The renaissance emphasised the individualism of nations and stressed the use of the national languege in literature. In the graphic arts, and especiallyin painting, Greek art had a major influence. The beauty of the human body was discovered, based on harmonious body proportions. Famous artist of that period were Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael Santi, Titian.

Among Renaissance monuments we can count, for example, chateau in Litomyšl, chateau in Telč, Belvedere in Prague, the town of Slavonice, the town halol in Augsburg, and the towns of Frankfurt, Nuremburg and Munich.


The Baroque style

The Baroque style represented a new style in literature and art from 1600 to 1750. It developed in the second half of the 16th century, and its development continued during the 17th century, freedom of thought resulted in military clashes, that in turn led to an impoverishment of the population. All of these caused the reinforcement of Church authority and re- catholization. In art motifs of death, destitution and starvation became predominant. Man turned back to God, but the thirst for knowledge continued. The conflict between the body and the soul found its expression in art.

The buildings give the impresion of splendour and nobility. Typical for baroque are luxury details, curves, ovals, Picture lighting, and interior tension in the sculptures  that subordinates even the body. Baroque gables appeared at country estate. Everywhere there was a great deal of decoration, a lot of gild, marble, and contrast between light and dark. Palaces, chateaux, churches, townhouses and monasteries were built.

Examples of baroque monuments are the Troja chateau in Prague, the Vranov chateau, Czernínsky Palace, the Loretto, the Church Saint Nicolas in Prague, St. Paul´s Cathedral in London, and Moritsburg in Germany. The prominent personalities were Matyáš Bernard Braun, Ferdinand Brokof, Kryštof and Kilián, Ignác Dienzenhofer, Karel Škréta, Petr Brandl, J. B. Fischer from Erlach, L. Hilderbrant, G. Lantini or the painters Peter Pavel Rubens, Rembrant van Rijn, Velasquez.


Rococo

Rococo came into existence from 1730 to 1770. It was the final stage of the Baroque style. Interior spaces werre bright and full of light, were decorated with paintings and porcelain. The paintings often featured love scences. Rooms contained cheerful decoration and fine furnishings. Artists returned to nature and the exotic.


Classicism

Classicism originated during the rule of Louis XIV. in France. It spread into all of Europe where it flourished in the 18th century.
It looked for its inspiration in classical antiquity(a strist order and rules were set). Reason was preferred over the emotions, this is known as rationalism. In this period the French thinker René Descartes proclaimed famous sentence:"I think, therefore I am!"

The ideal and goal was a rationally perfect work. Private interests were subordinated to public ones. The ideal was a balanced man with a fixed goal. Importance was given to representation of nature and of the nature- man relationship. In this period, specifics rules applied, such a, for example, beauty=truth, truth=representation of nature.