ITALY: BIRTHPLACE OF THE RENAISSANCE

Chapter 1, Section 1

Pages 37-42

SETTING THE STAGE•Black Plague and Hundred Years War

•People want to enjoy life

•Structures of society change•Question Church •Reject Medieval thoughts

•Plague kills 60% of population•Fewer laborers = demand for higher wages•Shrank business expansion opportunities•Wealthy merchants can pursue art

THREE ADVANTAGES•Thriving cities•Urban Centers•Overseas trade•Crusades•Urban while rest of Europe is rural

•Wealthy merchant class•Wealthiest, most powerful class•Earned social rank• Individual achievement important

(See Medici Family)

•Medici family• Ruled Florence• Cosimo de’ Medici- wealthiest European of his time• Influenced members of ruling council by giving loans• Virtual dictator of Florence for 30 years.•He and son greatly supported the arts

•Classical heritage• Studied Latin manuscripts• Byzantine scholars brought Greek manuscripts to Rome

CLASSICAL & WORLDLY VALUES•Humanism- focus on human potential and achievements.• Influenced artists and architects •Popularized the study of history, literature, and philosophy- “Humanities”

•Secular- worldly and concerned with the here and now•One can enjoy life without offending God•Church leaders began to live worldly lives•Large mansions, lavish parties, expensive clothes

•Patron- financially supporting artists•Popes- spend large amounts of money to beautify Rome•Show importance by having portraits painted or donating art

•Renaissance man- a master of all areas of study.•Should dance, sing, play music, write poetry•Should be a skilled rider, wrestler, and swordsman

•Renaissance women- inspire art, not make it•Know the classics, be charming, be educated but not a leader

REVOLUTION OF ART

Perspective- An artistic technique that creates the appearance of three dimensions on a flat surface. An optical

illusion

Vanishing pointHorizon

MICHELANGELO •True Renaissance man

•Painter, sculptor, architect and poet

•Famous for way he portrayed the human body•Forceful and showed heroic grandeur and power

•Sponsored by Medici

•Famous for:•Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica•David•Sistine Chapel

LEONARDO•True Renaissance man

•Painter, sculptor, inventor, scientist

•Interested in how things worked

•Notebooks full of sketches and inventions

•Known for:•Mona Lisa•The Last Supper

RAPHAEL

•Studied Michelangelo and Leonardo

•Madonna and child was his favorite subject

•Known for-•School of Athens

LITERATURE•Vernacular- Use of native language rather than classic

•Self-expression or portraying individualism

•Famous Renaissance writers:•Francesco Petrarch•Niccolo Machiavelli- The Prince; a political playbook; •Examines how rulers can gain power and keep it in spite of his enemies•Idea of most people being fickle, selfish, and corrupt•Must be strong as a lion, shrewd as a fox

•Women writers•Wrote about personal subjects, not politics