Italy: Birthplace of the Renaissance

Italy: Birthplace of the Renaissance Chapter 17 Section 1

I Italy’s Advantages • Explosion of creativity in Europe known as the Renaissance • Renaissance= rebirth of art and learning • 3 advantages that fostered Renaissance: • Thriving cities • Wealthy merchant class • Classical heritage

A. Urban Centers • Overseas trade spurred by Crusadeslarge city states in northern Italy • Italy was urban while rest of Europe was rural • Ppl exchange ideas in cities making it ideal place for intel. Rev. • Bubonic plague causen econ. Downstuenmerchants pursued other interests like art

B. Merchants and the Medici • City sttes ran their own affairs collecting taxes & making armies • Merchants most wealthy & powerfulran politics • Merchants did not inherit status but achieved it their their own effortindivid. Achievemtnwuld become important Renaisance theme • Florence under control of Medici family • Made wealth in trade and banking • Medici’s did not hold pol office but controlled by giving politicians loans’ • Medici’s aided the renaissance by supporting the arts

II Classical and Worldly ValuesA. Classics Lead to Humanism • Study of classical textshumanism • Focused on human potential and achievements • Medieval scholars tried to make classical texts agree w/ Christian thought but Renaissance scholars studied them to UNDERSTANT ancient Greek values • Renaissance scholors studied classical subjects called humanities

B. Enjoyment of Worldly Pleasures • Humanists suggest ppl can enjoy life w/o offending god • Renaissance Italy saw wealthy enjoying luxuries • Basic Renaissance was secular • Secular= worldly and concerned w/ the here and now

C. Patrons of the Arts • Renaissance popes beautified Rome by spending large amounts of $$ on art • Popes became patrons of the arts • Wealthy fams like Medici’s supported artists by having their portraits painted or donated public art to the city

D. The Renaissance Man • Educated renaissance ppl were expected to create art • Ideal indvid. Strove to master all areas of study • Man who excels in many fields is known as “renaissance man”

III Renaissance Revolutionizes Art • Renaissance sculptors used realistic style copied from classical models • Michelangelo= sculptor who glorified the human body

B. Leonardo, Renaissance Man • Leonardo da Vinci was painter, sculptor, inventor, & scientist (Renaissance man) • Investigated muscle movement and other nat. things which he incorporated in his art & inventions • Painted the Mona Lisa & Last Supper

C. Raphael Advances Realism • Learned from studying work of Michelangelo and Leonardo • School of Athens painting conveys classical influences of the Renaissance

IV Renaissance Writers Change LiteratureA. Machiavelli Advises Rulers • The Prince= examines imperfect conduct of human beings by examining how a ruler can gain power and keep it in spite of his enemies • Believed idea that most ppl are selfish, fickle, and corrupt • Therefore, Prince must be strong and tricky • Sometimes trick his ppl for the good of the state • Not concerned w. what was morally right but what was politically effective

Italy: Birthplace of the Renaissance