Mrs. Robinson World History iMater

Renaissance means –rebirth. During the ’s Italians thought they saw a rebirth of the Greek and Roman worlds. Renaissance = a new age in Europe

The Renaissance was an age of recovery from the disasters of the 14 th century  plague, political instability, decline of Church power.

There came a rebirth of interest in Greek and Roman culture. Italians became very interested in their Roman pasts  this affected both politics and art.

The Medici’s controlled Florence from behind the scenes. They were very rich and dominated the most important city in Italy at the time. The family was put out of power by Savonarola, but later returned to power when he was accused of heresy.

A new view of humans began in Italy. They began to emphasize individual abilities  high regard for the worth of humans. “Men can do all things if they will.” A well rounded, universal person was capable of achievements in many areas of life.

“But one must know how to color one’s actions and to be a great liar and deceiver. Men are so simple, and so much creatures of circumstance, that the deceiver will always find someone ready to be deceived.” -The Prince Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, is one of the most influential books on political power. Prince’s must let go of morality/consciences in order to rule well.

Nobles again dominated society  political positions; advisers to the king.

Peasants were still biggest population. Serfdom was coming to an end in the Renaissance. More peasants were becoming legally free.

Renaissance Townspeople were diverse. At the top were: patricians  trade, banking burghers  shopkeepers, artisans Below them were the workers and the unemployed. “Those that are lazy in a way that does harm to the city, and who can offer no just reason for their condition, should either be forced to work or expelled from the city. The city would thus rid itself of that most harmful part of the poorest class.” -Rich Merchant

The humanist movement was a key belief. Emphasized secularism and the individual person. Humanists study the classics  Humanities

Was inspired by Roman architecture for his dome in Florence. The Duomo of Florence was the first of its kind.

Renaissance life-like sculptor.

The High Renaissance took place between 1490 and It’s the final stage of the artistic movement. Associated with the three masters: Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo.

Painter, sculptor, inventor, engineer. Wanted to capture the perfection of people and nature.

One of the best artists in Italy in his time Wanted to make his paintings have an ideal beauty, outshining any human standards.

Asked to paint the chapel of the Vatican. Developed paintings with perfect proportions  the more beautiful the body, the more god-like the person.