<P> The German Renaissance, part of the Northern Renaissance, was a cultural and artistic movement that spread among German thinkers in the 15th and 16th centuries, which developed from the Italian Renaissance . Many areas of the arts and sciences were influenced, notably by the spread of Renaissance humanism to the various German states and principalities . There were many advances made in the fields of architecture, the arts, and the sciences . Germany produced two developments that were to dominate the 16th century all over Europe: printing and the Protestant Reformation . </P> <P> One of the most important German humanists was Konrad Celtis (1459--1508). Celtis studied at Cologne and Heidelberg, and later travelled throughout Italy collecting Latin and Greek manuscripts . Heavily influenced by Tacitus, he used the Germania to introduce German history and geography . Eventually he devoted his time to poetry, in which he praised Germany in Latin . Another important figure was Johann Reuchlin (1455--1522) who studied in various places in Italy and later taught Greek . He studied the Hebrew language, aiming to purify Christianity, but encountered resistance from the church . </P> <P> The most significant German Renaissance artist is Albrecht Dürer especially known for his printmaking in woodcut and engraving, which spread all over Europe, drawings, and painted portraits . Important architecture of this period includes the Landshut Residence, Heidelberg Castle and the Town Hall in Augsburg . </P> <P> The Renaissance was largely driven by the renewed interest in classical learning, and was also the result of rapid economic development . At the beginning of the 16th century, Germany was one of the most prosperous countries in Europe despite a relatively low level of urbanization compared to Italy or the Netherlands . It benefited from the wealth of certain sectors such as metallurgy, mining, banking and textiles . More importantly, book - printing developed in Germany, and German printers dominated the new book - trade in most other countries until well into the 16th century . </P>

Who was the foremost artist of the german renaissance