The Renaissance and the Return of Western Humanism, 1350-

1650

I. The first phase of the Renaissance: Italy, 1350-1450

A. Advantages of declining population

1. Plague

2. Supply, demand and commodities

3. Wealthy merchants less likely to invest in commodity production

B. Luxury and “lifestyle”

1. Luxury goods cheaper, coinage more available

2. Luxury goods seen as better investments

3. Italian merchant class and status

a. replaced feudal lords in northern Italy (1100s)

Cosimo de Medici

4. “It ain’t no sin to be glad you’re alive…”

optimism

emphasis on this life

“lifestyle” - how you live

consumption and identity

modern v. medieval outlook

C. Where the Renaissance Began: the Italian City-State

1. Merchants

2. Papal, Imperial

rivalry

3. “Comuni”

4. Vital statistics

5. New social/political cohesian

guilds

rise of skilled worker in

production process

craftsmen develop individual

reputations as artists

Renaissance art possessed an “egalitarian” quality

- commissioned by wealthy, but produced by the artisan class

- art, sculpture, architecture constituted the ultimate expression of human achievement

II. Renaissance Style, 1400 - 1500

A. Reason and art

1. Use of proportion/ perspective (da Vinci)

2. Study of anatomy

3. Neoplatonism (Michelangelo)

fused classical with newer techniques

art should reflect spiritual, metaphysical evolution

art should reflect man’s

rise to “godliness”

B. The Northern RenaissanceReligious themes, fascination with daily life

Flemish paintersAlbrecht Durer, Jan van Eyck

Jan Vermeer

Peter Bruegel

Rembrandt van Rijn

interest in business class

III. Renaissance Idealism

1. Humanism

= study of human behavior for its own sake

a. Petrarch (1300s)

the “Father of Humanism”

b. critical of medieval Latin as

expressive language (preferred classical style)

c. writings explored his own emotions

artist (writer) at center of art

2. Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1400s)

a. Oration on the Dignity of Man

- where was humanity’s place in the Great

Chain of Being?

b. “progressive” outlook on politics, psychology

& history

3. Nicolo Machiavelli (1469-1572)

a. The Prince

= prince should maintain absolute

control over his territory, “ends

justify the means”

= some “virtues” harmful, some “vices” useful

4. The humanist at work

a. 1453, Constantinople falls to Ottoman Turks

b. Greek scholars bring “practical” humanism

- liberal arts education

- monasticism v. humanism recognizes

= contemplative v. activist lifestyle

c. Philology

Impact of the Renaissance

- spurred economic growth (market capitalism)

- Scientific Revolution

- Reformation