1. Locus of the Renaissance
Economic growth was the basis for the Renaissance
Northern Italy (centrally located) benefited from the crusades and the spice trade

2. Medieval Trade N Italian city-states evolved during the Middle Ages
12th century communes were formed by guilds
Sought independence from nobility

3. Medieval Guilds Commercial Monopoly:
Controlled membership apprentice  journeyman  master craftsman
Controlled quality of the product [masterpiece].
Controlled prices
Provided economic security for their members - cared for sick etc.

4. The Plague Changes Society
What significant ways did the Plague reorder society?
(Hint: Think about the film!!!!)

5. Medieval City-States Emerge
Feudal nobility llmerges with commercial class (guilds)
Produces a NEW CLASS the urban nobility
Who is left out? Popolo
Disenfranchised and over taxed; unsuccessfully revolted.

6. Late Medieval City-States
Bellini, Doges of Venice
City-states ruled by oligarchies or despots (signori) - façade of republican government

7. 5 Themes of the Renaissance

8. Italian Renaissance
Characterized by self-conscious awareness that Italians were living in a new era
Artists of the Renaissance had contempt for medieval predecessors
5 Key themes :
Individualism
Rationalism
Secularism
Virtù
Humanism

9. 1. Individualism Individualism stressed: a) personality b) uniqueness
c) fullest development of capabilities
d) the quest for glory
The worth of you
Paintings signed
Artist as an individual

10. 2. Rationalism Use your own mind & draw conclusions
Education, literacy, printing press etc

11. 3. Secularism Concerned with the material world not the eternal world
Lorenzo Valla On Pleasure defended pleasure Boccaccio Decameron about a worldly society.
Papal interests actually encouraged worldliness
Revolve around state, as opposed to church

12. Pico della Mirandola
Our destiny is not determined by anything outside of us.
God has bestowed upon us a unique distinction:
the liberty to determine the form and value our lives shall
acquire….man is the master of his own destiny!

13. 4. Virtú Man made best use of his resources
Ability of a man to be able to make an impact on his endeavor
Latin for man
Quality of being a ;man as opposed to beast
Excel in all that he did
Act heroically & decisively for good of country

14. 5.
Humanism
The study of the classics became known as “new learning” or “humanism”
Humanism emphasized:
a) human beings
b) human achievements
c) human capabilities
Italian humanism became more of an interest to lay people
Literary movement in Italy
From Cicero - ability of man to act like a man
i) Deeply religious viewed the classics in a new light
ii) Studied classics to understand human nature
iv) Very Christian - men and women were in God’s image
v) Rejected classical ideas that opposed Christianity but sought a harmony between paganism, secularism, and Christianity.
vi) Loved the language of the classics
Does not mean absence of Christ
But did go against the need to forsake the secular world
God created the world - appreciate it

15. Francesco Petrarch 1304-1374 Father of Humanism
One of the founders of humanist movement was Petrarch
The Renaissance was the light after the gloom of the Dark Ages
The Roman Empire was the peak of human civilization
Glories of this world but meaning of today came from classical past
Focus on Plato - more poetic/lyrical than the logical & unemotional Aristotle

16. Living, I despise what melancholy fate
has brought us wretches in these evil years.
Long before my birth time smiled and may again,
for once there was, and yet will be, more joyful days.
But in this middle age time’s dregs
sweep around us, and we beneath a heavy
load of vice. Genius, virtue, glory now
have gone, leaving chance and sloth to rule.
Shameful vision this!
We must awake or die!
Critical of medieval Latin as barbaric
MA seen as a bad interval
First & foremost considered himself a Christian

17. Sonnet to Laura If this should be love, O God, what shakes me?
If Love it is, what strange,
what rich delight!
If Love be kind,
why has it
fangs to bite?
If cruel, why so sweet
the barb
that rakes me?
His sonnets became inspiration for reflective poetry

18. Baldassare Castiglione The Book of the Courtier
The Italian Humanist - non religious
Wrote for cultured elite; well-roundedness

19. Courtier ought to be that of arms; which I would have
…I am of the opinion that the
true profession of the
Courtier ought to be that of
arms; which I would have
him follow above all else
and be known among
others as bold and strong
and loyal to
whomsoever he serves...

20. Niccollo Machiavelli 1469-1527 …some virtues will lead to a prince’s
The Prince c.1515
…some virtues will
lead to a prince’s
destruction and
some vices will allow him
to survive..
Active in Politics: chancery of Florence; policy-shaper; exiled
Hermit-like existence
To prevent chaos: need an all powerful government; any means necessary
Prince was supreme law, not subject to it
Ignored the question of future punishment