Transcript A. “Re-birth” - Marshall Public Schools

The Dark Ages
Chapter 13
“European Society in the Age of the
Renaissance”
1420-1545
AP EUROPEAN HISTORY
MR. RICK PURRINGTON
MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL
Europe 1500
I. What was the Renaissance?
A. “Re-birth”
1. new interest in the classics = politics, art,
literature, architecture,
2. increased wealth, education, population
II. The Evolution of the Renaissance
A. Italy–Economic, Political, Cultural center of the Ren
1. Ren. Economy in Italy = strong
a) “all roads lead to Rome”
b) Venice = sea commerce = wealth
c) Florence = wool trade, banking,
art, architecture, literature
d) Florentine Banking Families
- Medici = the pope’s bankers =
wealth and power
Cosimo
de’Medici
Florence, Italy
Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore
2. Ren. Politics in Italy
a) City-States, Communes, and Republics
- each city state of Italy was
politically run differently: republic
(Florence), oligarchies (Venice),
signori dictatorships
B. The Printed Word
1. Printing before the Ren.
- Chinese block printing – expensive, slow
2. 1454 - Johann Gutenberg
- First Printing Press – moveable type
- Books now mass-produced
- 1455 -- Gutenberg Bible
3. Impact of the Printing Press
- stimulated literacy
- ideas and information spread
III.
The Renaissance “Isms” - Humanism
A. Humanism
1. Celebration of human mind and body
2. “Humans have no limits”
3. “Humans are the pinnacle of God’s
creation”
4. Rebirth of classical studies
a) Study of:
-Greek, Roman texts, ideas
-Greek and Latin language
B. Humanists – education helps reach human
potential
1. 1528 -- Castiglione’s The Courtier
a) “The Renaissance Man” – has a
strong background in many
academic, physical, and
spiritual subjects
2. 1513 -- Machiavelli’s The Prince
a) most widely read Ren book
b) subject: how the ruler should
gain, maintain, and increase
political power
c) humans are selfish
d) “the ends justify the means”
e) must be “a fox and lion”
“For a man who, in all respects, will carry out only
his professions of good, will be apt to be ruined
amongst so many who are evil. A prince
therefore who desires to maintain himself must
learn to be not always good, but to be so or not
as necessity may require. It is much more safe
to be feared than loved.”
“View what IS not
what ought to be.”
The Prince, Machiavelli
B. Secularism
1. More concern w/ material world than
spiritual world
2. Why? The Church’s lessened prestige:
a) The Black Death
b) The Great Schism
3. Focus turns to present and less on the
afterlife
C. Individualism
1. Spotlight is shined on the individual
2. Celebration of the genius
a) increase in # of portraits painted
b) art is now signed on the front
c) the artist is as important at the art
IV. Renaissance Art
A. The “isms” captured in Ren. Art
1. Humanism – classical heroes, beautiful
bodies
2. Secularism - nudes ok in religious
works
3. Individualism - were paid $$ for their
work
B. Emphasis on ‘real’ art
1. 3D perspective for depth
2. brighter, bolder colors
3. shading of lights and darks
4. on canvas not wood
Renaissance Artists Hall of Fame:
Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”
Renaissance Artists Hall of Fame:
Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Mona Lisa”
Renaissance Artists Hall of Fame:
Michelangelo’s “Pieta”
Renaissance Artists Hall of Fame:
Raphael’s “School of Athens”