Paving the Way
Renaissance was not exclusive to Europe alone. The achievements witnessed during the period cannot be solely …show more content…
Likewise to the Ottomans, the Safavids economic strength derived from trading routes and its location. Constant rivalries with its neighbours including the Ottomans and Mughals were due to mostly sectarian tension between Shi’a and Sunni Islam. They were known for their unifying spirits that influenced part of their control power and encouraged contact with the west affecting European art and literature. The capital Isfahan, like Istanbul signified the empires cultural greatness through architecture, yet the ‘overall flavours’ were beautifully distinct (Bulliet et al., 2015, p. …show more content…
Connections between the West and East existed as an occurrence of trade, conflict and crucial diplomatic relations. Alliances such as the ‘Franco-Ottoman Alliance’ between King Francis I and Suleiman the Magnificent in 1536 challenged religious groundings and was even labelled as ‘allies with infidels’ (Otte, 2012), thought both parties joined for a strategic tactic in their military affairs. This allowed for broader opportunities in interaction of ideas, using one another as steps for further development in other areas.
The importance of observing the Renaissance through an inclusive lens is portrayed within the praised art that had been produced. From the influences, techniques, depictions to the makers of the work; the mixture of the culture and ideas are transparent. One of many examples includes the works of Gentile Bellini ‘Saint Mark Preaching in Alexandria’ (Figure 1) where the architecture, culture and the community are fused, ‘Europeans and their noblemen amongst Ottomans, Tartars, Ethiopians, Egyptian Mamluks, North African ‘Moors’ and Persians are at an eastern marketplace scene along with western church architecture (Brotton, 2006, p. 21 - 22). Despite the influence of the painted setting, the social aspect of the work also demonstrates the flow of different peoples present in Europe. Likewise the use of linear perspective founded by Italian artists