The Italian RenaissanceThe Italian Renaissance

-Key Concepts--Key Concepts-

I. Why in Italy at this Time?I. Why in Italy at this Time?

Revival of Commerce Revival of Commerce and Town Building was and Town Building was more intense in Italymore intense in Italy

Feudalism had less of a Feudalism had less of a grip on Italygrip on Italy

Two competing lords Two competing lords for control of Italy were for control of Italy were losing influencelosing influence

Presence of antiquity Presence of antiquity was stronger in Italy was stronger in Italy than elsewhere in than elsewhere in EuropeEurope

II. European Economic II. European Economic RecoveryRecovery

Dramatic recovery of Dramatic recovery of European commerceEuropean commerce

Important industries Important industries flourish in Northern Italyflourish in Northern Italy

The significance of The significance of printing and mining as printing and mining as new industriesnew industries

The fifteenth-century The fifteenth-century banking empire of the banking empire of the Medici family in Medici family in FlorenceFlorence

III. Renaissance EconomicsIII. Renaissance Economics

Profit-making became Profit-making became more important than more important than Church doctrineChurch doctrine

To overcome guilt, To overcome guilt, profit-makers indulge profit-makers indulge in philanthropyin philanthropy

Influence of guilds Influence of guilds decliningdeclining

High profits led to High profits led to economic economic diversificationdiversification

III. Renaissance Economics III. Renaissance Economics (cont)(cont)

Art became the Art became the way to advertise way to advertise economic successeconomic success

Intensified Intensified commercial commercial competition competition created the need created the need to be efficientto be efficient

IV. Renaissance SocietyIV. Renaissance Society

Renaissance is an elitist Renaissance is an elitist historical phenomenonhistorical phenomenon

Northern Italy was Northern Italy was urban and commercial urban and commercial while Southern Italy while Southern Italy mostly was notmostly was not

Very family-oriented Very family-oriented societysociety

Marriages were Marriages were frequently arranged to frequently arranged to strengthen business strengthen business tiesties

IV. Renaissance Society IV. Renaissance Society (cont)(cont)

Father’s authority over Father’s authority over his familyhis family

Some wealthy women Some wealthy women played an important played an important role in Italian city-role in Italian city-statesstates

--Isabella d’Este of --Isabella d’Este of MantuaMantua

Concentration of wealth Concentration of wealth among great familiesamong great families

-- “populo grosso”-- “populo grosso”

IV. Renaissance Society IV. Renaissance Society (cont)(cont)

Extreme social Extreme social stratification divided stratification divided into factions around into factions around the wealthiest familiesthe wealthiest families

Poor increasingly Poor increasingly attempting to improve attempting to improve their social statustheir social status--The Ciompi Revolt --The Ciompi Revolt (1378)(1378)-- “populo minuto”-- “populo minuto”

““The Cult of the The Cult of the Individual”Individual”

IV. Renaissance Society IV. Renaissance Society (cont)(cont)

Number of portraits Number of portraits painted during this era painted during this era illustrates focus on the illustrates focus on the individualindividual

Growing humanism Growing humanism and secularism in a and secularism in a Christian contextChristian context

Focus on man’s free Focus on man’s free willwill

Rewards for living Rewards for living excellently came in excellently came in this lifethis life

V. Renaissance PoliticsV. Renaissance Politics

Same pattern and Same pattern and problems as those of problems as those of the Greek city-statesthe Greek city-states

Inter-city warfare led Inter-city warfare led to new advances in to new advances in diplomacydiplomacy

V. Renaissance Politics V. Renaissance Politics (cont)(cont)

Rome, Venice, Milan, Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence, and the Florence, and the Kingdom of NaplesKingdom of Naples

Renaissance VeniceRenaissance Venice Renaissance FlorenceRenaissance Florence

--Lorenzo the --Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449-Magnificent (1449-1492)1492)

1300’s republicanism 1300’s republicanism became 1400’s became 1400’s despotism—with the despotism—with the exception of Veniceexception of Venice

V. Renaissance Politics V. Renaissance Politics (cont)(cont)

Niccolo Machiavelli Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527)(1469-1527)-- “The Prince”-- “The Prince”

The goal of the prince The goal of the prince must be powermust be power

Cynical view of human Cynical view of human naturenature

Fear is a better Fear is a better motivator than motivator than affectionaffection

Politics as the art of Politics as the art of deceptiondeception

VI. Renaissance Art and VI. Renaissance Art and ArchitectureArchitecture

The proliferation of The proliferation of portraiture and its portraiture and its significancesignificance

The depiction of nudesThe depiction of nudes Imitation of nature was Imitation of nature was

a primary goala primary goal Pagan scenes and Pagan scenes and

myths were popular myths were popular subjects with no subjects with no apologies to the apologies to the ChurchChurch

VI. Renaissance Art and VI. Renaissance Art and Architecture (cont)Architecture (cont)

Boticelli’s “Birth of Boticelli’s “Birth of Venus”Venus”

Status of artist is Status of artist is elevated to cultural elevated to cultural herohero

Renaissance art Renaissance art stressed proportion, stressed proportion, balance and harmonybalance and harmony—and was not —and was not otherworldlyotherworldly

Artistic problems of Artistic problems of perspective and perspective and composition addressedcomposition addressed

VI. Renaissance Art and VI. Renaissance Art and Architecture (cont)Architecture (cont)

These problems were These problems were solved by emphasizing solved by emphasizing the mathematical side the mathematical side of paintingof painting

--Brunelleschi’s “linear --Brunelleschi’s “linear perspective”perspective”

Innovations in Innovations in Renaissance paintingRenaissance painting

-- “chiaroscuro”-- “chiaroscuro”

-- “sfumato”-- “sfumato”

VI. Renaissance Art and VI. Renaissance Art and Architecture (cont)Architecture (cont)

Differences between Differences between Italian and Northern Italian and Northern European paintingEuropean painting

--Italian frescoes vs. --Italian frescoes vs. Northern European altar Northern European altar piecespieces

Van Eyck’s oil paintingsVan Eyck’s oil paintings Rome became the Rome became the

center of the High center of the High Renaissance (1480-Renaissance (1480-1520)1520)

VI. Renaissance Art and VI. Renaissance Art and Architecture (cont)Architecture (cont)

Raphael (1483-1520)Raphael (1483-1520) Man of great Man of great

sensitivity and sensitivity and kindnesskindness

Died at the age of 37Died at the age of 37 ““The School of The School of

Athens”Athens” Famous for frescoes Famous for frescoes

in the Vatican Palacein the Vatican Palace

VI. Renaissance Art and VI. Renaissance Art and Architecture (cont)Architecture (cont)

Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)(1452-1519)

True Renaissance True Renaissance ManMan

Scientist, inventor, Scientist, inventor, engineer and engineer and naturalistnaturalist

Dissected CorpsesDissected Corpses Short attention Short attention

spanspan

VI. Renaissance Art and VI. Renaissance Art and Architecture (cont)Architecture (cont)

MichelangeloMichelangelo Neo-PlatonistNeo-Platonist Ceiling of the Ceiling of the

Sistine ChapelSistine Chapel Conflict with Pope Conflict with Pope

Julius IIJulius II Incredible energy Incredible energy

and enduranceand endurance ““Mannerism”Mannerism”

VII. Renaissance Education VII. Renaissance Education and Philosophyand Philosophy

Humanistic ageHumanistic age Various types of Various types of

humanismhumanism Great fervor displayed Great fervor displayed

in finding and in finding and collecting old collecting old documentsdocuments

Leads to critical Leads to critical examination of examination of documentsdocuments--Lorenzo Valla--Lorenzo Valla

Education produces Education produces moral upliftmoral uplift

VII. Renaissance Education VII. Renaissance Education and Philosophy (cont)and Philosophy (cont)

A true liberal educationA true liberal education Humanist education for Humanist education for

womenwomen Love for the study of Love for the study of

history most of allhistory most of all A Greek language fad A Greek language fad

after 1454after 1454 Petrarch (1304-1374): Petrarch (1304-1374):

the Father of Italian the Father of Italian Renaissance Renaissance humanismhumanism

Focus on the individual Focus on the individual and his dignityand his dignity

VII. Renaissance Education VII. Renaissance Education and Philosophy (cont)and Philosophy (cont)

First influenced First influenced secondary educationsecondary education

Extreme vanity of Extreme vanity of Renaissance scholarsRenaissance scholars

The importance of law The importance of law and rhetoric in and rhetoric in Renaissance educationRenaissance education

Classical political ideals Classical political ideals were cultivatedwere cultivated

Knowledge needed to Knowledge needed to be usefulbe useful

VIII. The Renaissance VIII. The Renaissance PapacyPapacy

Loss of influence over Loss of influence over European nation-statesEuropean nation-states

Decline in moral prestige Decline in moral prestige and leadershipand leadership

Pope Julius II (1503-1513)Pope Julius II (1503-1513) Popes as patrons of Popes as patrons of

Renaissance artRenaissance art--Leo X (1513-1521)--Leo X (1513-1521)

Nepotism used to Nepotism used to promote family interestpromote family interest

IX. Spread of Humanism to the IX. Spread of Humanism to the Rest of EuropeRest of Europe

The significance of The significance of Gutenberg’s printing Gutenberg’s printing presspress

Explosion of printed Explosion of printed materialsmaterials--By 1500, 40,000 titles --By 1500, 40,000 titles printed and between 8-printed and between 8-10 million copies10 million copies

The impact of movable-The impact of movable-type printing presses: type printing presses: research and literacyresearch and literacy

IX. Spread of Humanism to the IX. Spread of Humanism to the Rest of Europe (cont)Rest of Europe (cont)

Popular Popular publications in the publications in the early days of the early days of the printing pressprinting press

Thomas MoreThomas More----UtopiaUtopia----Executed by Executed by Henry VIII in 1535Henry VIII in 1535

Erasmus—Dutch Erasmus—Dutch Christian HumanistChristian Humanist

IX. Spread of Humanism to the IX. Spread of Humanism to the Rest of Europe (cont)Rest of Europe (cont)

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare (1564-1616)(1564-1616)--Globe Theater--Globe Theater

Shakespeare returns to Shakespeare returns to classical subjects and classical subjects and genresgenres

His history plays were His history plays were the most popular at the the most popular at the timetime

MacbethMacbeth: ambition: ambition HamletHamlet: individualism: individualism Keen sensitivity to Keen sensitivity to

sounds and meanings of sounds and meanings of wordswords