THE RENAISSANCE

WHAT IS THE RENAISSANCE??

-A 300 year period in Western Europe that marked the revival of art, literature and learning.

- a transition period between medieval and modern Europe.

-A time of creativity and change in the areas ex. Politics, culture,society and economics.

-A spiritual reawakening

- A renewed interest in the classical learning of the past.

Medieval Europe had been a fragmented feudal society with an agricultural economy

Its thought and culture dominated by the church

Renaissance Europe, especially after the 14th century was characterized by growing national consciousness and political centralization

An urban economy based on organized commerce and capitalism

With ever greater lay and secular control of thought culture and religion.

WHY ITALY??

-Center of Ancient Roman History.

-Italian cities survived the Middle Ages and the Plague

-Milan, Florence, Genoa, and Venice in the north Rome in the center and Naples in the south all make an impact.

-Centers of trade

-Powerful merchant class evolves and promotes a cultural rebirth.

RENAISSANCE CITY-STATES

Venice- Controlled by a Merchant Oligarchy, also home of the “12 Families”

Milan- Controlled by the despots of the Sforza Family

Papal States- Controlled by the traditional, powerful families of Rome

Naples- Controlled by the nobility of the House of Aragon

Florence- Controlled by the famous Medicis

FLORENCE LEADS THE WAY

Social Strife and competition for political power was so intense within cities that most had evolved to despotism. Florence was the most striking example

There were 4 social groups in Florence

•the old rich or nobles

•newly rich merchant class “poppolo grosso” or fat people

•the middle-burgher ranks: guild masters, shopkeepers, professionals

•Finally, the little people, popolo minuto

-The Medici family of Florence starts a banking business, which prospers

-Family expands empire to include other things- wool,mining etc.

- wealthiest family in Florence

-Translates into power

-Uncrowned king of Florence for years

-Best known is Cosimo

-Patron or financial supporter of the arts

POLITICAL HUMANISM

Niccolo Machiavelli- Author of important political treatise “The Prince”

Had served as a minor government official in the Republican government of Florence

Wrote to stress that rulers must be concerned with “the way things are, not the way they wish them to be.”

Wanted the Italian city- states to unite so that they would become stronger!

-An intellectual movement, study of classic culture of Greece and Rome.

-focus on worldly subjects rather than religious issues.

-Use wisdom of ancients to increase the understanding of their own times

-Education should stimulate a person creativity

-Humanist do not accept texts without question but, studied them in light of their own experiences. Leonardo Da Vinci

RENAISSANCE HUMANISM

Humanists advocated the study of the Classics in Greek and LatinStressed the worth of the individual, individualism, as opposed to the traditional teachings of scholasticism and the ChurchHumanistic education was seen as a way for a man to become complete; consisted of reading, writing, music, and rhetoricSeen in works of men such as Petrarch, Lorenzo Valla, and Pico della Mirandola

PETRARCH

Francesco Petrarch, Florence

Early humanist

Found and preserved ancient Greek and Roman manuscripts

Encouraged others to read and preserve these works as well

Wrote sonnets

“one thing that I know, is that I know nothing”

PRE-RENAISSANCE

RENAISSANCE

-Art the best expression of humanism in the Renaissance

-Patrons played large part in artists evolution

-Renaissance reflect humanist concerns

-Produced portraits of well-known figures of the day reflecting importance of individual achievement.

-Studied ancient Roman works, revived classic forms

-Represented both people and landscape in a realistic fashion.

Artists begin using the rules of perspectives

Making distant objects smaller

Use of shading to make objects look round or real

Studied the human anatomy

Allowed them to paint people more accurately

Renaissance Reading

Text- 317-341

Achiever p 59-70