Midterm 1 - History of Creativity Flashcards
Creativity is the thinking and doing (innovation) that brings…
Valuable, intentional, novel, and excellent ideas to fruition
It must be more than an idea (you have to have DONE something)
in order for something to be creative, it must be a VINE
V - Valuable
- this must contribue to someone more than you (e.g., society)
- Big C, Little C conept = the big C changes an area of expertise (domain of knowledge)
I - intentional
- You must intentionally be doing something to produce it, not just stumble upon it; however, you can still have some luck
N - novel
- New or unusual in an interesting way
- It may not be totally new; maybe it’s a new way you use something
E - excellent
- FULL EXTENT – to excel, everything must be taken to the full extent and well executed.
Two types of thinking
- Linear
- learning an instrument
- putting potatoes and meat in a crockpot
- Lateral (creative)
- writing a song
- putting new spices in to make it smell great
Creativity in falling and rising societies
As societies rise and become great, they are flexible and creative
Socieities that are disintegrating show uniformity and lack of inventiveness
Throughout this class, how did power transfer as we moved along, starting with the Catholics? (societal changes)
It went from Cathlics (religion) to the Royal Nobility (mode of government) and then to everyone else (social and economic equality)
Explain in three sentences what the Renaissance is
- The Renaissance, meaning rebirth, is a time period in which there was a rebirth of Greek and Roman art, ideas, and way of life
- The Renaissance people, however, did not completely copy Romand and Greek ideas, they took those ideas and added their owns “twists” to them (different feel)
- Well know was the idea of Renaissance Humansism which puts man as God’s highest creation. Because of this, man’s logic and reason was praised instead of silenced (through the church, who taught that if you asked too many questions, you weren’t trusting God)
Time period of REn
1400 - 1550
What 5 things causes the Renaissance?
- Rise of cities
- Fall of Constantinople to Muslims mean that Christian scholars would move to Italy (with all their intelect)
- Education & Literacy more common
- Desire of Italians to recapture Rome
- Competition - who had the best city
How did rise of cities and classical learning lead to the REN?
- Rise of cities meant more rich people who were not noble, and the rise of cities brought new middle class of merchants and shopkeepers. These wealthy merchants (the MED family) were helpful because…
- Their money wasn’t in land–they could spend more easily
- They were rich but still not respected. So many families tried to live like the nobles, building palaces and commissioning talented artists and sculptors things in their homes (merchant fams, along with Catholic church, were patrons for the great REN art)
- they had more free time, which allowed them to study the newly reintroduced classical writings. Because they loved the classics, they allowed art to break out of its mideval forms. They also learned of Roman heritage and wanted to own it
How did the fall of Constantinople cause the REN?
This was the fall of the Byzantine empire (which was the center for trade, military power, Christianity, and the culture of the ancient Roman and Greek past, which was taught in schools). By 1400, all that remained in this empire was the city of Constantinople (Muslims were becoming more powerful). It eventually fell, but in the decades before, many scholars left for other Christian lands, bringing their books with them to Europe.
Many went to Italy because of the good economy, which could pay them well as teachers
How did education/literacy and Competition cause the REN?
- Johannes Gutenberg!!! (1450s). About 50% of the printing businesses (after Gutenberg) were in Italy. This increased a demand for classical textbooks.
- A demand for books also came about because of growth in universities, due in part from a desire of the now-wealthier middle class to education their children
- Travel & Trade were getting bigger, which brought with it the flow of new ideas. Also, people began seeing each others’ cities, and everyone wanted their city to be the richest, most important, and most beautiful (Florence beat everyone else) (competition)
What is this cathedral called? Where is it?
- ilduomo
- Florence
The competition to put RENAISSANCE doors on the Florentile Cathedral was between what two great artists? tell about each one
- Lorenzo Ghiberti
- Nobody = first big commission
- Willing to work with Brunelleschi
- Filippo Brunelleschi
- Already famous
- Not willing to work with Ghiberti
What were the details of the competition to put RENAISSANCE doors on the Florentile Cathedral ?
Brunelleschi was not chosen, left, and told Florence they would regret it. Ghiberti made the baptistry doors. 5 years later he made new doors again, moving is older doors to the north side of the baptistry. The main doors (facing the Cathedral) were the EAST doors. Ghiberti won the competition as well for the second time
Why were the doors on the ilduomo’s baptistry important for REN?
They portrayed geometry, squareness
What did Michaelangelo call Ghiberti’s newer version of art, on the east doors of the ilduomo’s baptisry?
GATES OF PARADISE
What is the history of the Medici family?
- Pre-Renaissance, they were doctors (medicine in last name)
- Then they got into the wool trade
- Near Renassance, became bankers (and eventually the bankers for the pope)
They were not afraid to take risks, jumping into all sorts of different professions! (creativity)
Who was Cosimo de Medici’s grandson?
Lorenzo de Medici (the magnificent). He loved the arts, supporting Michealangelo personally. He wanted his city to be THE BEST!
Why did Brunelleschi eventuall come back to Florence from Rome? What advantages did he bring with him?
There was a new competition for the ilduomo’s dome. He had studied Roman architecture in Rome.
How did Brunelleschi build the dome of the il Duomo? How did he come up with this idea? What type of thinking was he using?
Built a smaller dome inside to hold up the outter dome. Kind of cheating, but nobody cared.
Sketches show that this idea came from his clock-making experiences
This type of thinking could be called lateral thinking, combined with his linear thinking from the Romans
It wasn’t about size, but classical beauty
Brunelleschi and math. How did this even come about?
He figured out the math behind linear perspective in art (vanishing points, etc.)! He had the talent and the math.
The reintroduction of Greek and Roman math books helped him to better understand geometry, and he nailed down what was pleasent to the eye!
It was demonstrated in the baptistry at Florence
The il Duomo was the model for which domes?
- St. Peters (Rome)
- St. Pauls (London)
- US Capitol
Who was the Medici’s rival family?
Pazzi Family
Who struck a deal to remove the Medici family from Florence? What was the deal?
The Pope and the Pazzi family. The pope would forgive the Pazzi family for whatever they had to do
Explain the Pope and Pazzi’s plan and what happened
- On easter Sunday, in the Florence Cathedral, Lorenzo and his family were sitting there.
- The priest pulls out a knife instead the bread and trys to kill them. Lorenzo survives the attackts and gets away
- Lorenzo tells everyone that it was the Pazzi family.
- The Pope, also, gets found out
How did the Medici family lose power?
- Lorezo died, and his son took over for a little bit
- Savanarola preached against the Medici family, and the people supported Savanarola – the Medici family was exiled from Florence
Savanarola became new leader of Florence (he lived during Lorenzo’s son’s time)
Describle Savanarola’s dictatorship
- He HATED the Renaissance, and tried to get rid of humansim
- Religious dictatorship
- He had gangs that gathered pagan art, books, etc. and burned them
- Soon became fanatical
- no jewelry
- burning all sorts of things
How did Savanarola “do himself in?”
He accused the pope of corruption, and the pope excommunicated him. The people didn’t like him much either; he was too strick.
With the excommunication, the people now had an excuse to get rid of him. They bured him at the stake
Some say that this burning saved the Renaissance
Did the Medici family come back after Savanarola? Who rose to power?
No, Florence formed a republic,
and Machiavelli rose to power
Machiavelli’s background
He worked for the Medici family and for Savanarola; however, he got out of that mess before they executed Savanarola.
He was not an elected official. He was a behind-the-scenes power broker, selling information that he would hear. For example, he knew who everyone was voting for and, therefore, knew who needed to be swayed.
When the Medici family comes back, what do they do with Machiavelli? What did he do after he was exiled?
He is exiled from Florence.
He wrote a book on how to be a good price (ruler). he did this to try to gain favor with the MED family in order to get back into the city, but then, when the republic came back (and drove the MED family out, MACH was also hated by the republic for appearing to side with the MED; thus, he was hated by both sides (the MED and the republic)
What was Machiavello’s book called? Whom was it written for?
- “The Prince”
- Written for the Medici family on how to be a “good” ruler
- First modern political science
What was the main idea of Machiavelli’s book? Why did he think this was good ruling?
“all decisions and considerations–moral, ethical, and religious–are secondary to the goal of stable government
- you can violate christian values when that needs to be done to maintain stability
- “he holds to what is right when he can but knows how to do wrong when he must”
He wanted to rule like the Romans—without ethics
Machiavelli was the first ________
Realist, NOT idealist—he told you, in a real sense, what it took to stay in power
According the Machiavelli, what was the role of government?
- Maintain atmosphere of safety
- Protect rights
- Punish criminals
- Provide basic services
IN OTHER WORDS…. stabailize! (the worst conditions of a government is chaos)
What were Machiavelli’s suggestions for the Price and his duties?
- •Maintain stability
- •Manage change
- •Use virtue as required
- •Be liberal or stingy as required for the moment
- •Be loved and feared, but favor being feared
- •Realize that the end will justify the means
What does it mean for the Prince to “maintain stability?” Why do we need it?
Primary role of the leader is to stabalize!
How should a prince manage change?
Chaos comes from change
For example: a dynastic change, when a king doesn’t have a son; that’s recipie for chaos. Revolution and war often happend when there was no clear ruler
•Therefore: To maintain stability and to minimize change, the prince has a duty to remain in power
How can the Prince prepare to be non-virtuous (criminals)
The prince must learn to do things that normal citizens cannot do. Why? They must sometimes act this way to enforce behavior
Therefore, a prince (the government)
must occasionally act to enforce behavior
that citizens could not do, that is,
be non-virtuous (if done as a citizen).
Therefore if a prince wants to maintain his rule he must learn how not to be virtuous, and to make use of this or not according to need.
How is a Prince to be liberal OR stingy as requires for the moment, while favoring to keep wealth?
Don’t be generous!
Example–Tuition: our teacher to pay full tuition for a few of the students. The next semester these students will have to pay tutition again and be upset that you didn’t pay it. Also, others will be jealous
How can a Prince use proper fear?
Be loved and feared, but favor being feared
“because to be feared and not to be hated can well be combined”
Example: teacher kills husband in couple. It’s hard to be loved, but we should try not to be hated – so escape hatred by letting her sons inheret the land they have, etc. The mother may never love the prince, but she may not hate him either
Why must princes understand that the end will justify the means?
“Wherefore if a Prince succeeds in establishing and maintaining his authority, the means will always be judged honorable and be approved by every one”
•To prevent overthrow and chaos, can the government take extraordinary actions?
- Abraham Lincoln put people in jail w/o trial to suspend habeus corpus
If the prince stays in power and provides order, VERY FEW of people will care how he does it. You will turn a blind eye, if your life is stable (govt looking at everyone’s FB – I have never been confronted, so I’m ok)
How did Machiavelli give up the idea of morals?
Sometimes you don’t do what is morally right, if doing so was good for the continuity of the power of the prince (state) because the continued power of the state led to stability for the people.
Machiavelli was the first to openly advocate ______
a realpolitik view, rather than an idealistic political philosophy. First realistic look at politics how they really are, not how they should be
What is Machiavelli’s plan similar to Satan’s plan?
- Is the end a good ending? Or is it just stable?
- What checks are there on the man in power?
- Moral relativism – you can do bad things, if it helps keep things stable
- We are essentially trading individual freedom (agency) for security/stability
Early REN Art Characteristics
- Early REN
- Realism – attempt to show the world as it is. The baby Jesus is painted to be a baby. Mary is the same size as all other non-holy pepole
- Emotion – on faces and in body language (uncommon in middle ages)
- Perspective – linear perspective
- Classical / Page themes (non-Christian themed art, more focused on Greeks and Roman style) (and nudity)
- Developed by Leonardo Da Vincci (later REN)
- Triangular arrangement of figures (where you eye will naturally be drawn to), what you want to focus on
- Light and shadowing (chiarsocuro) - try to reflect accurate usage of light, showing shadows (not everything is equally lit)
- Softening of edges (sfumato) – smokey or haziness (make distant things look hazy and skin tone, to give it a sense of depth)
- Backgrounds - actually put things in the backgrounds (buildings, mountains, trees, archways, greek-looking temples, etc.)
- Artists able to live from commissions (can’t see in the painting) -
- (these artists made a living doing art. In the middle ages, this was a side thing–they were usually monks)
What two famous piece did Alessandro Botticelli do?
Birth of Venus
(very similar to old Venus, attesting to the strong classical influence typically shown in his works
Primavera
GREEK fertility ceremony (want to get pregnant)
Dancing in trees in spring (with new life) hoping they’ll get Prego
very disturbing to Savanarola
Who are the 4 Ninja Turtles?
- Donatello
- Leonardo
- Michaelangelo
- Raphael
What three pieces did Donatella do, that we talked about in class?
- Saint George
- David – very feminine / first nude
- Mary Magdalene
- Sinful woman – caught her in moment of repentance (physical exterior shows interior — ahead of its time)
Realistic art and attempt to involve the viewer = characteristics of REN art
first important ren sculptures
Who was known as the Renaissance man? Why?
Leonardo da Vinci – he was the bridge between early and high ren
Education in Da Vinci’s time
he had a broad-based education in many areas (it was much less compartmentalized). In their world, there weren’t many distinctions between disciplines.
He wanted to understand anatomy so that he could better paint the body
If you asked him what he did for a living, he probably would have said that he was an inventor, etc. (he did things besides art, and we know that because of notebooks)
What do we know about Da Vinci’s notebooks?
- Whenever he had an idea, he’s right it down or sketch it out (many things weren’t built by him, but others have tried to build it)
Why did Da Vinci write his notebooks in Mirror writing (from right to left) – even the letters
Not sure. What it
- code?
- left handed?
- rare eye disorder?
According to Da Vinci, what is the highest form of art?
Painting
What types of things did he have in his notebook?
Sketches of…
- bikes
- helicopters
- armored tanks
- multiple fire weapons, etc.
most creative man ever!
How would Leonardo learn about anatomy? Why?
He would steal dead bodies from the cemetery (this was illegal and against the church’s teachings). He only dug up criminals. Some evidence that city of Florence knew this was happening.
This was done, largely, to support his art
How did Da Vinci describe the human face?
He used over 800 words to describe the mathematical ratio to the perfect face (this is very GREEK!)
Who painted Madonna on the Rocks? Where was it painted?
Da Vinci - Florence
Why was Modonna on the Rocks important in Da Vinci’s works?
It was the first time in which he introduced many of the REN art characteristics, including making a commission:
This was commissioned by a local group of monks (they paid in advance). When he was 90% complete with it, another man came in his studio and saw it, and he wanted to buy it (he was willing to pay double). Then DV agreed, and before he gave it to the monks, he made a copy for the other guy (two original copies with minor differences
Who was the first artist who painted of his own volition? (didn’t need a sponsor)
Da Vinci
Where did Leonardo paint the LAST SUPPER
In Milan
Mona Lisa was back in Florence (2nd trip)
What is the famous bombing story of the last supper?
This painting has been through a lot – the building was bombed and this was one of the only walls that was preserved (WWII)
This also looked similar to the priest’s eating room – felt like they were eating with Christ
Da Vinci invented a new fresco method for which painting? Did it work?
New Fresco method = plaster on the wall. DV invented his own technique with a new kind of plaster. he tested it out with this painting – it peeled off the wall before he even died
Poor quality is due to a new fresco method = he figured it out while painting, but it was too late to start over
What is unique about the Mona Lisa in REN art?
It is one of the few painting that incorporates ALL the traints of Renaissance art (other than nudity)
- emotion (smile) – She wouldn’t smile, so he hired a jester to come make her laugh – he finally captured her smile (wife of a local official)
- Sfumato - on skin and background (good use of this! meaning Smokey)
- Chiaroscuro (light coming from upper left) - good lighting as well!
- Realism (real woman)
- Pagan things (it’s not Christian or a bible scene)
- (very thin eyebrows)
Give a brief background about Michelangelo
- Son of a stonecutter
- Lived in the Medici home as a young man – he was sponsored by them
- He suppored Savanarola, but b/c of his crazy reign, he left to Rome
Did Michaelangelo think of himself as an artist or a sculptor?
Sculptor (unlike Da Vinci). Michaelangelo thought this was the HIGHEST form of art
Describes Michaelangelo’s creativity in connection with The David?
He envisioned works in his mind…
“In every block of marble I see a statue as plain
as though it stood before me,
shaped and perfect in attitude and action.
I have only to hew away the rough walls that
imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the
other eyes as mine see it.”
What is a Pieta
is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, ususally a sculpture
Who commissioned MICH to make the Pieta?
A Catholic Cardinal
Name some amazing things about the Pieta (MICH)
- CHrist’s body looked so soft (even though it was made out of rock!)
- Mary’s face of both pain and understanding
- Flowing Robes
What is unique about the Pieta sulpture, from all of Michaelangelo’s other sculptures? Where is it unique?
- Only signed piece by MICH
- Signed on Mary’s strap
Only signed piece of art by MICH – the cardinals walking by gave credit to Bermante (so he snuck back into the church and signed it on Mary’s strap)
The David was originally designed to be placed where? WHy is this significant?
outside of a Cathedral. This is why it is so big (13’ tall). The academy museaum was built around it, cause it’s so big
Interesting facts about The David
- 3 months complete
- Constant shower of wanter to keep dust down and keep him cool
- It represented the struggles with his family
*
What makes the David great
- Tension in his neck
- Veins in his hands
- THE EYES! – you feel like there is a soul in them
Michaelangelo and Leonardo were both commissioned to paint two walls of which place in Florence
The town hall (
MICH and Leonardo were both commissioned to paint what type of scenes?
Florentine battles
- Leonardo - violence (heroic)
- Michaelangelo - expressed panic
Why did MICH and Leonardo never finish their projects together?
- Da Vinci cracked and decided not to fnish — went to Milan (don’t know which he did first)
- Mich then took over, but a few weeks later he left as well
The moses was made by whom and commissioned by whom?
Michaelangelo
Commissioned by Pope Julius II (one of 16 that was supposedly commissioned by him)
Interesting facts about the Moses
- So real that he tapped it with his hammer and told him to speak
- Other things:
- top half = white
- bottom half = brown (for centuries, it was good luck to kiss the feet of moses)
*
What was the main problem with The Moses statue?
His horns!
ancient hebrew had no written vowels. When translated, when he came down the mountain he had KRN (light, or without vowel, horns) - different vowels, so the translators had to made choices (and this was wrong)
- Karnaim = horns
- Koren = light
How was the Moses related to the Sistine Chapel
MICh had been commissioned for the moses, but hadn’t been paid all the way. He talked with the pope, and he said he’d get paid after he did the sistine chapel
He didn’t want to be stuck in ROME, but he also didn’t want to leave b/c he wouldn’t get paid, if he did
What does the sistine chapel depict?
Scenes from the bible, the most famous of which was in the middle — God touching Adam
Why did painting the sistine chapel ruin MICH’s eyesight?
It was a fresco, and the paint was dripping off the ceiling into his eyes
DId MICH paint the WHOLE sistine chapel?
No, everything below the crown molding is is NOT him
He finished the sistine chapel and then the pope wanted him to do what else?q
the back wall of the chapel — the last judgment
WHo did MICh paint in hell on the last judgment?
There was a cardinal who (like Savanarolla) didn’t like the REN and the nudity, so he kept publicly attacking MICh about it. This cardinal is painted in hell in the pic
Who’s skin is being held in the last judgment?
MICH’s
T or F: MICH was an architect for St. Peters (Rome)
True
How much younger was Rafael than MICH? Who did Rafael study as a child?
18 years
He studied both MICH and Da Vinci
Rafael is to MICH, what MICH was to ______
Leonardo
When MICH was painting the sistine, what was Raphael painting?
The pope’s living room, around the corner
Differences in characters between MICh and Raphel
Raphael:
- was outgoing and arrogant and not very religious
- well-mannered
- popular
- almost always used assistants
MICH:
- reclusive
- worked alone
MICH said RAphael looked more like a _____, and Raph said MICH looked more like a ______
Prince
Executioner
What was the wall that Raphael was working on while MICH was painting the Sistine Chapel?
School of Athens
in the school of athens, the main people depicted are all people from which era? What did this mean for the Catholic church?
The pre-christian era. – The non-christian theme shows the extend to which the classical influence permeated even the Catholic church, the most conservative institution of the REN
In the school of Athens, who did Raphael draw and who did he depict them as? Whom did Raphael paint himself as?
- Da Vinci as Plato
- Bramante (architect of st. peters) as Euclid
- MICH as Heraclitus
RAPH also painted himself in the painting, but not as a great thinker of the past
Besides the school of athens, what did Raphael love to draw?
Madonnas — He often carried a sketch pad so that if he saw a woman or child on the street who conveyed maternal love and beauty, he could capture it
What type of texture did the middles ages, early REN, and late REN have in music?
- Monophonic - one melody; everyone sung in unison (church wanted to keep it simple so all could hear and understand mass)
- Polyphonic - two parts singing together (church thought it was devil music at first)
- Homophonic - a melody with accompanying harmony chords or melodies
What always dominated REN music? Words or instruments?
Words (the music is secondary and very basic)
Who Giovanni Palestrina?
He was one of the main musicians of the REN
