Transcript Renaissance

Foundations of the
Renaissance
1450-1750 Lesson 2
Main Ideas:
• Trade & knowledge from the east
allowed Italian cities to lead the
Renaissance
• The Renaissance redefined the world
view of Europeans
• The role and abilities of man became
emphasized during the Renaissance
What Was “The Renaissance”?
• Renaissance: French
for “Rebirth”
• Marks the rebirth of
European culture and
development
• Defined by a renewed
interest in the “classical
world” (Greece &
Rome)
Origins of the “Rebirth”
• The Crusades:
knowledge &
material wealth of
Asia
• Scholasticism:
Aristotle, Thomas
Aquinas, & the
Medieval
universities
• Crises of the 14th
Century: the Black
Death, weakening
Church, growing
monarchies
• Economic Revival:
towns & trade, end
to manorialism, the
Italian city-states
The Italian City-States
• Florence, Pisa, Venice, Milan, Siena
• Active in Mediterranean trade—merchants
over feudal monarchs
• Import & sell Asian goods in Europe (CNN
Millennium clip)
• Tolerance of new ideas & latitude from
Church
What Do the Italians Contribute?
• Merits of the Individual:
dominant merchant class
thrived on making their own
success (opposite of nobility)
• Civic Pride: success depends
on city—if it dies, so do you
• Patronage: wealthy sponsored
art to demonstrate importance
& glorify city
Renaissance Philosophy
• Antithesis of Medieval philosophy
• Humanism: called for focus on
classical influences & human
potential and achievement
• Secularism: concern with the present
day and worldly goods and issues-fed demand for luxury & beauty
• Patronage: act of financing artistic
endeavors
“Renaissance Man”
• Baldassare Castiglione, The
Courtier
• Goal of all people of this era
• Society demanded that
everyone become adept at
everything (universal
genius)
• Antithesis of Medieval Man
• Leonardo da Vinci
“Renaissance Man”