The Renaissance Rebirth of Western Europe

The Renaissance

Rebirth of Western Europe

The word Renaissance means rebirth. Used to describe the time that followed the Middle

Ages The Renaissance was a time of new thought and

advancement. New ways of thinking developed in the areas of art,

architecture, science, philosophy, and politics.

Why “Rebirth”?

During the Renaissance, Italy was a collection of

city-states, each with its own ruler—the Pope in Rome, the Medici family in Florence, the Doge in Venice, the Sforza family in Milan, the Este family in Ferrara

Among the ruling families of these city-states there was conflict and intense rivalry—either by open

warfare or through economic and artistic competition.

Italian City-States

Renaissance Trade Routes

The States of Italy during the Renaissance, c.1494

Medici Family

Medici Family: Bankers from Florence

Florence: center of the Renaissance movement (because of the Medici family support)

Patron: Someone who provides support

to a specific cause and/or person/peopleFor example:

The Medici Family funded many Renaissance Artists.

The Pope was also a patron of Renaissance art.

Patrons:

In Renaissance Italy

Money Could Buy You a lot of Things                                                                                                                     

But most importantly, it could buy you RESPECTGlorify God

That's the way to get a rich rascal like yourself into heaven

Glorify your cityThat's the way to get ahead in politics and power

Glorify yourself and your familyThat's the way to real immortality

Good FoodExpensive Things

Fine Clothing

In Renaissance Italy, making money and

getting rich was considered sinful—the Catholic Church even banned banks from charging interest on loans!

That didn't stop anyone from trying to get rich…

Those who got rich usually felt an obligation to give something back to society. A work of art became a popular item for rich bankers and merchants to commission on behalf of their family, their city, or their God.

Why Patrons Gave

Can art buy my way into heaven?

The Printing Press

Invented by Johann Gutenberg in 1455

How did it work?Block letters were held together by a wooden form. Ink was rolled over the raised surfaces and then pressed against a sheet of paper.

How were books made before the invention of

the printing press?

Books could be produced quickly and with

relatively little effort Bookmaking became less expensive More people could afford to buy books People began demanding books that were

printed in the vernacular Literacy rates went up People start to learn about Humanism

“What gunpowder did for war the printing press has

done for the mind”

Vernacular: the native language of a place (Italian,

French, German, etc)

During the Middle Ages, scholars had been guided by the teachings of the church, and people had concerned themselves with actions leading to heavenly rewards

SPIRITUAL

During the Renaissance, Western Europeans rediscovered the classics of Ancient Greece and Rome and became more focused on humans, their intellect and life here on earth

SECULAR

HUMANISM