How did classical knowledge of the ancient Greeks and Romans foster humanism in the

Italian Renaissance?

Humanism

• Celebrated the individual

• Stimulated the study of Greek and Roman literature and culture

• Was supported by wealthy patrons

Humanism

•Movement away from life centered on the Catholic church and religion

•Focuses more on material objects, enjoying life, and other worldly subjects

Erasmus Dutch humanist

Desiderius Erasmus

Pushed for a Vernacular form of the Bible

“I disagree very much with those who are unwilling that Holy Scripture, translated into the vernacular, be read by the uneducated . . . As if the strength of the Christian religion consisted in the ignorance of it”

The Praise of Folly

Used humor to show the immoral and ignorant behavior of people, including the clergy. He felt people would be open minded and be kind to others.

Erasmus

•Spoke out against corruption of Catholic Church during the Renaissance

•Worked to spread the use of common languages in religious and scholarly works.

PetrarchSonnets, humanist

scholarshipFrancesco Petrarch

1304-1374

Assembled Greek and Roman writings.

Wrote

Sonnets to Laura,

love poems in the Vernacular

PetrarchFrancesco Petrarch 1304-

1374

Considered “Father of

Humanism”

His research on Greek and

Roman books inspired others to read these

books

The Renaissance was a time of renewal

Renaissance means rebirth and Europe was recovering from the Dark ages ideas from Greece and Rome.

People had lost their faith in the church because of the tragedy of the Black Plague and began to put more

focus on human beings.

• One cause of the RenaissanceBlack Plague

The tragedy of the Black Plague convinced people of the need to focus on worldly

pursuits rather than religious ideas

Another Cause of the Renaissance

Invention of the Printing press spreading ideas from Greek and

Roman books

Printing Press

Invented by Jahann Gutenberg

Printing Press

First book ever created by printing press - Bible

Printing PressInvented in 1452 500th Anniversary 1952

Printing Press

Helped to quickly spread ideas of the Renaissance

and the Protestant Reformation

Note 6 - Ideas of the Renaissance

•Greek ideas about art, philosophy, and science.

• Roman ideas about government, construction, and art.

ClassicismClassicism

� Greco-Roman influence.

� Secularism.

� Humanism.

� Individualism free standing figures.

� Symmetry/BalanceThe The “Classical Pose”“Classical Pose”

Medici “Venus” (1c)Medici “Venus” (1c)

PerspectivePerspective

Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!

Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!

First use First use of linear of linear

perspective!perspective!

Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!Perspective!

� The The TrinityTrinity

� MasaccioMasaccio

� 14271427

What you What you are, I once are, I once was; what I was; what I am, you will am, you will

become.become.

Note 7 - Focus of the Renaissance

•Life on Earth, improving life and society on earth

• Fascination with Greek and Roman art, literature and ideas

Realism & Realism & ExpressionExpression

� Expulsion Expulsion fromfromthe Gardenthe Garden

� MasaccioMasaccio

� 14271427

� First nudes First nudes sincesinceclassical classical timestimes..

Emphasis on IndividualismEmphasis on Individualism� Batista Sforza & Federico de Montefeltre: Batista Sforza & Federico de Montefeltre:

The Duke & Dutchess of UrbinoThe Duke & Dutchess of Urbino

� Piero della Francesca, 1465-1466.Piero della Francesca, 1465-1466.

Major Italian Cities.

1.Many independent city-states emerged in northern and central Italy that played an important role in Italian politics and art.

MilanMilan VeniceVenice

FlorenceFlorence

Genoa

2. Similar to Greek city-states, Italian city-states were independent but were governed as republics

Major Italian Cities

MilanMilan VeniceVenice

FlorenceFlorence

Genoa

Northern Italian cities:

1.Had access to trade routes connecting Europe with Middle Eastern markets

2.Served as trading centers for the distribution of goods to northern Europe

Major Italian Cities

MilanMilan VeniceVenice

FlorenceFlorence

Milan

One of the richest cities, it controls trade

through the Alps.

Venice

Sitting on the Adriatic, it attracts trade from all over

the world.

Genoa

Genoa

Had Access to Trade Routes

Florence = Florence = RenaissanceRenaissance

The Wool FactoryThe Wool Factoryby Mirabello Cavalori, 1570by Mirabello Cavalori, 1570 1252 – first gold 1252 – first gold

florins mintedflorins minted

Florentine lion:Florentine lion:symbol of St. symbol of St.

MarkMark

Note 8 – Medici Family and Florence

Wealthy Italians – Medici family

•Bankers / Merchants

•Supported the arts by paying for statues, buildings, murals, and paintings

Most important/richest people in Italy and in Florence

Lorenzo Lorenzo the Magnificentthe Magnificent

1478 - 15211478 - 1521

Cosimo de Cosimo de MediciMedici

1517 - 15741517 - 1574

Florence Under the Florence Under the MediciMedici

Medici ChapelMedici Chapel

The Medici PalaceThe Medici Palace

Major Italian Cities

MilanMilan VeniceVenice

FlorenceFlorence

Note 9 - Florence

•from Florence flowed

Renaissance ideas and art

styles that were copied by other

Italian city-states and the rest of Europe

Genoa

Niccolò MachiavelliThe Prince

Machiavelli believed:

“One can make this generalization about men: they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit”

Machiavelli observed city-state rulers of his day and produced guidelines for the acquisition and maintenance of power by absolute rule.

Note 10 - Political Ideas of the Renaissance

Niccolò Machiavelli

The Prince

He felt that a ruler should be willing to do anything to maintain control without worrying about conscience.

• Better for a ruler to be feared than to be loved

• Ruler should be quick and decisive in decision making

• Ruler keeps power by any means necessary• The end justifies the means

• Be good when possible, and evil when necessary

The Renaissance produced new ideas that were reflected in the arts, philosophy, and literature.

Patrons, wealthy from newly expanded trade, sponsored works which glorified city-states in northern Italy.

Education became increasingly secular.

Medieval art and literature focused on the Church and salvation

Renaissance art and literature focused on individuals and worldly matters, along with Christianity.

Note 11 – Reflected ideas of Humanism

•Painted and wrote about individuals

•Painted Ancient Greek and Roman Gods

Artists as Artists as Personalities/CelebritiesPersonalities/Celebrities

� Lives of the Lives of the Most Most Excellent Excellent Painters, Painters, Sculptors, andSculptors, andArchitectsArchitects

� Giorgio VasariGiorgio Vasari

� 15501550

Note 12 – Medieval Art vs. Renaissance Art

Medieval Art

•Focus on religious themes•Flat 2 dimensional / symbolic•Purpose to glorify God

Renaissance Art

•Imitated Greek/Roman Art•Use of perspective / realistic•Purpose to glorify humanity

Dante•Famous works – Divine Comedy and Inferno•Example of Medieval literature themes such as the After life/heaven & hell or religious ideas

Medieval Literature

Note 13 – Medieval Literature Vs. Renaissance Literature

Medieval Literature

•Dante •Focus on God and religious subjects•Purpose religious understanding of God’s will

Renaissance Literature

•Focus on worldly subjects•Purpose understand humanity

Renaissance Artists embraced some of the ideals of Greece and Rome in their art

They wanted their subjects to be realistic and focused on humanity and emotion

New Techniques also emerged

Frescos: Painting done on wet plaster became popular because it gave depth to the paintings

Sculpture emphasized realism and the human form

Architecture reached new heights of design

Born in 1475 in a small town near Florence, is considered to be one of the

most inspired men who ever lived

David

Michelangelo created

his masterpiece David in

1504.

Sistine ChapelAbout a year after

creating David, Pope Julius II summoned

Michelangelo to Rome to work on his most famous project, the ceiling of the Sistine

Chapel.

Creation of Eve Creation of Adam

Separation of Light and Darkness

The Last Judgment

La Pieta 1499Marble Sculpture

Moses

Note 14 – Michelangelo•Considered one of the greatest Renaissance artists •Most famous works – David & painted ceiling of the Sistene Chapel

1452-1519

Painter, Sculptor, Architect, Engineer

Genius!

Self-Portrait Self-Portrait -- da Vinci, -- da Vinci, 15121512

1452 - 15191452 - 1519

� Artist

� Sculptor

� Architect

� Scientist

� Engineer

� Inventor

Mona Lisa

Leonardo, the SculptorLeonardo, the Sculptor

� An An Equestrian Equestrian StatueStatue

� 1516-15181516-1518

Leonardo, the Architect:Leonardo, the Architect:Pages from his Pages from his NotebookNotebook

� Study of a Study of a central central church.church.

� 14881488

Leonardo, the Scientist Leonardo, the Scientist (Biology):(Biology):Pages from his Pages from his NotebookNotebook

� An example of An example of the humanist the humanist desire to desire to unlock the unlock the secrets of secrets of nature.nature.

Leonardo, the Leonardo, the Inventor:Inventor:

Pages from his Pages from his NotebookNotebook

Da Vinci’s Flying Da Vinci’s Flying MachineMachine

A study of siege A study of siege defenses.defenses.

Studies of water-lifting Studies of water-lifting devices.devices.

Leonardo, the Engineer: Leonardo, the Engineer: Pages from his Pages from his

NotebookNotebook

The Renaissance “Man”The Renaissance “Man”

� Broad knowledge about many things in different fields.

� Deep knowledge/skill in one area.� Able to link information from

different areas/disciplines and create new knowledge.

� The Greek ideal of the “well-rounded man” was at the heart of Renaissance education.

Note 15 – because of his

achievements in many fields Da

Vinci was considered a

Renaissance

Man