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