Transcript Chapter 1
Chapter 1 European Renaissance and Reformation, 1300-1600 Italy: Birthplace of the Renaissance -During the Middle Ages people had turned to God and the church to help them through war and plague -Those who survived wanted a less strict life and began to question the church and their teaching -The Renaissance was a period in which art and learning were reborn -It began in Italy due to thriving cities, wealthy merchants, and the heritage left by Greece and Rome -Northern Europe lagged behind this rebirth because England and France were still involved in the Hundred Years War -In Italy, urban centers (cities) grew as trade increased after the Crusades -The Bubonic Plague hit these cities hard, but surviving workers could demand high wages due to low population, therefore gaining more wealth -The merchant (business) class became the most powerful class in Europe -The Medici family dominated Florence by using their money to influence everyday life in the city-state; eventually ruling as a dictatorship -With the fall of Constantinople in 1453, scholars fled to Rome with ancient text that helped in the rediscovery of classic Greek and Roman ideas -Renaissance thinkers began to focus on humanism: a persons potential and achievements. Humanists wanted studied classical texts to understand Greek values, this influenced artists and architects to carry on classical traditions, and popularized the study of classical education: History, literature and philosophy. Instead of wearing rough clothing and eating the plainest foods, Humanists felt that people could enjoy life without offending god. Living to the fullest now became a priority across Renaissance Italy: luxuries, fine music and taste food. This took place even took place within the church. Most people remained devout Catholics, but the spirit of Renaissance society was Secular: Worldly and Concerned with the here and now Church leader and other wealthy merchant paid huge sums of money to have artist paint frescos and create sculptures that reflected the time period. They also lived in mansions had lavish banquets and expensive clothes. Renaissance Men were considered those with many varied talents and high intelligence. (A man who excelled in many fields) In a book called The Courtier: A young man should be charming, witty, educated in the classics. He should dance, sing, play music, write poetry. Be a skillful rider, wrestler, Swordsman. Michelangelo looked to glorify the human body and created many religious based works of art, evident in his statue David, showed both classical and Christian ideas in painting the Sistine Chapel -Donatello looked to create realistic and natural postures to reveal personality -Painter Masaccio discovered the technique of perspective or three dimension was another element in Renaissance art -Leonardo da Vinci was a painter, sculptor, inventor, and scientist -Studied the movement of muscles and how flight was possible -Painted the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper -Raphael created many great works for Pope Julius II -Dante was one of the first writers to use the vernacular or his native language in writing -Petrarch used poetry and sonnets to explore human nature and love -Machiavelli’s The Prince serves as a political guidebook for rulers of the time -Wrote that rulers must be strong but clever, they should not be concerned with what is morally right, but with what is politically effective -Women writers were also accepted in Italian society