Roman goddess of beauty and love. Admiration for a symbol of beauty demonstrates acceptance and admiration for the human pursuit of perfection. This admiration also demonstrates the interest in the aesthetic aspect, which in the Middle Ages was completely neglected. The work emphasizes self-expression and individualism, as the depiction of love and beauty is actually a work of art. The subject matter focuses on the present life of a human being, which varies greatly from works from the Middle Ages, which focused on the afterlife of humans. Self-expression and the pursuit of perfection were highly reckless in the Middle Ages, but the growing appreciation for one's life increased the acceptance of personal beauty and the pursuit of perfection. Renaissance literature reflects a change from writings based solely on religion to a more humanistic one. attitude. The literature of the Middle Ages reflected the ideals of chivalry and Christian beliefs. In contrast, Renaissance literature focused more on the individual. In Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince, Machiavelli countered Christian beliefs and advised how humans should act. For example, he says that the State is not of divine origin but a creation of man (3). Furthermore, he rejects Christian teachings of morality by saying that a prince should neglect moral codes that are not beneficial to him (3). This literature shows the complex beauty of human beings in a negative way. Furthermore, he argues that a prince should have a cruel reputation to keep his subjects united. However, he advises the prince to be like a fox and a lion. A fox can recognize and detect things while a lion can protect.