Italian Renaissance Humanism Chapter 12-2

Development of Humanism Humanism was based on the study of the Greek & Roman literary classics Humanists studied grammar, history philosophy, poetry, etc.. Petrarch, considered the father of Italian humanism, did this more to foster development than any other He would use forgotten & obscure manuscripts found throughout Europe emphasizing the use of Latin Fourteenth humanists, like Petrarch, believed in an intellectual life of solitude that rejected family & involvement in community In contrast the early humanists believed that intellectuals had a duty to an active civic life as many served as secretaries in the Italian city-states to princes & popes

Vernacular Literature The humanist emphasis on classical literature led to widespread writing, many in the vernacular or in their own spoken language Two of the most prominent vernacular writers of the period were Dante who wrote in Italian & Chaucer who wrote in English Dante’s masterpiece was a story of a souls journey to salvation, The Devine Comedy There were three major parts to the poem: Hell, Purgatory, & Heaven Chaucer's famous work was the Canterbury Tales where he writes about English society Dante Alighieri Geoffrey Chaucer

Renaissance Education The humanist movement had a profound effect on education in the 1300’s & 1400’s Renaissance humanists believed that education should could dramatically change people At the core of the humanist schools was the idea that liberal studies, history, grammar, music, poetry, physical education, etc., enabled students to reach their full potential by developing the gifts of the mind & body The end goal was to produce individuals who were a complete person that followed a path of virtue & wisdom as well as possessed rhetorical skills so they can persuade others to take the same path As far as women were concerned they were largely absent from these schools as they were stressed religion & morals in order to become a “good Christian” lady

Italian Renaissance Art Renaissance artists sought to imitate nature as well show the reality of humans as the center A new form of art that was developed was the fresco which was a painting done on fresh wet plaster with water based paints This gave subjects a three dimensional depth & perspective This new style was later refined stressing the technical side of painting or understanding perspective & the organization of outdoor space & light through geometry Another key development was the understanding of the human body & its movement When it came to sculpture & architecture the understanding of the human body was key

Italian Renaissance Art Renaissance masters included da Vinci, Raphael, & Michelangelo Da Vinci mastered the art of realistic painting going so far as to dissect the human body in order to make his subjects more life like Raphael became known for his paintings of various Madonna's giving her a beauty far surpassing human standards of beauty Michelangelo is best noted for his work on the Sistine Chapel in Rome where he depicted the ideal type of human being with perfect proportions

The Northern Artistic Renaissance The artists of Northern Europe also experienced a renaissance but in a different manor In Italy artists had large church walls in which to paint their frescos In the north there were not these magnificent walls thus these artists painted illustrations for books & alter pieces One of the most important artists of this era was Jan van Eyck who was one of the first to use & prefect the use of oil painting His skill allowed him to create a realism with fine details