1. The Renaissance “Rebirth” 1300’s-1600’s

2. Renaissance = rebirth Began in Italy –Rome and all of it’s history was there Characteristics: –Revival in learning –Urban society with a secular (worldly) viewpoint and wealth –Recovery from disasters like the plague and a decline in the Church’s power –Emphasized individual ability- “Renaissance Man” like Leonardo da Vinci

3. Important Italian City-States Florence (Northern Italy) –Medici family (Lorenzo Medici especially) –Cultural center of Italy

4. Niccolo Machiavelli Wrote The Prince –About political power in the western world –How to get and keep power Leader acts on behalf of the state and can’t be concerned with what is morally right/wrong, only what will keep him in power

5. Renaissance Society 3 estates/classes Peasants/Townspeople –85-90% of the population –Mostly merchants and artisans –1300’s-1400’s feudalism ended and urban poverty rose dramatically –Urban society Patricians: wealth from trade, industry, and banking (dominate community) Burghers: shopkeepers, artisans Workers: pitiful wages Unemployed: 30-40% of population Nobles 2-3% of population Held most important political posts, advisors to the king Clergy

6. Humanism Intellectual movement of the Renaissance –Based on study of the classics (ancient Greeks and Romans) Petrarch: father of Italian humanism, began emphasis on using pure classical Latin –14 th century: intellectual life of solitude (monks) –15 th century: active life for one’s state, study of humanities should be put to the service of the state so they served as secretaries in the city-states and to the princes and popes

7. Vernacular Literature (own language) Dante: Divine Comedy – a soul’s journey to salvation, written in Italian Geoffrey Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales- collection of stories told by a group journeying to the tomb of St. Thomas a Becket at Canterbury in England, described English society, written in English Christine de Pizan: French works written in defense of women, French vernacular

8. Education Humanists believed education could dramatically change human beings’ lives Liberal Studies –Enabled people to reach full potential –History, moral philosophy, rhetoric (public speaking), grammar and logic, math, astronomy, music, and physical education –Purpose: to produce individuals who follow a path of virtue and wisdom, a practical education to create complete citizens

9. Girls’ Education Few went to school Girls studied the classics and were encouraged to know some history, how to ride, dance, sing, play the lute, and appreciate poetry NOT taught rhetoric or math Religion and morals should be the foremost in educating “Christian ladies” so they could become good wives and mothers

10. Artistic Renaissance in Italy Humans became the focus of attention and were portrayed realistically Perspective: enabled artists to create the illusion of 3 dimensions so art looks more realistic http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v407/n6801/images/407134aa.0.jpg

11. New Techniques in Painting Fresco: painting done on wet plaster –Masaccio very well known for his frescoes Also one of first to master perspective The Tribute Money www.myeport.com/.../slideshow/2/1.28070.G.jpg

12. Sculpture and Architecture Donatello –Sculptor –Statue of Saint George: realistic, freestanding figure Donatello: Statue of Saint George http://www.artchive.com/artchive/d/donatello/donatello_george.jpg

13. Masters of the High Renaissance 1490- 1520: Final stage of Renaissance painting Leonardo da Vinci –Realistic painting –Goal was to create idealized forms that would capture the perfection of nature and the individual –Dissected bodies to see how they naturally worked www.latifm.com/artists/image/da-vinci-leonard... www.penwith.co.uk/artofeurope/leonardo_da_vin... Mona Lisa The Last Supper

14. Raphael –One of best painters in Italy –Known for his Madonnas –Tried to achieve an ideal of beauty far surpassing human standards –Known for frescoes in the Vatican Palace The School of Athens www.penwith.co.uk/artofeurope/raphael.htm

15. Michelangelo –Painter, sculptor, architect –Driven by desire to create, worked with great passion and energy on many projects –Sistine Chapel ceiling in Rome Ideal figures in perfect proportions http://www.italianvisits.com/people/michelangelo/images/michelangelo- sistine_chapel.jpg

16. Northern Artistic Renaissance Low Countries: Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands Flanders: cultural and artistic center of the Northern Renaissance How was the Northern Renaissance different than in Italy? (besides happening a little later) –Italy: Large spaces to work on, mastered technical skills that allowed them to portray humans in realistic settings –North: Gothic Cathedrals (less space), no frescoes, painted illustrations for books and wooden panels for altar pieces, not as many learned perspective as quickly

17. Artists of the Northern Renaissance Jan van Eyck –Among 1 st to use oil paint, could use a variety of colors and create fine details with it –Imitated nature by observing reality and portraying those details the best he could –Did NOT use perspective The Ghent Altarpiece www.ibiblio.org/.../auth/eyck/ghent/ghentopn.jpg

18. Albrecht Dürer –Learned perspective during trips to Italy –Tried to use the details of the Northern artists and combine with the Italian techniques –Tried to achieve a standard of ideal beauty based on careful examination of the human form The Adoration of the Maji imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/SHD/S10