Unit 7: Renaissance Flashcards
Renaissance is French for “rebirth.” It was used for the first time by the Italians in r the 1500’s. What did they believe?
That the civilizations of Greece and Rome had been reborn in Italy after the Middle Ages.
What did many historians consider the Renaissance to be?
A time of transition eighteen Medieval Era and Modern Times.
Who was Venice founded by?
People who were running from the Attila the Hun.
Venice was a trade city. What did it have at its peak?
36,000 sailors on 3300 ships.
In Venice, they established the Golden Book, what did this hold?
The names of the most powerful families in Venice.
What could only the people in the Golden book be a part of?
Only these people could be on the Great Council - the group that made all the important decisions.
Money poured into Venice from trade, but also because they were able to charge tolls to travelers coming through the Alps to trade. What did merchants do because of this?
Merchants competed with one another to see who could build the nicest parlance or sponsor the best artist.
Florence (City of Flowers) was different than Venice because it was not nearly as peaceful. What was the struggle that was going on?
A struggle between the Pope and the empire. The Geulfs supported the Pope and the Ghibellines supported the empire. These groups fought frequently.
What other fights were common in Florence?
Fighting between the elites and the common people. Street fighting became a frequent occurrence.
What was one of the main industries that Florence established>
Raising sheep and “harvesting” the wool.
What went on between between wool merchants?
They struggled with one another for power, but also helped improve the city.
What did the merchants believe?
They believed that people who did well financially, out to build churches where God could be honored. They began to hire the most talented artists and artisans and constantly pushed them to produce the absolute best.
In the 4 classes of Florence, Who were the Nobles?
They owned the most of the land and lived in big castles. They lived by chivalry and hated the newly wealthy merchants.
In the 4 Classes of Florence, who were the wealthy merchants?
They worked to control the government and supported the arts. They were called “fat people.”
In the 4 Classes of Florence, Who were the middle class?
They were made up of shopkeepers and other professions. These were known as “little people.”
In the 4 Classes of Florence, who were the wool workers?
They were made up of almost 30,000 poor laborers who worked in wool. They worked long hours for little money.
Where was the city state Milan located?
In the middle of the northern portion of Italy.
What was Milan known known for despite of it sitting in an important trade location?
Milan was known more for its military than its economy.
What type of government did Milan have? Who would lead Milan
There was a large need for a strong leader to balance these two elements, so this city-state had a monarchy instead of a republican form of government.
Instead of the leader being a king, though, dukes rules over Milan.
What family lead Milan from 1317-1447? What did Milan try to do when their rule ended? How did this go?
The Visconti family were the leaders of Milan from 1317 - 1447. When their rule finally came to an end, Milan tried to go to a republic. This failed miserably.
Who was Francesco Sforza?
Following the failed republican experiment, Francesco Sforza, a mercenary who’d been hired to defend Milan by the Visconti, grabbed control of the government.
Who were the other two groups that struggled for control of Milan?
The Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples.
What would happen in Milan if one of the 5 groups was getting too much power? What was this known as?
The other four would join
forces to bring the other one down to their level. This was known as establishing a “Balance of Power.”
What happened to Italy because of these constant fights between these 5 groups?
These powers left Italy vulnerable and open to multiple invasions.
What did Renaissance men believe in?
As men followed Petrarch’s teaching on Humanism, they continued to believe in studying classic literatures, but also believed in an active life. They believed that one had to excel in as many fields as possible.
Renaissance men were considered well rounded. What qualities did they have?
Intelligence, honor, skills in sports, etc.
What how did Renaissance have to exhibit these traits (intelligent, honorable, skilled in sport, etc)?
With little to no effort, at least on the surface.
Paining: To maintain the themes of Humanism that had been handed down, most art showed life like humans in modern clothing. How did art of the Middle Ages show off people?
As flat and stiff.
How did renaissance art differ from Medieval art?
Renaissance art depicted people in 3-D, thanks to shading and perspective.
How did Medieval artists differ from Renaissance artists?
While Medieval artists usually belonged to guilds and were mostly anonymous, Renaissance artists were enrolled in schools and wanted the popularity that came from their art.
When a piece of art was commissioned, the master teacher would do the major elements. What would the students do? What could the teachers do because of this?
Then the students would tell in and do most of the work. By doing this, the teacher could teach his students the finer points of art before they stepped out on their own.
Leonardo da Vinci had been invited to Milan after one of his pieces of art was shown. What did he paint while in Milan?
One of his most famous works, The Last Supper.
After not receiving a commission from the Pope, Leonardo worked in France for the latter part of his life. What did he study in France?
Science and the Human Body.
What were Leonardo da Vinci’s journals filled with?
Sketches and ideas that were way ahead of his time. He drew pictures of flying machines, submarines, and other advanced ideas.
Compared to many of his age, what was different about Michelangelo?
He never drifted from his Christian faith.
What was Michelangelo commissioned to paint? How long did this take?
The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. This took 3 years. He spent most of this time on the scaffolding.
What in Michelangelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel was not received well by all?
He painted his enemies in hell. Although ti wasn’t received well by all, many still respect the work/skill that it took to make.
Where was Raphael brought at the age of 25?
He was brought to Rome to paint the Pope’s personal library.
What was Raphael asked to paint in the Pope’s personal library?
4 pictures showing the most important fields of study: philosophy, theology, the arts, and the law.
What came out of Raphael painting the 4 most important fields of study (philosophy, theology, the arts, and the law) in the Pope’s personal library?
One of his more famous paintings. Known as the School of Athens.
