Surely, we all know or have known a few Renaissance people. These are the folks who know a little about a lot of things. Well-rounded is an apt description.
Leonardo di Vinci was considered the archetype of the fourteenth to seventeenth century, homo universalis, ideal “Renaissance man.” Known primarily for his accomplishments as an artist, di Vinci was also a gifted scientist and inventor.
The definitive “Renaissance man,” di Vinci was skilled across fields as well as knowledgeable beyond his obvious and well-known works. He came up in the time of the Renaissance when the rebirth of classical (Greek and Roman) education had fertilized his inquiring mind.
I could name a handful of Renaissance people born right here and in our time. However, I won’t name them because often, they’re humble and would be embarrassed to be mentioned in a public forum. But I will mention a man, now deceased, who my husband and I often referred to as our “Renaissance man,” Jerry Leeds.
Jerry could fix anything and he could talk, talk, talk about any topic from what’s the best fertilizer for grapes to that symphonic piece you just published, the African Methodist church service last week, to how to fix that small engine that just conked out. Jerry was well-versed in many disciplines and not all talk; he applied his vast knowledge to the work of his hands.
Being educated formally in the liberal arts or humanities: history, cultural studies, critical thinking, languages, philosophy, social and religious studies, grammar; and generally learning figuratively, where humans have come from and where we’re headed, helps us to fall into the role of Renaissance people. However, formal education is not the only education.
Necessity breeds resourcefulness and many a Renaissance person had no choice but to “learn how to do it or else.” Also, travel exposes one to the potential to know a little about a lot. Willingness and openness to learn is a prerequisite for becoming a Renaissance person. Apprenticeship with a Renaissance person can by example, mold one into the same.
”Renaissance man,” is not a sexist term nor concept. This was/is a man in the sense of human, not a person of the male gender. Many women are Renaissance people. In fact, I would venture an educated guess that many women are such.
Women have the potential to be the most holistic creatures on earth. Bearing another human from your body, I dare say, requires something of you beyond the physical. Having children or not having children does not automatically make you a Renaissance person. However, bearing a child and raising said child predisposes you toward learning a little about a lot and then teaching this information to your child.
If you can cook creatively with nothing, sew and mend anything, build a deck, house or carport, do your own taxes, grow food and flowers, lead a committee, do some basic accounting, exercise compassion toward others, navigate the internet and multiple customer service representatives, know God, play an instrument, sing, dance, counsel others who are hurting, nurse their wounds, solve a thousand intersecting problems, read a book or a thousand, appreciate nature and artistic beauty, speak effectively in a meeting or a crowd, and a host of other necessities in life, I think you’re a Renaissance person I know a few women and men who fit this bill.
You might ask why do I care about being a Renaissance person or that you are one? If you are a well-rounded individual, you are in a greater position to contribute to society. Thus, your potential for life-satisfaction is multiplied because you have more resources to draw from when reality gets harsh.
Life is easier when you can recall a song, a poem, a Bible verse, an apropos word or phrase in Spanish, French, or Italian, to address a current sticky situation. A particular painting, a re-read of a favorite book, a walk in the woods or along a beach, a home-cooked meal or baked good, crafting a piece, pounding a nail, or some such release of skill, might be just the thing to make you smile. That’s when you’re grateful to be a Renaissance person.