Renaissance
Transitional period from medieval to modern times
Humanism
The study of Latin and Greek classics and of the Church Fathers both for their own sake and to promote a rebirth of ancient norms and values.
-Petrarch was the “father of humanism”
Studia Humanitas
- A liberal arts program of embracing grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, politics, and moral philosophy
- Celebrated dignity of humankind and prepared people for life of virtuous action
Virtu
The ability to act decisively and heroically for the good of one’s country
Civic Humanism
Education should promote individual virtue and public service
Petrarch
- The “father of humanism”
- Left legal profession to pursue letters and poetry
- Celebrated ancient Rome by writing letters to dead Romans
Baldassare Castiglione
Said the rediscovered knowledge of the past was a model and a challenge to the present
Leonardo Bruni
First to give the name humanity to the learning that resulted from scholarly pursuits
Lorenzo Valla
- In his Elegances of the Latin Language, he reveals the explosive character of the new learning
- Said Donation by Constantine, which gave land to the church, was a fake because it used words that were not used in Constantine’s times
Florentine Platonic Academy
- Revival of Greek studies in Florence
- After fall of Constantinople to Turks, many Greek scholars fled to Florence
- Evolved under Cosimo de Medici, Marsilio Ficino, and Pico Della Mirandola
Pico Della Mirandola
- One of the supervisors of the Florentine Acadamy
- Influenced by Plato
- Wrote Oration as an introduction to 900 theses intended to serve as a basis for a public debate on all of the important topics in life
Vernacular
The language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region
Dante Alighieri
- Near-contemporary of Petrarch
- Was cornerstone of Italian vernacular literature
Giovanni Boccaccio
- Pioneer of humanist studies
- Assembled an encyclopedia of Greek and Roman mythology
Johann Gutenberg
Invented printing press with movable type
Desiderius Erasmus
- Most famous humanist
- Gained fame as an educated and religious reformer through printed works
- Colloquia were short printed works that taught how to speak and live well
- Adages were ancient and contemporary proverbs he collected
- Wanted to unite classical ideas of humanity and civic virtue with Christian ideals of love and respect for God
- Expected more from people than what all of the ages theologians believed they could be
Sir Thomas More
- Best known English humanist
- Executed for not recognizing Henry VIII’s marriage to Anne Boleyn
Themes and Techniques of Renaissance Art
- Use of shading to enhance naturalness (chiaroscuro)
- Adjustment of size of figures to create linear perspective
Giotto
- Father of Renaissance painting
- Painted a more natural world
Brunelleschi
- Italian designer
- Considered first modern engineer
Donatello
- Sculptor
- Portrayed world around himself literally and naturally
Botticelli
- Painter of Early Renaissance
- Went to Florentine school under Lorenzo de Medici
- Known for Birth of Aphrodite
Christine de Pisan
- Expert in classical, French, and Italian literature
- Wrote poetry to support herself
Leonardo da Vinci
- Advised princes and French King Francis I on engineering
- Advocated for scientific experiment, self-taught botanist
- Greatest skill was conveying inner moods through facial expressions
