Main Idea: European Renaissance, a rebirth of learning and
the arts, began in Italy in the 1300s.
I.
Italy—begins in the North
A.
Advantages
1.
urban centers: thriving cities
a
spurred by Crusades
b
bubonic plague
2.
wealthy merchant class: wealth and power
a
Medici family supported the arts
3.
Revival of the Classics: Greek & Roman
a
ruins
b
Latin & Greek manuscripts
B.
Values
1.
Humanism: focus on human potential & achievements
a
study history, literature, philosophy
2.
basic spirit: secular-worldly & concerned with the
“here & now”
a
enjoy life without offending God; devout Catholics
3.
Patrons of arts: popes & merchants
4.
Renaissance individual: excels in many fields
a
Baldassare Castiglione: The Courtier (1528)
b
women: upper-class, well-educated but lack power
C.
Art
1.
Subjects: religious, Greek & Roman
2.
New techniques
a
more realistic: Donatello—David
b
perspective (three dimension): Masaccio
3.
Leonardo da Vinci: true Renaissance man
a
painter, sculptor, inventor, scientist
b
“how things work”
c
Famous works: Mona Lisa, The Last Supper
4.
Michelangelo Buonarroti: Renaissance man
a
painter, sculptor, architect, poet
b
most famous for his portrayal of the human body
c
Famous works: St. Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel
(1512), David (1504)