The Italian Renaissance PDF

The Italian Renaissance From the 1300s to the 1500s, Western Europe enjoyed a golden age in the arts and literature, known as the Renaissance. The word literally means "rebirth." The Renaissance was a time of creativity and change in many areas-economic, political, social, and above all, cultural....

The Italian Renaissance From the 1300s to the 1500s, Western Europe enjoyed a golden age in the arts and literature, known as the Renaissance. The word literally means "rebirth." The Renaissance was a time of creativity and change in many areas-economic, political, social, and above all, cultural. The Italian Renaissance The Renaissance marked the transition between medieval and early modern times. During the Renaissance, Western Europe witnessed the growth of cities and trade, which greatly extended people's horizons. A New Worldview Most important, the Renaissance changed the way people saw themselves and their world. Spurred by a reawakened interest in the learning of ancient Greece and Rome creative Renaissance minds set out to transform their own age. Their era, they felt, was a time of rebirth after the disorder and disunity of the medieval world. Renaissance Europe did not really break with its medieval past. Much of the classical heritage had survived, including the Latin language and knowledge of ancient thinkers such as Euch and Aristotle. Yet the Renaissance did produce new attitudes toward culture and learning. Unlike medieval scholars, who debated the nature of life after death, Renaissance thinkers were eager to explore the richness and variety of human experience the here and now. During the Renaissance, there was a new emphasis on individual achievement. Indeed, the Renaissance ideal was a person with talents and skills in many fields. A Spirit of Adventure and Curiosity The Renaissance supported a spirit of adventure and curiosity that led people to explore new worlds or to reexamine old ones. Columbus, who sailed to the Americas in 1492, represented that spirit. So, too, did the scientists who looked at the universe in new ways. An Italian thinker, Pico della Mirandola, captured this spirit of adventure and confidence in human abilities when he wrote: "To [man] it is granted to have whatever he chooses, to be whatever he wills." Renaissance Humanism At the heart of the Italian Renaissance was an intellectual movement known as humanism. Humanist scholars studied classical Greek and Roman cultures, hoping to use the wisdom of the ancients to increase their understanding of their own times. Though most humanists were pious Christians, they focused on worldly, or secular, subjects rather than on the religious issues that had occupied medieval thinkers. Humanists believed that education should stimulate the individual's creative powers. They emphasized the humanities-subjects such as grammar, rhetoric (the study of using language effectively), poetry, and history-that had been taught in ancient Greek and Roman schools. Francesco Petrarch (PEE trahrk), who lived in Florence, a city in north Italy in the 1300s, was an early Renaissance humanist. From monasteries and churches, he hunted down and assembled a library of Greek and Roman manuscripts. Through his efforts, and those who followed his example, the speeches of Cicero, the poems of Homer and Virgil, and Livvy's History of Rome again became known to Western Europeans. Petrarch also wrote poetry. His Sonnets to Laura are love poems, inspired by a woman he knew only at a distance, but their style greatly influenced writers of his time. Petrarch wrote in the vernacular, or everyday language of ordinary people, as well as in Latin. The Renaissance Begins in Italy The Renaissance began in Italy in the mid-1300s and later spread north to the rest of Europe. It reached its height in the 1500s. The Renaissance emerged in Italy for several reasons. Italy's History and Geography The Renaissance was marked by a reawakened interest in the culture of ancient Rome. Since Italy was the center of ancient Roman civilization, it was only natural for this reawakening to begin there. Architectural remains, antique statues, coins, and inscriptions were all daily reminders of the glory of ancient Rome. Italy differed from the rest of Europe in another important way. Italy's cities had thrived during the Middle Ages. In the north, city-states like Florence, Milan, Venice, and Genoa grew into prosperous centers of trade and manufacturing. Rome and Naples also contributed to the Renaissance cultural revival. At trading ports along Italy's coastlines, ships brought goods, people, and ideas from the Muslim world, which had preserved much learning from ancient Greece and Rome. Many texts and much knowledge that had been lost in Europe were recovered through these trading contacts. A class of wealthy and powerful merchants emerged in Italy's city-states, and they promoted the cultural rebirth. These merchants exerted both political and economic leadership, and their attitudes and interests helped to shape Renaissance Italy. They stressed individual achievement and spent lavishly to support the arts. Florence and the Medicis Florence, perhaps more than any other city, came to symbolize the Italian Renaissance. Like ancient Athens, it produced a dazzling number of gifted poets, artists, architects, scholars, and scientists in a short space of time. In the 1400s, the Medici (MED dee chee) family of Florence organized a banking business. Their business prospered, and the family expanded into manufacturing, mining, and other ventures. Money translated into cultural and political power. Cosimo de' Medici gained control of the Florentine government in 1434, and the family continued as uncrowned rulers of the city for many years. The best known Medici was Cosimo's grandson, Lorenzo, known as "the Magnificent." Lorenzo represented the Renaissance ideal. A clever politician, he held Florence together through difficult times. He was also a generous patron, or financial supporter, of the artsAt Lorenzo's invitation, poets and philosophers frequently visited the Medici palace. Artists learned their craft by sketching ancient Roman statues displayed in the Medici gardens. Art Flourishes in the Renaissance The Renaissance attained its most glorious expression in its paintings, sculpture, and architecture. Wealthy patrons played a major role in this artistic flowering. Popes and princes, along with successful merchants, supported the work of hundreds of artists. Art Reflects New Ideas and Attitudes Renaissance art reflected humanist concerns. Like the artists of the Middle Ages, Renaissance artists portrayed religious figures, such as Mary and Jesus. However, they often set these figures against Greek or Roman backgrounds. Painters also produced portraits of well-known figures of the day, reflecting the humanist interest in individual achievement. Renaissance artists also painted scenes from Greek and Roman mythology to and depicted historical events. Renaissance artists studied ancient Greek and Roman works and revived many classical forms. The sculptor Donatello, for example, created a life-size statue of a soldier on horseback. It was the first such figure done since ancient times. New Techniques and Styles Ancient Roman art was realistic, a style that was abandoned in the Middle Ages. Renaissance painters developed new techniques for representing humans and landscapes in a realistic way. They discovered the rules of perspective, which allowed them to represent a three-dimensional world-what people see-onto a two-dimension surface, such as wood or canvas. By making distant objects smaller those close to the viewer, artists gave the impression of space and depth on a flat surface. Artists also used shadings of light and dark to make objects look round and real, making scenes more dramatic. Renaissance artists studied human anatomy and drew from live models. This made it possible to portray the human body more accurately than medieval artists had done. Renaissance Architecture Renaissance architects rejected the Gothic style of the late Middle Ages. To them, it was disorderly. Instead, they adopted the columns, arches, and domes used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. To top the cathedral in Florence, Filippo Brunelleschi (broo nay LAYS kee) created a majestic dome, modeled on the dome of the ancient Pantheon in Rome. Like so many other Renaissance artists, Brunelleschi had many talents. He had studied sculpture with Donatello and was an accomplished engineer, inventing many of the machines used to construct his dome. Leonardo da Vinci Florence was home to many outstanding painters and sculptors. Among the most brilliant was Leonardo da Vinci (DAH VIHN chee), who was born in 1452. His endless curiosity fed a genius for invention. He sketched objects in nature and dissected corpses to learn how bones and muscles work. Today, people admire Leonardo's paintings for their freshness and realism. Most popular is the Mona Lisa, a portrait of a woman whose mysterious smile has baffled viewers for centuries. Another masterpiece, The Last Supper, which shows Jesus and his disciples, is a deceptively simple painting and a brilliant example of the use of perspective. To create it, Leonardo used a new type of paint, which decayed over time. However, the painting has been restored. Although Leonardo thought of himself as an artist, his interests extended to botany, anatomy, optics, music, architecture, and engineering. He sketched flying machines and undersea boats centuries before the first airplane or submarine was built. His many notebooks filled with sketches are a testament to his genius. Michelangelo Like Leonardo, Michelangelo was a many-sided genius. He was a sculptor, engineer, painter, architect, and poet. Born in 1475, he came under the wing of the Medicis in Florence. As a young man, he shaped marble into masterpieces like the Pieta, which captures the sorrow of Mary as she cradles the dead Jesus on her knees. David, Michelangelo's statue of the biblical shepherd who killed the giant Goliath, recalls the harmony and grace of ancient Greek sculptures. In 1508, Michelangelo started a new project, painting a series of murals on the vast curved ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. During the next four years, he worked to complete scenes from the biblical book of Genesis along with figures of prophets who had foretold the coming of Jesus. Later, as an architect, Michelangelo drew a design for the enormous dome of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. Although he did not live to see it, the dome was completed based on his exact design. The dome served as a model for many later structures, including the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Raphael A few years younger than Leonardo and Michelangelo, Raphael (rah fah EL) studied the works of those great masters. His paintings blend Christian and classical styles. Among his best- known works is School of Athens, which pictures an imaginary gathering of great thinkers and scientists, including Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, and the Arab philosopher Averroës. In typical Renaissance fashion, Raphael included Michelangelo, Leonardo, and himself. New Books Reflect Renaissance Themes Poets, artists, and scholars mingled with politicians at the courts of Renaissance rulers. A literature of "how to" books sprang up to help ambitious men and women who wanted to rise in the Renaissance world. Castiglione's Ideal Courtier The most widely read of these handbooks was The Book of the Courtier, by Baldassare Castiglione (kahs teel YOH nay). In it, he describes the manners, skills, learning, and virtues that a member of the court should have. The ideal differed for men and women. The ideal man, wrote Castiglione, is athletic but not overactive. He is good at games but not a gambler. He plays a musical instrument and knows literature and history but is not arrogant. The ideal woman offers a balance to men. She is graceful and kind, lively but reserved. She is beautiful, "for outer beauty," wrote Castiglione, "is the true sign of inner goodness." Machiavelli's Advice to Princes Niccolò Machiavelli (mahk ee uh VEL ee) wrote a different kind of handbook. He had served Florence as a diplomat and had observed kings and princes in foreign courts. He had also studied ancient Roman history. In The Prince, published in 1513, Machiavelli offered a guide to rulers on how to gain and maintain powerIt combined his personal experience of politics with his knowledge of the past. The Prince did not discuss leadership in terms of high ideals, as Plato had. Instead, it looked at real rulers in an age of ruthless power politics. Machiavelli saw himself as an enemy of oppression and corruption, but critics attacked his cynical advice. (In fact, the term "Machiavellian came to refer to the use of deceit in politics.) Later students of government, however, argued that Machiavelli provided a realistic look at politics. His work continues to spark debate because it raises important ethical questions about the nature of government and the use of power. 4. Write your answers of the following questions in the notebinder under the Notes tab: a) under The Italian Renaissance text: What were some important characteristics of the Renaissance? b) under The Renaissance Begins in Italy text: Why did Italy’s historic legacy make it an ideal place for the Renaissance to begin? c) under Art Flourishes in the Renaissance text: Which artistic technique was developed during the Renaissance and used in The Last Supper? d) under New Books Reflect Renaissance Themes text: How did Renaissance writings express realism? Read the following texts: 1. Artists of the Northern Renaissance 2. Northern Renaissance Humanists and Writers 3.The Printing Revolution The Renaissance in North Europe In the mid-1300s, the Black Death had reduced the population of Europe by one-third and brought the economy to a standstill. Italy recovered fairly quickly and was soon the center of the Renaissance and its creative upsurge. Only after 1450 did northern Europe enjoy the economic growth that had earlier supported the Renaissance in Italy. Artists of the Northern Renaissance The northern Renaissance began in the prosperous cities of Flanders, a region that included parts of what is today northern France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Flanders was a thriving center of trade for northern Europe. From Flanders, the Renaissance spread to Spain, France, Germany, and England, which enjoyed cultural rebirths during the 1500s. Flemish Painters Among the many talented artists of Flanders in the 1400s, Jan van Eyck stands out. His portrayals of townspeople as well as religious scenes abound in rich details that add to the realism of his art. Van Eyck developed new techniques for using oil paint. He and other Flemish artists used these new methods to produce strong colors and a hard-surfaced paint that could survive for centuries. A leading Flemish painter of the 1500s was Pieter Bruegel (BROY gul). He used vibrant colors to portray lively scenes of peasant life, earning him the nickname "Peasant Bruegel." Although Bruegel produced works on religious and classical themes, his secular art influenced later Flemish artists, who painted scenes of ordinary people in their daily lives. Albrecht Dürer: A "German Leonardo" Among the most influential artists of the northern Renaissance was the German painter and paintings printmaker Albrecht Dürer (DYOOR ur). In 1494, be made the first of several trips to Italy to study the works and techniques of Italian mastersAt home, he employed the new methods in his own engravings, and prints. Through these works as well as his essays, Dürer helped spread Renaissance ideas to northern Europe. Dürer had a keen, inquiring mind. Because wide-ranging interests, which extended far beyond art, he is sometimes called the "German Leonardo Dürer is well-known for applying the painting techniques he had learned in Italy to engraving a method of making prints from metal plates. In an engraving, an artist etches a design on a metal plate with acid. The artist then uses the plate to make prints. Many of Dürer's engravings and paintings portray religious upheaval of the time. Northern Renaissance Humanists and Writers Like the Italian humanists, northern European humanist scholars stressed education and classical learningAt the same time, they emphasized religious themes. They believed that the revival of ancient learning should be used to bring about religious and moral reform. Although most humanist scholars wrote mainly in Latin, other writers began to write in the vernacular, or everyday language of ordinary people.In this way, their works were accessible to the new middle class audience living in towns and cities. Erasmus The great Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus (ih RAZ mus), became a priest in 1492. He used his knowledge of classical languages to produce a new Greek edition of the New Testament and a much-improved Latin translation of the Bible. At the same time, Erasmus called for a translation of the Bible into the vernacular. "I disagree very much with those who are unwilling that Holy Scripture, translated into the vernacular, be read by the uneducated." For him "the strength of the Christian religion" should not be based on people's ignorance of it, but on their ability to study it on their own. Erasmus used his pen to call for reforms in the Church. He challenged the worldliness of the Church and urged a return to early Christian traditions. His best-known work, In Praise of Folly, uses humor to explore the ignorant, immoral behavior of people. Erasmus taught that an individual's chief duties were to be open-minded and show good will toward others. Sir Thomas More Erasmus's friend, the English humanist Sir Thomas More, also pressed for social and economic reforms. In Utopia, More describes an ideal society in which men and women live in peace and harmony. Private property does not exist. No one is idle, all are educated, and justice is used to end crime rather than to eliminate criminals. Today, the word utopian has come to describe any ideal society, with the implication that such a society is impractical. Rabelais's Comic Masterpiece The French humanist François Rabelais (rab uh LAY) had a varied career as a monk, a physician, a Greek scholar, and an author. Unlike Erasmus and More, Rabelais wrote in the French vernacular. In Gargantua and Pantagruel, he chronicles the adventures of two gentle giants. On the surface, the novel is a comic tale of travel and war. But Rabelais uses his characters to offer opinions on religion, education, and other serious subjects. Shakespeare Explores Universal Themes The towering figure of Renaissance literature was the English poet and playwright William Shakespeare. Between 1590 and 1613, he wrote 37 plays that are still performed around the world. Shakespeare's genius was in expressing universal themes in everyday realistic settings. His work explores Renaissance ideals such as the complexity of the individual and the importance of the classics. At the same time, his characters speak in language that common people can understand and appreciate. Shakespeare's comedies, such as A Midsummer Night's Dream, laugh at the follies and joys of young in love. His history plays, such as Richard III, chronicle the power struggles of English kings. His tragedies show human beings crushed by powerful forces or their own weakness. In Romeo and Juliet, two teenagers fall victim to an old family feud, while Macbeth depicts an ambitious couple whose desire for political power leads them to murder Shakespeare's love of words vastly enriched the English language. More than 1,700 words appeared for the first time in his works, including bedroom. lonely generous, gloomy, heartsick, hurry, and sneak. The Printing Revolution The great works of Renaissance literature reached a large audience. The reason for this was a crucial breakthrough in technology-the development of printing in Europe The New Technology In 1456, Johannes Gutenberg (GOOT un burg) of Mainz, Germany, printed a complete edition of the Christian Bible using a printing press with movable metal type. With the Gutenberg Bible, the European age of printing had begun. Within a few years, printing presses using Gutenberg's technology sprang up in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and England. The development of printing set off revolutionary changes that would transform Europe Before the printing press, there had been only a few thousand books in all of Europe. These books had been slowly copied out by hand. By 1500, according to some estimates 15 to 20 million volumes had be produced on new printing presses. In the next century, between 150 and 200 million books went into circulation. The Impact of the Printed Book The printing revolution ushered in a new era of mass production of books. It also affected the price of books Books printed with movable type on rag paper were easier to produce and cheaper than hand-copied works As books became readily available, more people learned to read and write. They thus gained access to a broad range of knowledge as presses churned out books on topics from medicine and law to astrology mining, and geography. Printing influenced both religious and secular or nonreligious, thought. "The preaching of sermons is speaking to a few of mankind," noted an English author, "but printing books is talking to the whole world." With printed books, educated Europeans were exposed to new ideas that greatly expanded their horizons. The new printing presses contributed to the religious turmoil that engulfed Europe in the 1500s By then, many Christians could read the Bible for themselves. As a result, the ideas of religious reformers spread faster and to a larger audience than ever before.