Renaissance man

The term Renaissance man or polymath is used for a very clever man who is good at many different things. It is named after the Renaissance period of history (from the 14th century to the 16th or 17th century in Europe). two of the best-known people from this time were Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Leonardo da Vinci was a famous painter but was also a scientist, philosopher, engineer, and mathematician. Michelangelo was an extraordinary sculptor, painter, architect, and poet. They are known as two of the highest examples of Renaissance men.

However, the term "Renaissance man" is also often used for extraordinary people not from the Renaissance period. It can be used for anyone who is very clever at many different things, no matter when the person lived. Albert Schweitzer was a 20th-century "Renaissance man" who was a theologian, musician, philosopher and doctor. Benjamin Franklin was an 18th-century "Renaissance man" who was an author, printer, politician, scientist, inventor, and soldier.

Over the centuries the term has broadened from its original application. The most precise definition true to its origin is a man who is educated and accomplished in both the arts and the sciences.

Renaissance period

Uomo Universale (Italian: "Universal Man") was the original concept of the Renaissance man and was an ideal of the Italian Renaissance. One example is the saying by Leone Battista Alberti that "a man can do all things if he will." Many Renaissance men from this time are still famous today:

• Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) Italian painter, sculptor, engineer, astronomer, anatomist, biologist, geologist, physicist, architect, musician, philosopher, and humanist.
• Michelangelo (March 6, 1475 – February 18, 1564) was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, engineer, and theologian.
• Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) was a Florentine statesman, philosopher, poet, author, playwright, songwriter, classicist, military scientist, political thinker, and historian.
• Leone Battista Alberti (1404–1472) was an Italian author, artist, architect, poet, priest, linguist, philosopher, and cryptographer.
• Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) was an Italian scientist, mathematician, astronomer, physicist, and philosopher.

Other polymaths

References and notes

Further reading

• Polymath: A Renaissance Man Archived 2006-01-11 at the Wayback Machine
• Polymath -Citizendium
• "History", "Mathematic", "Polymath" and "Polyhistor" in one or more of: Chamber's Dictionary of Etymology, The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories, The Cassell Dictionary of Word Histories