The Dark Ages

Chapter 13“European Society in the Age of the

Renaissance”1420-1545

AP EUROPEAN HISTORYMR. RICK PURRINGTON

MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL

Europe 1500

I. What was the Renaissance?

A. “Re-birth”

1. new interest in the classics = politics, art, literature, architecture,

2. increased wealth, education, population

II. The Evolution of the Renaissance

A. Italy–Economic, Political, Cultural center of the Ren

1. Ren. Economy in Italy = strong

a) “all roads lead to Rome”

b) Venice = sea commerce = wealth

c) Florence = wool trade, banking, art, architecture, literature

d) Florentine Banking Families

- Medici = the pope’s bankers = wealth and power

Cosimo de’Medici

Florence, Italy

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

2. Ren. Politics in Italy

a) City-States, Communes, and Republics

- each city state of Italy was politically run differently: republic (Florence), oligarchies (Venice), signori dictatorships

B. The Printed Word

1. Printing before the Ren.

- Chinese block printing – expensive, slow

2. 1454 - Johann Gutenberg

- First Printing Press – moveable type

- Books now mass-produced

- 1455 -- Gutenberg Bible

3. Impact of the Printing Press

- stimulated literacy

- ideas and information spread

III. The Renaissance “Isms” - Humanism

A. Humanism

1. Celebration of human mind and body

2. “Humans have no limits”

3. “Humans are the pinnacle of God’s creation”

4. Rebirth of classical studies

a) Study of:

-Greek, Roman texts, ideas

-Greek and Latin language

B. Humanists – education helps reach human potential

1. 1528 -- Castiglione’s The Courtier

a) “The Renaissance Man” – has a strong background in many academic, physical, and

spiritual subjects

2. 1513 -- Machiavelli’s The Prince

a) most widely read Ren book

b) subject: how the ruler should gain, maintain, and increase political power

c) humans are selfish

d) “the ends justify the means”

e) must be “a fox and lion”

“For a man who, in all respects, will carry out only his professions of good, will be apt to be ruined amongst so many who are evil. A prince therefore who desires to maintain himself must learn to be not always good, but to be so or not as necessity may require. It is much more safe to be feared than loved.”

“View what IS not what ought to be.”

The Prince, Machiavelli

B. Secularism

1. More concern w/ material world than spiritual world

2. Why? The Church’s lessened prestige:

a) The Black Death

b) The Great Schism

3. Focus turns to present and less on the afterlife

C. Individualism

1. Spotlight is shined on the individual

2. Celebration of the genius

a) increase in # of portraits painted

b) art is now signed on the front

c) the artist is as important at the art

IV. Renaissance Art

A. The “isms” captured in Ren. Art

1. Humanism – classical heroes, beautiful bodies

2. Secularism - nudes ok in religious works

3. Individualism - were paid $$ for their work

B. Emphasis on ‘real’ art

1. 3D perspective for depth

2. brighter, bolder colors

3. shading of lights and darks

4. on canvas not wood

Renaissance Artists Hall of Fame:Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”

Renaissance Artists Hall of Fame:Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Mona Lisa”

Renaissance Artists Hall of Fame:Michelangelo’s “Pieta”

Renaissance Artists Hall of Fame:Raphael’s “School of Athens”