Raphael

•  RaphaelisknownasthethirdofthegreatmasterartistsofRenaissanceItaly.

•  Hewasbornin1483,andonlylivedtotheageof37

•  Producedahugenumberofworksincludingpaintings,frescoes,prints,andmore.

•  TheSchoolofAthens,isaclassicexampleofRenaissanceart

Donatello

•  DonatodiNiccolòdiBettoBardi,betterknownasDonatello,wasanearlyRenaissancesculptorfromFlorence.

•  Hewasthemostinfluentialindividualartistofthe15thcenturyinItaly.

Donatello

•  By1408,hecompletedthelife-sizedmarblesculpture,David.ThefigurefollowsaGothicstyle,popularatthetime,withlonggracefullinesandanexpressionlessface.

RenaissanceandtheClassics•  Classicsorclassicalstudiesisthestudyofclassicalantiquity.ThiscoverstheancientMediterraneanworld,particularlyancientGreeceandRome.Itencompassesthestudyofancientlanguages,literature,philosophy,history,artandarchaeology.

•  Eventheword“Renaissance”(“rebirth”inFrench)pointstotheefforttorevivethelearningofantiquitythatmotivatedtheintellectualeliteofthatera—forwhatsprangforthwasanurgentawarenessoftheancientpast,promptinginnovationsinbothideasandthearts.Theclassicaltradition,accordingly,haslongplayedacentralroleinRenaissancestudies.

MediciFamilyWealthfundedthearts

•  TheMedicifamilyattainedwealthandpoliticalpowerinFlorenceinthe13thcenturythroughcommerceandbanking.

•  In1434,withtherisetopowerofCosimode’Medici(orCosimotheElder),thefamily’ssupportoftheartsandhumanitiesmadeFlorenceintothecradleoftheRenaissance,aculturalfloweringrivaledonlybythatofancientGreece.

HouseofMedici

•  TheMedicisproducedfourpopes(LeoX,ClementVII,PiusIVandLeonXI),andtheirgeneshavebeenmixedintomanyofEurope’sroyalfamilies.

•  ThelastMedicirulerdiedwithoutamaleheirin1737,endingthefamilydynastyafteralmostthreecenturies.