WOMEN AND THE RENAISSANCE
Conceptions of the Renaissance Traditional interpretations birth of the individual men & women control own destinies Recent interpretations women’s destinies & identities linked to men women had few choices Renaissance values applied to men
WOMEN AND THE RENAISSANCE Perceptions of Women Christianity & the Church “evil” women – Eve “good” women – Virgin Mary Greek & Roman ideas Aristotle’s “deformed men” second-class citizens
WOMEN AND THE RENAISSANCE Perceptions of Women Renaissance melded Christian & classical views male = perfect, female = imperfect represented opposites MALE FEMALE ACTIVE PASSIVE COMPLETE INCOMPLETE LIGHT DARKNESS RIGHT LEFT GOOD EVIL
WOMEN AND THE RENAISSANCE Women’s Lives in the Renaissance Domestic education & responsibilities Life goal = marriage & procreation Sexuality strictly controlled Limited legal rights
WOMEN AND THE RENAISSANCE The Importance of Class Women of the working classes important contributors to family economy labored inside & outside the home usually did not contribute to family economy Women of the upper classes received some education valuable in strategic marriages
WOMEN AND THE RENAISSANCE The Exceptions CHRISTINE DE PISAN France’s first woman of letters Book of the City of Ladies: handbook for women ruled Italian city-state of Mantua ISABELLA D’ESTE ( ) created school for girls
WOMEN AND THE RENAISSANCE The Exceptions CATHERINE DE MEDICI ( ) rule France as regent for young son great patron the arts disguised as man, became soldier CATARINA DE ERAUSO ( ) fought in Europe and the New World
WOMEN AND THE RENAISSANCE The Exceptions SOFONISBA ANGUISSOLO ( ) great Italian painter gained international recognition most important female painter of period ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI ( ) served as court painter for several important rulers