ITALY: BIRTHPLACE OF THE RENAISSANCE

KEY TERMS

Renaisssance Humanism Secular Patron Perspective Vernacular

ITALY’S ADVANTAGES

• Renaissance means rebirth lasted from 1300-1600

• Bring back life of culture of classical Greece and Rome

• 3 advantages– Thriving cities– Wealthy merchant class– Classical heritage of

Greece and Rome

CITY-STATES

• Overseas trade from the Crusades helped cities to grow

• Northern Italy was urban most of Europe was rural

• Cities people exchange ideas, breeding ground for intellectual revolution

CITY-STATES

1300’s Bubonic plaque struck cities hard

Fewer laborers Demand higher

wages Merchants began to

pursue the arts

MERCHANTS AND THE MEDICI

• Wealthy merchant class developed

• Merchants dominated politics

• Merchants did not inherit social rank

• Wealthy merchants believed they deserved power

• Individual achievement was key

MERCHANTS AND THE MEDICI

• 1200’s Florence had a republican form of government

• Medici were a banking family

• Cosimo de Medici was the wealthiest European

• 1453 won control of Florence’s government

MERCHANTS AND THE MEDICI

Did not seek political office

He influenced others by giving them loans

Lorenzo de Medici was his grandson ruled as a dictator

LOOKING AT GREECE AND ROME

• Looked down at the art and literature of the Middle Ages

• Wanted a return to Greek and Roman learning

• Drew inspiration from the ruins of Rome

• Western scholars studied ancient Latin manuscripts

CLASSICS LEAD TO HUMANISM

• Humanism- intellectual movement that focused on human potential and achievement

• Humanists studied Christian teachings through Greek values

• Study of subjects of classical education

• History, literature, philosophy

WORLDLY PLEASURES

Humanists suggested that humans could enjoy life without offending God

Wealthy enjoyed material luxuries, good music, fine foods

Most people remained devout Catholics

WORLDLY PLEASURES

Secular-worldly rather than spiritual.

People lived in mansions, threw lavish parties, wore expensive clothes

PATRONS OF THE ARTS

• Church leaders beautified Rome

• Spent huge amounts of money on the arts

• Patrons-financially supporting artists

• Renaissance merchants and wealthy families were patrons of the arts

• Public display of wealth

THE RENAISSANCE MAN

Writer said that all educated people were expected to create art

Baldassare Castiglione wrote a book called the Courtier

Dance, sing Play music write poetry Skilled rider, wrestler and

swordsman

THE RENAISSANCE WOMAN

Upper class women should know The classics Be charming Not expected to seek

fame Inspire art not create Isabella d’ Este led her

husbands city state

THE RENAISSANCE REVOLUTIONIZES ART Portrayed religious

subjects but in a real way

Copied from Greeks and the Romans

Perspective-shows three dimensions on a flat surface

REALISTIC PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

Paint prominent citizens

Revealed what was distinctive about a person

Michelangelo Buonarrotti-sculpted using realistic style

DONATELLO

Made sculpture more realistic by sculpting natural postures, and expression

His David was the first free standing nude in Europe since ancient times

LEONARDO RENAISSANCE MAN

Leonardo da Vinci-painter, sculptor, artist, inventor, scientist

Studied how muscles moved

Veins in a leaf Painted the Mona Lisa

seems real people try and explain her thoughts

LAST SUPPER

RAPHAEL ADVANCES REALISM

Madonna and child was his favorite subject

Expressions of gentle and calm

Famous for use of perspective

School of Athens greatest achievement

SCHOOL OF ATHENS

ANGUISSOLA AND GENTILESCHI

Few Italian women were artists

Anguissola was the first woman to gain international acclaim

Gentileschi- trained to paint by her father Pictures of strong

heroic women

RENAISSANCE WRITERS CHANGE LITERATURE Wrote in the vernacular

or everyday language Wrote to portray the

individuality of subjects Petrarch most influential

humanist Father of Renaissance

humanism

Boccaccio-wrote letter to many important friends

Realistic off color stories

NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI

Prince 1513 People are selfish,

fickle, and corrupt Prince must be

strong like a lion and shrewd as a fox

Did not worry about morally right he worried about politically right

NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI

Praiseworthy for prince to keep his word and live with integrity

Prince must sometimes mislead people

VICTORIA COLONNA

Born of a noble family 1509

Exchanged sonnets with Michelangelo and helped Castiglione get published

Renaissance ideas began to spread north from Italy