Do Now: "Imagine that you have lived in Florence, Italy immediately following the Black Death. You have survived, but many around you have not. Describe your environment. How do you feel?"
Copyright © Clara Kim 2007. All rights reserved.
Renaissance Means REBIRTH Rebirth of art and learning Began in northern Italy
“Italian Renaissance”
Objectives 1.) During the middle ages 2.) During the Renaissance Find God Prove pre-conceived ideas 2.) During the Renaissance Find man Promote learning Man loves himself again
Contrast to grimness of the Middle Ages Plagues Wars Spend life preparing for the afterlife Decreased power of the church
A Visual Metaphor of the Renaissance
What was the Renaissance? Period following the middle ages “Rebirth” of classical Greece and Rome 1st period to name itself and say bad things about earlier times (Dark Ages) NAMES FOR ARTISTS Began in Italy Moved to northern Europe
Economic Foundations Increased demand for Middle Eastern products Encouraged the use of credit and banking Letters of credit expanded supply of money and sped up trade. New accounting and bookkeeping practices used Arabic numerals
Major Italian Cities Adriatic Sea Tyrrhenian Sea Venice Milan Genoa . Many independent city-states emerged in northern and central Italy that played an important role in Italian politics and art. Milan One of the richest cities, it controls trade through the Alps. Milan Venice Venice Sitting on the Adriatic, it attracts trade from all over the world. Genoa Florence Florence Controlled by the De Medici Family, who became great patrons of the arts (AKA Bored Rich people) Adriatic Sea Genoa Had Access to Trade Routes Tyrrhenian Sea Had access to trade routes connecting Europe with Middle Eastern markets Competition with each other • Served as trading centers for the distribution of goods to northern Europe • Were initially independent city-states governed as republics
Influence of City States Growth of the Trade and Commerce Influence of City States Trade = Wealth Crusades connect with Muslims Rich Families Support Arts Muslims introduce new ideas Cities and Merchants grow Beginning of the Renaissance in Europe Tried to improve on old things “Humanities” in Education Greece and Rome Change ideas about government, religion, social class The Growth of Humanism
Niccolo Machiavelli Wrote The Prince guidelines for the how to get power by absolute rule. Believed the ends justified the means One should do good if possible, but do evil when necessary.
Art and Literature Medieval art and literature focused on the Church and salvation. Renaissance art and literature focused on individuals and worldly matters, along with Christianity.
Artists and Writers Artists Writers Leonardo da Vinci Michelangelo Petrarch
Leonardo da Vinci Painted the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper Handsome, athletic, singer, artist, scientist, inventor
Michelangelo Painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and sculpted David Sculptor, painter, architect, poet
The Sistine Chapel Ceiling
Pieta David
Petrarch Wrote Sonnets He wrote with a Humanistic approach Considered the “Father of Humanism”
Humanism - system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems. Celebrated the individual Stimulated the study of Greek and Roman literature and culture Humanists were supported by PATRONS who were very wealthy The Vitruvian Man
Northern Renaissance With the rise of trade, travel and literacy, the Italian Renaissance spread to northern Europe. The art and literature changed as people of different cultures adopted Renaissance ideas.
Northern Renaissance Writers Erasmus—The Praise of Folly (1511) Critical of corrupt church practices Catalyst for Protestant Reformation
Northern Renaissance Writers Sir Thomas More —Utopia (1516) Depicts world with perfect social, legal and political system Leading humanist scholar