1. The Early Modern Period
“Early Modern”? (ca )
Followed Middle Ages
Traits in Europe
Movement toward secular state
Divided Western Christianity
Growing emphasis on science
World becoming more global, more dominated by Europe

2. The Renaissance

3. The Renaissance When you hear “The Renaissance”… What do you think of?
What do you understand it to be?
Does it pop up in culture at all?

4. Origins and Humanism The Renaissance
“Rebirth” of culture and heritage of Greco-Roman antiquity
Italian Origins
Wealth
Remnants and ruins of ancient world
Flourished throughout peninsula

5. Origins and Humanism Humanism
Emphasized study of form and content of classical learning
Goal: recapture culture of ancient world  improvement of individuals and society
Interests of Humanists
Liberal arts
Latin and Greek
Classical documents
“Ad fontes!”

6. Origins and Humanism Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) Renowned humanist
Hated Middle Ages!
Encouraged revival of classical studies
Wrote in classical Latin
Africa
Searched for ancient manuscripts

7. Origins and Humanism Lorenzo Valla (1407-1457)
Major humanist, linguist
On the False Donation of Constantine (1444)
Response to Donation of Constantine
Valla’s Observations
Latin here not used until after Constantine
Exposed Donation as early medieval fraud

8. Origins and Humanism “Civic Humanism”
Some humanists became involved in public affairs
Literary talents  promote city
Focused on morality and ethics as applied in civic sphere
Goal: inspire “virtuous men” to take leading roles in communities
Follow examples of antiquity and Christianity

9. Origins and Humanism Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)
Florentine chancellor
Met important international leaders  “experience”
The Prince (1513)
Manual for despots on gaining and holding power
Prince might have to be immoral
Lion and the fox
“Virtue” in politics is ambiguous!
“Political realism”

10. Origins and Humanism
Questions?

11. Italian Art and Architecture
Medieval Traditions
Mostly spiritual iconography
Paintings influenced by Byzantine style
Stiff, solemn figures
Shallow, flat space
Golden skies!
Gothic architecture
Madonna and Child (early 13th cent.)

12. Italian Art and Architecture
Renaissance Art
Artists’ goals
Imitate nature
Revive classical idealism
Capture sense of “individual”
Iconography can now be “secular”  portraiture rediscovered
GIOTTO (ca )
Traits of his work: naturalism, individuality, corporeality, emotion
Greatest paintings in Arena Chapel, Padua ( )

13. Italian Art and Architecture

14. Italian Art and Architecture
The Lamentation, Arena Chapel

15. Italian Art and Architecture
Linear Perspective
Goal: create illusion of 3D
Observations of Artists
Parallel lines “converge” as they recede into the distance
Objects’ sizes vary depending on distance from viewer

16. Italian Art and Architecture
Masaccio, Holy Trinity (1427)

17. Italian Art and Architecture
Donatello ( )
Studied classical statues in Rome
David ( )
Bronze
First freestanding, life-sized nude since antiquity
Renaissance Traits
Classical nude male
Movement
Calm, ideal beauty

18. Italian Art and Architecture
Marcus Aurelius (ca. 175)
Donatello, Il Gattamelata (1453)
Padua, Italy

19. Italian Art and Architecture
Leonardo ( )
Student of nature
Quintessential “Renaissance Man”
Artist
Art theorist
Architect
Musician
Scientist
Engineer
So many projects  few ever got done!
Self-portrait (ca. 1512)

20. Italian Art and Architecture
The Last Supper (ca )
Mural
Subject: announcement of coming betrayal of Christ, Last Supper
Renaissance traits
Perspective
Individuality

21. Italian Art and Architecture
The Mona Lisa ( )
Portrait of Florentine merchant’s wife Donna Lisa
Individualized, yet idealized!
Ambiguous smile!

22. Italian Art and Architecture

23. Italian Art and Architecture
Embryo in the Womb (ca. 1510)
The Virtruvian Man (1490)

24. Italian Art and Architecture
Michelangelo ( )
Trained in Florence
“Renaissance Man”
Sculptor
Painter
Architect
Poet
Engineer
Studied classical models

25. Italian Art and Architecture
The Pietà (ca. 1500)
Subject: Virgin Mary cradling dead Christ after crucifixion
Renaissance traits
Appreciation for human body
Drapery of clothing
Virgin Mary is idealized, youthful

26. Italian Art and Architecture
David ( )
Huge!
Important traits
Pent-up energy
Visage is tense, psychological insight
Demonstrates knowledge of human body

27. Italian Art and Architecture
Vaulted Ceiling, Sistine Chapel ( )

28. Italian Art and Architecture
The Creation of Adam ( )

29. Italian Art and Architecture
Detail: Christ as Judge, the Virgin
The Last Judgment ( )

30. Italian Art and Architecture
Raphael, The School of Athens ( )

31. Italian Art and Architecture
Guess who?

32. Italian Art and Architecture
Renaissance Architecture
Architects also fond of classical forms
A famous project
Alberti’s S. Andrea, Mantua (ca. 1470)
Temple front
Triumphal arch
Façade, S. Andrea

33. Italian Art and Architecture

34. Italian Art and Architecture
Dome, Florence Cathedral ( )
Construction of cathedral began ca (Gothic)
Building was incomplete
Engineering problems  no dome
Brunelleschi ( ) commissioned
Studied classical monuments and architecture of Rome
Resolved engineering problems  created most celebrated dome since antiquity
Dome, S. Maria del Fiore,
Florence

35. Italian Art and Architecture

36. Italian Art and Architecture
Questions?

37. The Northern Renaissance
The Renaissance Traveled North
Renaissance spread more slowly to countries north of the Alps
Northern achievements
The printing press
Humanism
Art
English language

38. The Northern Renaissance

39. The Northern Renaissance
The Printing Press
Moveable lead type developed ca. 1450
Attributed to Johann Gutenberg
Can now print many copies of a book
Huge impact on Europe
Ideas spread rapidly
Increased literacy
Books now cheaper

40. The Northern Renaissance
Northern Humanism
Classics
“Christian Humanism”
Religious reform

41. The Northern Renaissance
Erasmus of Rotterdam ( )
Dutch
International celebrity
“Prince of Humanists”
Projects
Praise of Folly (1511)
Critical edition of Greek New Testament (1516)

42. The Northern Renaissance
Sir Thomas More ( )
English lawyer, lord chancellor
Very spiritual
English Humanist
Wrote history
UTOPIA (1516)
First part: criticism of political-social abuses
Second part: description of social arrangements at ideal island of Utopia

43. The Northern Renaissance
Northern Art
Interest in oil painting
Vibrant color
Minute detail
Jan van Eyck (ca )
Flemish
The Arnolfini Portrait (1434)
Portrait of Italian banker and his betrothed
Detail and depth
Spiritual symbolism

44. The Northern Renaissance
The English Language
Major changes throughout its history
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (d. 1616)
Playwright, London
Greatest English writer
Many plays set in Roman and English past

45. The Northern Renaissance
1990
1996

46. The Northern Renaissance
Questions?