Transcript The Italian Renaissance Chapter 5 section 1

The Italian Renaissance
Chapter 5 section 1
Italian City States
• Renaissance: A rebirth or revival.
Also : The humanistic revival of classical art,
architecture, literature, and learning that
originated in Italy in the 14th century and
later spread throughout Europe. A period
from about 1350 until 1600.
* Europeans began to rediscover ancient Greek
and Roman texts, philosophy and knowledge
Italian City States cont’d
•Background: During the Renaissance. Italy
was not unified, it was made up of
independent “city states” which included:
Milan, Venice, Rome, Florence, Pisa, Genoa
and Mantua and the Kingdom of the 2
Sicilies.
•Three leading city states were Florence,
Rome and Venice.
•New social order sprang up, wealth and
ability determined social class more than
noble titles and land ownership. Wealthy
merchants and bankers replaced the landed
nobility in the upper class.
Italian
City
States
Humanism
• Started in the city states of Italy, which had remained
important trading centers through the end of the late
Middle Ages, through trade ties info was
exchanged…Through merchants, Italian scholars reacquired
ancient “lost” wisdom, learning and philosophical ideas.
• The “lost” info came primarily from the Byzantine Empire
which had kept the Ancient Greek writings and knowledge
intact
•Humanism: new intellectual
movement that focused on secular
(worldly) themes rather than just on
religious ideas that had been popular
during the Middle Ages
Renaissance Man
• Humanists: Scholars who promoted
humanism and accepted classical beliefs and
wanted to use them to renew (improve) their
own society.
• Stressed individualism, promoted individual
self worth and learning. Importance of people
developing their own talents through many
activities and education.
Renaissance Man
•Men learned Latin, Greek, studied fencing,
politics, dance, philosophy and the Greek
classics. Women studied music, dance,
courtly behavior and how to run a
household.
•Clergy are replaced by humanists as
teachers
Italian Renaissance Writers
• 1300s: Francesco Petracha (commonly
called Petrach) wrote sonnets (short
poems) focusing on love and personal
feelings. (Mostly about a girl named
Laura who died during the Black Plague)
•Benvenuto Cellini wrote a manual
called: “The Book of the Courtier”,
gave advice to men and women on
Renaissance life. Ideal of good
behavior. Men to be skilled in many
activities, women to be graceful,
attractive and courteous.
•Niccolo Machiavelli: Wrote
“The Prince”
a how to guide on Italian politics
(use deceit and
force as needed to
hold on to power!)
Artists of the Italian Renaissance
• Michelangelo, based in Florence: Created sculpture of
David between 1501 and 1504, also painted the Sistine
Chapel (fin. In 1512), greatest wall painting in Italy
(10,000 sq. ft.), designed the dome of St. Peter’s
Basilica to end his career.
•Leonardo da Vinci: Citizen of Florence, worked also
in Milan and Rome. Painted the Mona Lisa
in Florence in 1503; painted Last Supper and also
had talent in engineering, architecture and sculpture.
•Raphael Santi:
famous painter,
noted for his
paintings of Mary,
painted for the
Vatican.
Other Italian Renaissance Contributions
• Warfare: Mercenaries (Condottieri) hired to
fight for city states, first large scale use of
devoted professional armies…(the citizen
soldiers are replaced because using them in
armies hurt a city state’s business and profits!)
•Increased use of gunpowder promotes
decline in armor and results in
development of long thin “fashionable”
gentleman swords called rapiers
•Italian fencing masters train gentlemen in
Italian version of sword play across Europe.
Other Italian Renaissance Contributions
• Architecture: changed from soaring GOTHIC
cathedrals and spires back to classical
columns, arches and domes (ie: St Peter’s
Basilica)
•Rise of a wealthy, educated and expanding
MIDDLE Class consisting of merchants, bankers,
lawyers
•Rise in exchange of ideas across Europe. City
States began sending out ambassadors and
created agreements, copied across N. Europe
Final Cut: Leonardo’s Last Supper