Italy: Birthplace of the Renaissance
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Transcript of Italy: Birthplace of the Renaissance
Italy: Birthplace of the RenaissanceBy. Janine Hepler
Setting the Stage• During the late Middle Ages,
Europeans suffered from war & plague• Survivors wanted to enjoy life
• Began to question structures of medieval society
• Looked to the classical past for ideas
The Renaissance• Renaissance= rebirth
• Focused on art & learning
• Began in Northern Italy in 1300—later spread north
Why Italy?—3 Advantages
Urban Centers
• Large city-states• Sizable towns• Rest of Europe=
mostly rural• Urban centers=
exchange of new ideas
Merchants & the Medici
• Merchants= wealthiest, most powerful class
• Individual achievement
• Medici family supported the arts
Classical Heritage
• Looked down on art & literature of Middle Ages
• Took inspiration from Roman ruins
• Studied Latin & Greek manuscripts
Classical & Worldly Values• Scholars studied
ancient Greek works
• Became increasingly influenced by classical ideas
• Developed new outlook on life
Classics Lead to Humanism• Humanism: focused on
human potential & achievements
• Humanists influenced artists & architecture• Carried on Classical traditions
• Popularized subjects of history, literature, & philosophy humanities
Enjoyment of Worldly Pleasures
• Humanists suggested that people could enjoy life w/o offending God
• Enjoyed material luxuries, fine music, & tasty foods
• Secular: worldly & concerned w/ the here & now
Patrons of the Arts• Renaissance popes sought
pleasure & beautified Rome
• Renaissance merchants became generous patrons of the arts—demonstrated their own importance
• Patron: someone who provides financial support
The Renaissance Man• All educated people were
expected to create art
• The ideal individual sought to master all areas of study— “universal man”
• Charming, witty, & well-educated in the Classics—should have self-control
The Renaissance Woman• Upper-class women
should also know the classics & be charming
• Expected to inspire art rather than create it
• Had less influence than Medieval women had• Few exercised power
Renaissance Revolutionizes Art• Artistic styles changed
during the Renaissance
• Began to paint prominent citizens rather than strictly religious subjects
• Sculptors glorified the human body
New Artistic Techniques• Donatello made sculpture
more realistic• Carved natural postures• Statue of David
• Masaccio rediscovered the technique of perspective• Indicates 3 dimensions
Leonardo, Renaissance Man• Leonardo da Vinci
was a painter, sculptor, inventor, & scientist
• Deeply interested in how things worked—incorporated his findings into artistic sketches
• Painted the Mona Lisa & The Last Supper
Raphael Advances Realism• Learned from studying
the works of Michelangelo & Leonardo
• Portrayed expressions as gentle & calm
• Painted the School of Athens
Renaissance Writers Change Literature• Vernacular: native language• Dante wrote in Italian rather
than Latin
• Wrote for self-expression or to portray the individuality of their subjects
• Started trends that we still follow
Petrarch & Boccaccio
Francesco Petrarch• Early & influential
humanist
• Great poet—wrote in both Italian & Latin
• Wrote sonnets about a woman named Laura
Boccaccio• Italian writer
• Best known for the Decameron—series of realistic, off-color stories
• Presented humans & their follies w/sarcasm
Machiavelli Advises Rulers• Wrote The Prince—
examined the imperfect conduct of humans
• Believed people are selfish, fickle, & corrupt
• Wasn’t concerned with what was morally right, but what was politically effective
RENAISSANCE IN REVIEW
The Northern Renaissance
Setting the Stage• In the 1400s, northern
Europeans began to adopt the ideas of the Renaissance
• Ideas traveled to England, France, Germany, & Flanders• Scholars, students,
merchants
The Northern Renaissance Begins
• 1450: European population begins to recover from the bubonic plague
• 1453: Hundred Years’ War b/t France & England ends
• Cities grew rapidly
• Wealthy urban merchants began to sponsor artists
Monarchy & the N. Renaissance• Rulers often
sponsored the arts
• Purchased paintings, hired Italian artists & architects
• Played a major role in bringing styles to N. Europe Francis I of France
Character of the N. RenaissanceItalian Renaissance ideas mixed
with northern traditions
Humanists were more interested in religious ideas than in secular themes
Developed plans for social reform based on Christian values
Invasion of Northern Italy• 1494: French king
claimed the throne of Naples in southern Italy
• Italian writers & artists left for a safer life in northern Europe
German Painters
Albrecht Dürer• Studied in Italy• Produced influential
woodcuts & engravings• Portrayed religious
subjects, classical myths, & realistic landscapes
Hans Holbein the Younger• Inspired by Dürer’s
realism• Specialized in lifelike
portraits• Painted King Henry VIII of
England & the royal family
Self portrait Albrecht Dürer
Work of Hans Holbein
Flemish Painters• Flanders= artistic
center of N. Europe• Home to wealthy
merchant families
Jan van Eyck• Carried on tradition of
realism• Popularized oil-based
paintings
Peter Bruegel the Elder• Realist, very detailed• Portrayed proverbs,
everyday peasant life, & larger groups of people
Northern Writers• Writers adopted
the ideal of humanism
• Gave humanism a more religious slant
• Northern humanists are called Christian humanists
Desiderius Erasmus• Received honors from
princes, kings, & cardinals
• The Praise of Folly= most famous work
• Believed that to improve society, all people should study the Bible
Thomas More• Close friend of
Erasmus
• Concerned with society’s flaws
• Utopia= most famous work• Served as a model for
an ideal society
Francois Rabelais• French humanist
• Differed from Erasmus & More• Wrote in the vernacular• More secular• Believed people were
basically good
• Gargantua & Pantaruel= most famous work
William Shakespeare• English writer• Considered greatest
playwright of all time• Macbeth, King Lear,
Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Julius Caesar, Romeo & Juliet
• Examined human flaws drew from the classics
The Elizabethan Age• AKA Renaissance in
England
Queen Elizabeth I• Well-educated (French,
Italian, Latin, & Greek)• Wrote poetry• Patronized artists &
writers
Printing Spreads Renaissance Ideas
• 1045: Movable type invented in China
• 1440: Johann Gutenberg reinvents movable type in Germany
• Later Gutenberg invented the printing press
Gutenberg Bible= 1st full-size book printed w/ movable type
Printing Spreads Learning• The printing press
revolutionized European society
• Books were cheap enough that many people could buy them
• New ideas spread more quickly
• Writing in the vernacular increased
• People began to read & interpret the Bible—became more critical
The Reformation
Important Terms• Predestination: One of the doctrines of Calvinism• Calvinism: Religion based on Calvin’s teachings,
adopted by reformers in France & other parts of Europe• Catholic Reformation: Movement within the Catholic
Church to reform itself, helped Catholics remain loyal during the 1500s• Jesuits: Members of the Society of Jesus who began
their work during the Reformation• Council of Trent: Meeting of leaders of the Catholic
Church that reached an agreement on several important doctrines as part of the Catholic Reformation
Calvinism
People are sinful by natureOnly the elect are savedDoctrine of Predestination: God has
always known who the elect areGovernment should be in the hands
of religious leadersMorality should be rigidly regulated
Presbyterianism
Based on Calvinist ideasEach community church was
governed by Presbyters
Anabaptism
Only adults could decide to be baptized
Church & state should be separateAnabaptists refused to fight in warsAnabaptists shared their possessions
Major Activities of the Jesuits
Founded & staffed schools throughout Europe
Sent out missionaries to convert non-Christians to Catholicism
Sought to stop Protestantism from spreading
Why were the effects of thee work of Jesuit missionaries so long lasting?They sent out missionaries to all the
continentsThey founded schools, colleges, &
universities worldwide
Roles in Reforming the Catholic Church
Pope Paul III• Had council of cardinals
investigate abuses w/ in the Church• Approved the Jesuit
Order• Used the Inquisition to
identify & punish heresy• Convened the Council of
Trent
Pope Paul IV• Carried out the Council
of Trent’s decrees• Drew up an index of
forbidden books• Collected offensive
books & had them burned
Important Effects of the ReformationReligion no longer united Europe—
Protestant churches flourished
The Church’s power declined—Kings & states gained power, creating nation-states
Church authority was questioned—began to reject Christian beliefs