Renaissance Humanism: A Movement Response

Renaissance Humanism

• Renaissance Humanism was a movement that started in Italy in the 14th century and spread throughout Europe over the next 200 years.
• It developed as a response to the Middle Ages, a time of great social and economic change.

Fathers of Renaissance Humanism

• Petrarch, Dante Alighieri, and Giovanni Boccaccio are considered the fathers of Renaissance Humanism.
• They sought to understand what it means to be human and how to live a virtuous life.

Characteristics of Renaissance Humanism

• A reinvigorated interest in classical texts and education.
• Emphasis on the individual human and moral responsibility.
• Need for widespread and comprehensive education, known as studia humanitatis.
• Concern with Christian themes, but with the focus on humanity rather than faith.

Important Works of Humanism

• Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
• Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince.
• Sandro Botticelli's The Birth of Venus.
• Michelangelo's David and Pietà.
• Rafaele's The School of Athens.

Spread of Humanism

• The printing press allowed humanist ideas to spread beyond Italy and throughout Europe.
• The rise of trade and the market economy also facilitated the spread of humanist ideas.

Legacy of Humanism

• Renaissance Humanism laid the groundwork for the separation of church and state.
• It led to the translation and critical examination of classical texts, which contributed to the Protestant Reformation.
• The emphasis on observing natural life contributed to the Scientific Revolution.

Renaissance Art

• Renaissance art can be divided into three categories: sculpture, painting, and architecture.
• Humanism was the underlying theme in most Renaissance art, emphasizing the human form and human experience.
• Paganism also played a significant role in Renaissance art, with themes and motifs from ancient Greek and Roman mythology.

Famous Renaissance Artists

• Filippo Brunelleschi: architect and engineer who designed the dome of the Florence Cathedral.

• Donatello: sculptor known for his statues of David and St. George.

• Piero della Francesca: painter and mathematician who used perspective in his works.

• Leonardo da Vinci: polymath and artist known for his paintings and inventions.

• Raphael: painter and architect known for his portraits and The School of Athens.

• Michelangelo: sculptor and painter known for his statues of David and the Pietà.

• Botticelli: painter known for his use of mythological themes, such as The Birth of Venus.

• Titian: painter known for his portraits and mythological scenes.

• Tintoretto: painter known for his vivid depictions of the human form.### The Medici Family

• The Medici family rose to power through their connection to the papacy and their banking business.

• The Medici Bank became the official bank of the papacy, and family members eventually rose to the papacy themselves.

Notable Members of the Medici Family

• Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici:
  • Started the Medici Bank in Florence, becoming one of the wealthiest men in Florence.
  • Had strong political influence, which he used to rewrite the tax code.
• Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici:
  • Took over ruling Florence in 1434.
  • Became a patron of the Renaissance by supporting artists like Donatello and making Florence a center for culture and arts.
• Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici (Lorenzo the Magnificent):
  • Supported artists like Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo.
  • Spent much of the family wealth on buying influential positions.
• Pope Leo X (Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici):
  • Elected Pope in 1513.
  • Continued to grow the family's influence and used his power to support them in Florence.
• Pope Clement VII (Giulio de' Medici):
  • Elected as Pope in 1523.
  • Continued to spread the family influence throughout Europe, marrying his niece, Catherine de Medici, to the future King of France.

Bankers of the Church

• Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici moved the headquarters of the Medici Bank to Florence in 1397, breaking with the bank he worked at with his uncle, Vieri di Cambio de' Medici.
• The Medici Bank became the official bank of the papacy in the 15th century.

Rising Power in Florence and Northern Italy

• Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici served as a member of the Signoria of Florence, the government of the Republic of Florence.
• Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici used his power and wealth to rule Florence, and eventually became a patron of the Renaissance.

Patrons of the Renaissance

• The Medici family was responsible for funding many artists, architects, and other intellectual leaders during the Renaissance.
• Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici was a patron of Donatello and Brunelleschi.
• Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici was a patron of Sandro Botticelli, Michelangelo Buonarroti, and Leonardo da Vinci.

Medici Popes

• The Medici family exerted influence over the papacy through the handling of papal accounts at the Medici Bank.
• Pope Leo X played a role in the onset of the Reformation by selling indulgences.
• Giulio de' Medici became Pope Clement VII.

Decline and Legacy

• The decline of the Medici family was due to several factors, including:
  • Declining resources of the Medici Bank and family due to bad loans and overuse of funds.
  • Declining power as an effect of their declining wealth and influence.
  • Declining trust from the people brought about by criticism of the oligarchy.
• The final Medici ruler died in 1737 without any children to carry on the powerful lineage.