Generally, scholars agree that the Renaissance lasted from the 14th to the 17th century.
However, its influence is still evident in modern society, and a fun example of this is the appropriately titled subreddit 'Accidental Renaissance.'
This online community shares pictures that unintentionally evoke the aesthetic and thematic elements of the famous past era. Maybe it's true what Oscar Wilde once said, "life imitates art far more than art imitates life."
Continue scrolling to check out the images, and don't miss the conversation we had with art historian Dr. Sally Hickson. You'll find it spread in between the pictures.
#1 Chaplain Ivan Of The Orthodox Church Of Ukraine Reads A Prayer For Ukranian Servicemen
Image credits: lagomc
#2 Surveying The Feast
Image credits: reddit.com
Many describe the Renaissance as a period of European cultural, artistic, political, and economic "rebirth" that took place after the Middle Ages.
To gain a better understanding of how it came about and the key ideas of the time, we contacted Dr. Sally Hickson, who is an Associate Professor of Renaissance Art History at the University of Guelph, Canada.
"The Renaissance is usually thought to be about the rediscovery of the individual, but I think it's more about the rediscovery of the 'self' as opposed to the collective sensibility of the Middle Ages," she told Bored Panda.
"Basically, it's about locating meaning in human experience rather than fixating on the Christian belief in the glories of the afterlife."
#3 Ballet Dancers Photographed After A Performance
Image credits: dareduvil
#4 His Fur In This Lighting Looks Like An Oil Painting
Image credits: jawknee530i
#5 Parents Hugging Their Daughter After Her Face Transplant
Image credits: piejesus
According to Hickson, the Renaissance was guided by the idea that the human experience of the world can lead to spiritual enlightenment; a new appreciation of nature, the senses, the body, the mind, and human potential.
Medieval art, on the other hand, was "more 'abstract' in that people weren't meant to imagine themselves as part of the imagery (most of it religious) — they're supposed to be overwhelmed and lost in all the gold and splendor and blinded by the light. In the Renaissance, people begin to see themselves."
#6 Raising Caterpillars. A Lot Of People Told Me That This Picture Looks Like A Painting
Image credits: MusicalADD
#7 My Granduncle Having Dinner In A Dark Room
Image credits: gurwinder_toor
#8 Someone Told Me This Dramatic Floor Belonged Here
Image credits: CskoG0
#9 Otter Renaissance
Image credits: OpenMindedScientist
However, what helps the members of the 'Accidental Renaissance' subreddit determine whether or not a particular picture belongs to their collection?
"The widespread use of single-point perspective is a key to recognizing early Renaissance works," Hickson explained.
"You know, tiny figures contained within a perfectly proportional world, usually including architectural settings that help to set the scale."
#10 I Was Told My Image Would Go Well Here. Thoughts?
Image credits: Degroomed
#11 A Flemish Masterpiece
Image credits: flightsonkites
#12 Isle Of Skye Stein Inn
Image credits: RR11840
Talking about other common characteristics, there's also a focus on nature, but Hickson stressed that it's usually an idealized version of it. "It's all about creating a perfect image of the world," she highlighted.
"Along with the usual altarpieces and depictions of saints, there's an interest in mythological scenes — the reimagining of the ancient world."
#13 Florence And The Crowd
Image credits: nothingbother
#14 A Baseball Game In Bhutan
Image credits: BhutanBaseball
#15 Snow Day
Image credits: Monochromaticeye
#16 Bug Inside Lamp (2023)
Image credits: gueritito
"Mostly, Renaissance art is about balance and perfection, and the scenes are imagined as complete within the frame. Not bursting out all over, which happens in the Baroque," the professor summarized.
However, if you're browsing these pictures on your way to an exhibition and then misattribute a painting, don't beat yourself up over it.
"I have a lot of students who can't tell Renaissance art from later Neo-classical art, but that's not surprising," Hickson said. "It's all about order, balance, perfection. I mean, there are variations in the later Renaissance — a painter like Titian is really different from an artist like Botticelli — so there's a progression within the Renaissance that can kind of freak people out."
"The Renaissance is not just one thing in terms of visual language. It's about an evolution of visual language centered on the full range of human experience," the art historian added.
#17 A Drummer From A Concert That I Shot Today
Image credits: Hawkatron
#18 Old Man And His Dog
Image credits: reddit.com
#19 The Conversation
Image credits: romanesque642
When we first published a piece on the subreddit 'Accidental Renaissance' at the end of 2020, it had 748k members, or as they call themselves, 'universalis personae,' which, translated from Latin, means 'universal persons.' Now, the figure stands at 939k. Clearly, the period is still relevant.
Plus, pop culture hasn't forgotten about it either. Last year, for example, Beyoncé released an album called 'Renaissance,' and the cover art appeared to be a homage to Adam van Noort's Lady Godiva, painted in 1586.
"Parts of the Renaissance get lots of attention," Hickson said. "[There's] a lot of hype around Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, essentially."
#20 Adoration At The Museum Of Fine Arts, Boston
Image credits: hucklecat721
#21 The Deer Lord And His 12 Disciples (Oc)
Image credits: Alb1rdy
#22 Sightseers
Image credits: jermjorm
However, it's up for debate how intentional our interest in the Renaissance is and how much of it is fueled by artistic curiosity.
Dr. Sally Hickson was in Rome just a few months ago, and she said people are still flocking to the Sistine Chapel. "I'm not sure what they're doing there, though. It's something they know they should see, but for many, it's more of a religious pilgrimage than an artistic one."
"There are a few works that are wildly popular. If you go to the Uffizi Gallery, everyone's in the Botticelli room."
"The Renaissance is sort of a global standard for art that everyone agrees to agree about," Hickson observed. "Even if most art since the Renaissance has been a form of rebellion against that standard. And we mustn't forget how Western-centric the Renaissance was/is."
#23 An Unexpected Betrayal
Image credits: Zerofett0
#24 This Really Ticks All The Boxes, The Guy Holding The Poster, The Other Sticking Out From The Fog In The Back And The Perfectly Exposed Flag
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#25 London Late Summer
Image credits: photonphillips
#26 My Sleeping Cats
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#27 Doordash Delivered Photo
Image credits: BlaringSiren
#28 Took A Picture Of My Whisky And I Looks Just Like An Oil Painting. (Don't Pour Whisky In The Dark, A "Splash" Is A Lot)
Image credits: ForestMark
#29 Accidentally Got An Otherworldly Scene In The Vatican
Image credits: wheresolly
#30 Two Nuns Discuss A Painting
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#31 Protest In Parliament
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#32 Found This One On R/Natureismental
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#33 This Chess Match, Played On Top Of A Washing Machine, In The Middle Of A Party
Image credits: Mr_Olivar
#34 My Partner Trying To Make Our One Year Old Eat Her Dinner
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#35 The Girl With Army Uniform, North Korea
Image credits: Lozypolzy
#36 Finishing A Duel
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#37 The Agony And The Tragedy Of The Favorite Nesting Box
Image credits: leaderofpariahs
#38 On The Set Of 'Saw'
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#39 A Lull
Image credits: Kaalra
#40 This Is Myself And Two Friends Of Mine. They Recently Broke Up. We Are At A Wedding. This Is The First Time They've Seen Each Other Since The Break-Up. Once Again, I Am Caught In The Middle
Image credits: Corvious3
#41 Chasidic Gatherings Make For The Best Paintings
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#42 Leader Of Dutch Political Party Vvd Gets Interviewed The Morning After The Elections
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#43 Japanese Parliament Brawls Are A Feast
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#44 Attempt To Restrain Shinichi Yokoyama
Image credits: AdelaideSadieStark
#45 Picture Of (Not) My American Girlfriend Cooking Pancakes And Smoking Pot For Breakfast
Image credits: nighteeeeey
#46 Dublin Riots (2023)
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#47 The Trumpetist
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#48 Delays
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#49 Giving Birth In Wartime (Finbarr O'reilly, Nyt)
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#50 I Tried A New Barber And Got Offered A Free Facemask. I Had No Idea What’s Going On
Image credits: Uc207Pr4f57t90
