The Renaissance ushered in a completely new way of understanding man's relationship with his surroundings. Through re-exploring classical cultures and creating a more secularized culture than that of the Middle Ages, a new era of humanism revitalized the arts. This newfound humanism permeated all of Renaissance culture, and can be seen clearly in the garden art created during this time. There was not just a love of nature and God, but a new understanding of how man related to these aspects of life. Unlike the themes of submissive worship that were part of medieval culture, the studying of classic civilizations reintroduced the glory and triumph of man. This glory and pride in the human condition is abundant in garden culture, especially looking at the tremendously impressive tivoli gardens at the villa d'este. Humanism explored the beauty and importance of those aspects of life that emphasized man as opposed to something divine. Similarly, there was an emphasis on nature but also on mans ability to plot and cultivate it in an aesthetically pleasing and enjoyable way. Instead of the small introverted gardens of the medieval times, Renaissance gardens were grand and intricately planned spectacles to show the beauty and achievements of man. This is exemplified at the villa by axial alignment, multiple terraces, and a large and impressive pergola by the bottom entrance. But most impressive are the multiple water features of tivoli. These strongly emphasize the beauty and power of man as he works to control nature, and are also just simply beautiful. The row of a hundred fountains emphasizes romes relation to water and the accomplishments of man. Throughout the garden is various mythical and religious sculptures, which more than for worships sake emphasize the long history of culture and art that the Renaissance is building upon. Overall the garden does not so much summon divine figures but instead shows the near-divinity of man. In general, the gardens of the Renaissance reassert the notion that nothing is more glorious than mans ability to imagine and create.