Transcript C. Jacob Burkhardt

The Renaissance in Italy
and
Humanism
I. What was the Renaissance?
A. Rebirth (or “rediscovery” of what?)
These writings and ideas seemed to offer
meanings which were applied to every
aspect of life:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
B. What is “humanism”
according to Renaissance
scholars?
C. Jacob Burkhardt: A Swiss historian who
wrote in 1860, “Civilization of the
Renaissance in Italy”. His Main Points:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
D. Historians’ criticisms of Burkhardt
1.
2. Ignores the continuity between
a.
b.
E. Most scholars agree, however, the
Renaissance was a time of transition from
the medieval to the modern world. WHY?
1.
2.
3.
What made it possible for the Renaissance
to begin in Italian city-states?
II. Why Italy?
A. Central__________________________.
1. Key Italian city-states:
2. Each
3. Had NOT a lot of _____but a lot of____.
a.
b.
B. Money (revenue that flowed into
the city from ______)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
C. Proximity to…?
1.
a.
b.
D. Patron Support…of what?
(What is a “patron”?)
1. The patrons =
2. They supported =
III. Political Life in the City-States
A. Independent because they were not
dominated by
B. MOST had evolved into _______by the 15th c
1. This term means
2. WHY did this occur?
C. The de Medici Family & Florence
D. Signoria
1. The council of men who governed Florence
2. These men were chosen from
3. Cosimo de Medici was able to keep those
loyal to him on the ____________.
The de Medici…continued
• Piero de Medici
• Lorenzo de Medici
• Giovanni de Medici
• Podesta
E. Class Conflict in Florence
(4 distinguishable groups)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Film Clip of the
de Medici Family of Florence
IV. Humanism
Definition:
• The scholarly study of __________________
and __________________________ both:
for __________________and
in the hope of
A. Historical Interpretations of Humanism
1.
2.
3. This is KEY:
B. Humanists promoted a “liberal arts”
program
What is a liberal arts program?
1. Humanism fostered new attitudes and
ideas that are distinctly “modern”, most
importantly new attitudes and ideas
about the _______________________.
*
2. Francisco Petrarch (1304-1374)
a) the “Father of Humanism”
b) Few Italians of the time appreciated
c) Then came Petrarch (his story…in brief)
3.
Pico della Mirandola (b. 1463- d.1494)
Died far too young 
a). Wrote Oration on the Dignity of Man,
which was remarkably original for its
time.
b) As a philosopher, he stressed:
1) learning and ___________
2) ONLY human beings could
3) Helped artists
4. Goal of Humanist Studies
a) Be…
b) Placed heavy emphasis on the study of
5. Castiglione (1478-1529) Wrote:
Book of the Courtier
What is a “courtier”?
a) The perfect courtier according to
Castiglione?
6.
Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375) Wrote:
Decameron
a) A collection of
7.
Lorenza Valla (1406-1457) Wrote:
Donation of Constantine
a) Through research, he proved “what” to
be a forgery?
8. Galen and Vesalius
A. Galen (died 216 A.D.):
a) Greek physician who lived in the Roman Empire
b) Dissected _________ & _____
c) The 4 Humors:
B.
a)
b)
c)
Vesalius (1514-1565)
Founder of ________ _________.
Disproved many of __________ assertions.
What sets him apart =
Vesalius
V. “Virtu”
• The word is used to attribute some kind of value
to conduct or action.
• In accordance with Renaissance ideals, “virtu”
refers to: striving for excellence and being a
virtuous person or...
• those excelling gifts which God gave to the to
the soul of man, greatest and preeminent above
all other earthly animals."
• The man of virtù ( think “virtuoso”), aims at
reasoned and examined control of his own
thoughts, intentions, and actions and also of his
surroundings.
VI. The New Secular Spirit
A. Medieval culture emphasized spiritual
values and salvation
B. Renaissance culture was far more
interest in the pleasures of material
possession.
C. Renaissance families openly enjoyed fine
music, expensive foods, and beautiful
works of art.
VII. The “isms” of the Renaissance
1. Secularism
2. Humanism
3. Individualism
REMEMBER it this way: H I S