The Renaissance is usually regarded as the time from about 1350 to 1550. The term Renaissance is adopted from the French equivalent of the Italian word rinascita, meaning rebirth (stated by Giorgio Vasari to describe the return to the ancient Roman manner painting by Giotto di Bondone). Jacob Burckardt, a 19 th century Swiss historian was the first to apply the label Renaissance to 15 th century Italy.
The Renaissance describes the new and radical changes that took place in European culture during the 15 th and 16 th centuries. The period brought the demise of the Middle Ages and embodied the attitudes and ideas that ignited new intellectual and artistic achievements as well as social and economic achievements. Was the Renaissance period revolutionary? The Renaissance period impacted everything from art, politics, science and religion.
The Renaissance originated in Italy particularly Northern Italy. Why? Italy s culture was linked to the achievements of Ancient Rome which differed from dominant Gothic traditions found in most of the continent. Italy experienced a peaceful and stable time period in the last half of the 15 th century. The Peace of Lodi (1454) ended a war between Milan and Venice and subsequently had all the states of the Italian Peninsula join the Italian League. This peaceful time period in Italy lasted until 1494 allowing for resources to go towards arts and civic projects.
By the 1500s, the feudal economy was replaced by a capitalist economy. In a capitalist economy, using money to make money was important. Lending money to make interest was frowned upon during the Middle Ages and it also violated Church law. Powerful banking families like the Medicis of Florence and the Fuggers of Augsburg began to flourish in this capitalist era (capitalism relies on the organization of capital, labour and raw materials to produce surplus wealth)
Cosimo de Medici 1434-1464 Lorenzo the Magnificent 1469-1492
Jakob Fugger (was a powerful banker)
Powerful merchants would sponsor voyages of exploration and colonization to look for raw materials to be refined by European manufacturers. The importance of cities grew as these merchants grew more powerful economically. Venice would become a vital port and cities like Milan would be manufacturing centres.
Flourishing cities in Northern Italy in particular wanted to establish their city as the greatest in Europe. Wealthy merchants became patrons of the arts, commissioning paintings, sculptures and new buildings. These wealthy citizens tried to get the best artists, artisans and scholars to work in their city to show the city s greatness.
By the late 1300s, a large percentage of the population of Northern Italy lived in urban centres. (In England, only a small number of people lived in cities.) The cities in northern Italy were large some having populations of 100,000 or more. Urban centres required citizens to have more training than farm laborers. As a result, Italian cities established publicly supported schools and political organization of the city-states allowed citizens to participate.
During the renaissance Florence was the fourth largest city in Italy. Trade and banking was the main source of wealth and the most powerful of the ruling families was the Medici. In 1434, Cosimo de Medici was appointed to lead the Florentine government. Cosimo was a patron of the arts and his grandson Lorenzo de Medici sponsored such artists as Botticelli and Michelangelo. Pope Julius II was the son of Lorenzo de Medici and he summoned Michelangelo to Rome to paint the Sistine Chapel.
Humanism defined the Renaissance. Humanists were concerned with humaniora (latin) that means human studies or the humanities. As a result, humanists embraced the liberal arts, including grammar rhetoric, poetry, history and philosophy. The difference between humanists and Middle Age teachers was their close following to classical models and their focus on earthly actions and the concerns of humans. Starting in Italy around 1350, a group of men later referred to as humanists began to target medieval Latin. Humanists wanted to go back to the elegant from of Latin of Augustan Rome.
Humanists contributions included: finding lost literary treasures such as the Letters of Cicero, the histories of Tacitus,and even some Greek works. creating the science of philology the study of vocabularly and usage. (helped in forged documents, ) creating school reforms that encouraged an eloquence in language in the literary world. having both the Latin and vernacular literature take on an antique form leading individuals like Shakespeare to write his classic works. Many humanists assumed important job titles such as chancellors of Venice and Florence, secretaries at the papal court, important tutors and orators in Northern Italy.
The humanist movement was strong in Florence and Tuscany under the Medici family. Cosimo de Medici, Florence s wealthiest and most influential citizen, studied the works of ancient authors and collected manuscripts of classical writings. He created the Plato Academy, where intellectuals would gather to discuss ideas concerning the classics.
Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374): is known as the first humanist. He believed in earthly physical love and living an active life (differed from Medieval ideas).
Baldesar Castiglione wrote the Book of the Courtier in 1514 & it was a popular book in Europe. It was popular among the rich aristocrats validating their wealth and show. It also promoted selfcontrol that would make someone Renaissance cool.
The book of the Courtier was written as a guide to conduct for members of the aristocracy. Here is some of Castiglione s advice: I say, then, that since the princes of today are so corrupted by evil habits and by ignorance and false conceit, and since it is so difficult to acquaint them with truth and entice them to virtue the Courtier should win for himself the good will of his prince And if the Courtier is such as he has been described, he will accomplish with little effort and thus always be able to disclose tactfully to his prince the truth of all that matters. In addition to this, the Courtier will be able little by little to instill goodness in the prince s mind and teach him continence (self restraint), fortitude, justice and temperance (moderation).
I judge that the chief and true profession of the Courtier ought to be that of arms. There are also many other exercises which, while not dependent directly on arms, still have close relationship with them and greatly promote manly vigour. Our Courtier will be considered excellent and in all things will have grace, especially in speaking, if he shuns affectation (behaviour that is put on for display and not natural or genuine).
Therefore, what chiefly matters and is needful for the Courtier in order that he may speak and write well is, I think, knowledge, because one who knows nothing and who does not have anything in his mind that merits being understood is powerless to say or write anything. The Court Lady is to possess the same virtues as the Courtier also, she should avoid affectation and cultivate sprezzatura (nonchalance not to be concerned; or power to repose). She is to avoid manly exercises and manners and preserve a feminine sweetness and delicacy Above all, she should acquire a pleasant affability in entertaining men, being neither too bashful nor too bold in company
Deisderius Eramus was Europe s first public intellectual and he translated the New Testament from Greek to Latin. He was x-monk from Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Thomas More was English lawyer wrote Utopia in 1516. In his Utopia, he prescribed the radical solution of a classless, communal society, bereft of Christianity and guided by the dictates of natural reason.
Niccolo Machiavelli was a secretary during the Florentine republic years. He lost his job when the Medici returned to power in 1512. He was arrested and later exiled, but, he came up with a pamphlet known as The Prince (1513). He dedicated The Prince to the Medici Pope Leo X, to help earn a job.
The new revolutionary form of art work that emerged is known as realism. Artists tried to achieve greater detail in their works but required more anatomical research. In the Middle Ages, people were often purposely depicted smaller than religious figures to show the insignificance of humanity. Unlike the artists in the Middle Ages, Renaissance artists chose to glorify humans and place them in the centre of the universe.
Painted portraits, seen as vanity during the Middle Ages, became very popular. Perspective was rediscovered allowing artists to make their paintings more realistic. For example, adding windows to their paintings, artists were able to add depth to their work and move away from the flat, two dimensional style of the Middle Ages. Classical times also influenced the Renaissance interest in depicting nudes. Artists focused on the ideal human form and the perfectibility of humans rather than their imperfections.
At first, commissions for Renaissance art came from mainly from the churches. As the wealthy middle class emerged, more and more commissions originated from merchants and bankers. The art produced was primarily religious, though a secular influence became apparent in the move towards naturalism.
Sandro Botticelli (mid 15 th century artist; was the principal painter for the Medici family) One his famous works The Birth of Venus (1482). The Birth of Venus was one of the first female nudes of the Renaissance
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), the famous Italian painter and scientist, engineer, musician, Mona Lisa (1503-1505?)
Leonardo da Vinci s The Vitruvian Man (1485) The Last Supper (1498) Painted in Milan, Italy
Leonardo da Vinci s study of a fetus in the womb (c. 1510) Leonardo s Anatomical study of the arm, (c. 1510)
Leonardo da Vinci s Flying Machine (1488) Leonardo s Tank (1487 Florence)
Michaelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) He was famous for his paintings, sculptures and poetry. He combined a classical style with Christian themes The Statue of David(1504) Florence) David s pose combines stillness with the promise of movement.
Michaelangelo s ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (1508-1512) Creation of Adam. He had to paint from a scaffold with paint dripping into his face. Many of his nude artwork would have been unheard of 200 years earlier.
Sofonsiba Anguissola (1532-1625) Some women artists did work during the Renaissance. Anguissola persisted and eventually became a portrait painter in the court of King Philip II of Spain.
Again, Florence was the leader here. The Duomo or Santa Maria del Fiore (1296-1436) is the Cathedral church of Florence A large dome roof had to be built and it set a bold new standard once it was completed.
City planning improved. The unplanned streets of medieval Europe were no longer considered adequate. Instead, planners wanted to lay out cities in an efficient grid pattern. (few were of these plans were implemented due to cost) The construction of palazoos ( palace ). These buildings were quite grand and were the headquarters for more prominent families or institutions. These 3 story structures including a ground floor which served as a storefront for the family business. The use of Greek-style columns and sculpture. The construction of these homes from the wealthy led them to commission artists to make works to decorate their homes
Palazzos (ex. Palazzo Medici Riccardi by Michelozzo 1444) Tempietto di San Pietro in Montorio Rome (1502)
Lorenzo de Medici s son Piero (1472-1503) angered Charles VIII by opposing France s choice to be king of Naples. France marched their troops and Piero gave up quickly. He begged Charles for mercy and offered France territories in Florence including Pisa. The Florentines grew angry at Piero & the Medici fled. Eventually Florence with the help of Spain drove the French out, but, now the Spanish were in control of much of Italy by 1525.
Pope Clement VII created some serious issues in his foreign affairs. A mutinous army of Germans and Spaniards stormed Rome in 1527. For months the city was pillaged for Renaissance treasures. Many artists took of to other areas of Europe. They brought their tastes and skills and with the printing press. Humanist ideals were spread to other areas.
Johann Gutenberg (1397-1468) The Movable Type (1439-1440) Left printer is removing a page from the press while the other inks the text blocks. This work could print over 3000 pages a day.
Frederiksborg Palace (Denmark) Wawal Castle (Poland)
City Hall (Belgium) Chateau de Chambord (France)