Transcript The Renaissance

The Renaissance
Origins of Italian Renaissance
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Preconditions
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Growth of trade brings about spreading of
ideas.
Plague allows for wages and social mobility.
Began with the fall of Constantinople in
1452
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Scholars from Constantinople fled to Italy.
• Brought with them Ancient Greco-Roman texts.
Origins (Continued)
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Why Italy?
The Italian City-State
 Center for Eurasian Trade
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• Wealth and prosperity
• Center for exchanging of ideas and
culture.
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Changing Social Classes
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See next slide.
Changing Social Classes in Florence
Impact of Ideas on Art, Culture,
Politics, Religion, and Values
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Revival of the study of the Humanities
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Included history, rhetoric, philosophy,
Greco-Roman culture, and politics.
• “Renaissance Man”: Familiar with all of
the humanities.
Impact of Ideas on Art, Culture,
Politics, Religion, and Values
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Humanism: Belief that all people have the
ability to contribute to the betterment of society.
Religious and Secular
 Believed education and knowledge
will lead to the greater good.
 Logic + Reason
 Civic responsibility
 Free will + Individualism
 Key Contributors:
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• Petrarch + Dante
Francesco Petrarch
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This is one of Petrarch’s
most famous works called
Secretum, which means “My
Secret Book”.
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This book is written in Latin
and in this book he
evaluates his faith.
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Petrarch is considered one
of the “Fathers of
Humanism”.
Dante Alighieri
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One of Dante’s most
famous works is an epic
poem called The Divine
Comedy.
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This work described Dante’s
journey through hell,
paradise, and purgatory.
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Dante is also considered
one of the “Fathers of
Humanism”.
Impact of Ideas on Art, Culture,
Politics, Religion, and Values
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Secularism
Excluded religion from society.
 Not anti-religious yet.
 Also called “civic humanism”
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Impact of Ideas on Art, Culture,
Politics, Religion, and Values
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Renaissance Art
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Major advancements in method and subject
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Proportional, realistic, lifelike
Linear perspective, shadowing, depth
Individual identities, emotional
Bright colors, oil prints
Free-standing statues
Religious subjects, daily life, mythology, heroes.
Obsession with the “perfect human”
Examine the following works of art, and
identify these characteristics.
“Vitruvian Man”
Leonardo da Vinci
“The School of Athens” Raphael
“David”
Michelangelo
Political Challenges
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Disorganization of Italian City State.
Despotism.
 Fragile balance between major citystates. (Often in conflict)
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France invades Italy at Milan’s
request 1490
France quickly invades most of Italy.
 Creates chaos for over 50 years.
 Tension throughout Europe due to
Spanish-French conflict.
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Political Challenges Continued
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Rise of the New Monarch
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Standing Army
Consolidation of Power
Growth of bureaucracy
Ongoing challenges to that power
New national powers
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England
Spain
France
Holy Roman Empire
The Northern Renaissance
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Stimulated by influx of Italian Renaissance ideas.
Differed from Italian Renaissance in that it was mainly
religious humanists and committed to religious reform.
While the Italian Renaissance is based on Greek
influence, the northern renaissance focused more on
religion.
Sponsored by the traditional authority, Princes, Nobles
and Church.
Broadly influenced by print culture
Art from the Northern Renaissance
Virgin and Child with Saints and Donor
Gerard David
Albrecht Durer. Self-Portrait
Modern Devotion
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Religious movement
The meshing of Humanism and
Christianity
Supported the studying of the scripture
to help build a relationship with God.
Focus on churches earliest writings
Modern Devotion contributed to
Lutheranism and Calvinism.
North vs. South
The Printing Press
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Invented by Johann Gutenberg.
 Response to expanding literacy and heightened demand for
books.
Rise of the pamphlet.
Erasmus
 Wanted religious reform.
 Printed bibles in original
form (Latin)
Erasmus
• Later translated into German by Luther.
• His reformist ideas gave reformers ammo in the Reformation.
Exploring the New World
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Portuguese lead; Africa and Asia
Attempt to circum navigate the Venetian
Ottoman monopoly to the east
 Brazil
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The Spanish Emerge
Settle South and Central America
 Influx of Bullion
 Decimation and Exploitation of native
populations (Slavery)
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Impact/Summary
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The rediscovery of ancient ideas led to a rebirth of culture and
education.
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Growing middle class embraces cultural innovation.
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Study of the humanities led to religious and civic humanism
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Humanism influenced an expansion of art, literature and
challenged traditional authority
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There was the rise of new monarchies which centralized power.
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The printing press sped up the exchange of ideas.
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This was the catalyst for the downfall of feudal society.