Renaissance Art (pg 24) And other notables! Take notes as we discuss.
Renaissance Notes
Transcript of Renaissance Notes
The Renaissance“rebirth”
The Crusades, the Black Death, and the Hundred Years’ War all brought
about changes that led to a new way of thinking.
Economic Foundations of the Renaissance
• Trade flourished in Italy during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, creating unprecedented wealth in Florence, Genoa, and Venice.
– Italy was separated into city-states and enjoyed a democratic atmosphere- republics
• Florence was known for banking and textiles and was the center of the Italian Renaissance
The Medici Family of Florence:banking family, ruled Florence, patrons of the arts
• Cosimo de Medici
– Banking
– Ruled Florence
– Supporter of artistic and scholarly projects
– Uses to taxes to build up city and make it a center for learning and the arts!
• Lorenzo de Medici (“the Magnificent”)
– Banking, also ruled Florence
– Patron of the arts- supported Michelangelo
Sforza Family- Milan
• Caterina Sforza ruled Milan
Isabella D-Esta of Mantua
• Sketch of Isabella by da Vinci• Patron of the arts
Intellectual Movements
Humanism: Intellectual
movement at the heart of the Italian
Renaissance
Classicism: Return to the ideals of
Greece and Rome
Secularism: Interest in non-religious world and enjoyment of
worldly pleasures
Celebrating the glory and power of humans and the
individual!
Seen in the intellectual thought, art, and
architecture of the time
Renaissance Literature
• Petrarch: the “Father of Humanism”, he wrote poetry about classical virtues and his unrequited love for a woman he called “Laura”. He wrote in Italian (vernacular) and Latin. Supposedly he died with a pen in his hand.
Renaissance Literature
• Dante Alighieri: The Divine Comedy, emphasized politics and human interested, wrote in the vernacular instead of Latin
Renaissance Literature
• Castiglione: The Courtier, a handbook on how to be a “Renaissance Man”. – Speak Greek and Latin
– Be charming, polite, and funny
– Strong and graceful
• Machiavelli: The Prince, secular treatise (long essay) on how to be a good ruler – “The ends justify the means”
– Discusses ancient leaders as examples of what a good ruler should do
Renaissance Literature
• Erasmus: The Praise of Folly- poked fun at the clergy, scholars, and merchants. He was from Flanders- Northern Renaissance
• Shakespeare: English playwright, wrote about the human condition in both tragedies and comedies
Art- Early Renaissance• Giotto di Bondone- carved frescos on human
figures that show depth and emotion
• Ghiberti- Carved the doors of the Florence Baptistery
• Brunelleschi- designed the dome of the Cathedral of Florence, the first dome
since antiquity!
Art- Early Renaissance
• Donatello: Sculpted the first free standing nude sculpture of “David”
• Masaccio- “The Father of Modern Painting”, shows perspective and distance
• Michelangelo
– The “David”
– The “Pieta”
– Sistine Chapel ceiling- “The Last Judgment”
– Dome on St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome
Art- High (later) Renaissance
• Leonardo da Vinci
– Painted “The Last Super” and “The Mona Lisa”
– Renowned engineer and architect
– Example of the “Renaissance Man”
• Raphael
– Painted “The School of Athens” and many Madonnas (pictures of Mary and baby Jesus)
Art- Northern Renaissance
• Durer- woodcuts and engravings
• Hans Holbein the younger- portraits (“Henry VIII”)
• Van Eyck- painting with vivid color and detail
– Example: “The Marriage Portrait”
• Peter Bruegel the Elder- paintings of weddings, festivals, and peasant life
Cultural Centers of the Renaissance
• 1400s- Center of the Italian Renaissance was Florence Italy
• 1500s- Rome became a center of art with Pope Julius II– Loved art and power and built St. Peters Cathedral
with the help of Michelangelo
• Renaissance ideas spread north through trade and travel.
• Flanders- present day region of Belgium was the center of the Northern Renaissance
The Northern Renaissance
• Northern Renaissance= Humanism + Christianity
• Art and writing is more infused with Christianity
• 1450- Johannes Gutenberg invented a printing press that used movable type. The Bible became an instant best seller….
Protestant Reformation
• People start reading the Bible for themselves and questioning the Catholic Church
• Martin Luther breaks away from the Catholic Church. 1517 posts 95 Theses
• 1536 Henry VIII separates from the Catholic Church creating the Church of England or the Anglican Church
• Sir Thomas More wrote “Utopia” about a perfect society. He was executed by Henry VIII for refusing to admit king > God.