Characteristics of Italian City StatesCharacteristics of Italian City States

Urban CentersUrban Centers– City state prospered City state prospered

while Europe while Europe remained ruralremained rural

– Late 1300’s Late 1300’s Florence , Venice Florence , Venice and Milan had pop. and Milan had pop. Of 100,000Of 100,000

Wealthy merchantsWealthy merchants– No kings – wealthy No kings – wealthy

merchants formed merchants formed oligarchies to rule oligarchies to rule city-statescity-states

– Wealthy families Wealthy families controlled political, controlled political, economical and economical and artistic lifeartistic life

Florence and the MediciFlorence and the Medici

FlorenceFlorence– During 15During 15thth cent. cent.

Florence was the Florence was the epic center of the epic center of the RenaissanceRenaissance

– Success was based Success was based on wealth earne in on wealth earne in textile, merchants textile, merchants and bankingand banking

MediciMedici– Dominated 15Dominated 15thth

cent. Florence cent. Florence – Earned $ as Earned $ as

bankers: Cosimo, bankers: Cosimo, Piero and Lorenzo Piero and Lorenzo the Magnificent.the Magnificent.

– Florence Ren. Florence Ren. Peaked during Peaked during Lorenzo.Lorenzo.

Renaissance SpiritRenaissance Spirit Medieval mindsetMedieval mindset

– God created world to God created world to prepare people for prepare people for salvation – individual salvation – individual was insignificantwas insignificant

– Art and architecture Art and architecture was to glorify God not was to glorify God not selfself

New celebration of New celebration of individualindividual– Wealth was worked for Wealth was worked for

not inheritednot inherited– Artist and writers Artist and writers

wanted to be known – wanted to be known – FameFame

– Portrait panting and Portrait panting and autobiographies autobiographies promote individual – promote individual – “patrons”“patrons”

– Stressed “virtu” using Stressed “virtu” using your talents and your talents and personality to potentialpersonality to potential

Cont.Cont.– Giovanni pico della Giovanni pico della

Miranda celebrated human Miranda celebrated human greatness in “Oration on greatness in “Oration on the Dignity of Man”the Dignity of Man”

Scholarship and the love Scholarship and the love for Classical learningfor Classical learning– HumanistHumanist, Petrarch called , Petrarch called

Medieval pd. The Dark Medieval pd. The Dark Ages.Ages.

– Humanists studied Greek Humanists studied Greek and Roman lit. Studying and Roman lit. Studying the Classics would lead to the Classics would lead to a more practical a more practical understanding of the understanding of the humanhuman

– Liberal arts, the vernacular Liberal arts, the vernacular and preserving Greek and and preserving Greek and Roman manuscriptsRoman manuscripts

– Lorenzo Valla discovered Lorenzo Valla discovered that the Donation of that the Donation of Constantine was a forgeryConstantine was a forgery

Cont.Cont.

New Secular spiritNew Secular spirit– Medieval – spiritual Medieval – spiritual

values and values and salvationsalvation

– Ren. Culture was Ren. Culture was interested in interested in material material possessions, music, possessions, music, food, artfood, art

Education and the ideal CourtierEducation and the ideal Courtier Humanist EducationHumanist Education

– Medieval – to Medieval – to understand God, understand God, Humanist – to Humanist – to understand human understand human naturenature

– Opened schools that Opened schools that taught Rom. Hist., taught Rom. Hist., Greek Phil. And LatinGreek Phil. And Latin

– Would benefit future Would benefit future business, political and business, political and military leadersmilitary leaders

Baldassare Castiglone Baldassare Castiglone 1478-15291478-1529– The individual strove to The individual strove to

be come the “universal be come the “universal man” excelled in many man” excelled in many areasareas

– The Courtier The Courtier he he explained how men and explained how men and women could become women could become accomplished courtiersaccomplished courtiers

– Polite, charming, witty, Polite, charming, witty, able to dance, write able to dance, write poetry, sing, play poetry, sing, play music. Be graceful and music. Be graceful and strongstrong

Castiglione cont.Castiglione cont.

Perfect court ladyPerfect court lady– Well educatedWell educated– CharmingCharming– Should not seek Should not seek

famefame– Expected to inspire Expected to inspire

poetry and art but poetry and art but rarely create it.rarely create it.

Machiavelli and the PrinceMachiavelli and the Prince Turmoil in ItalyTurmoil in Italy

– Golden age ended with Golden age ended with death of Lorenzo TM 1492 death of Lorenzo TM 1492 leaving no strong leaderleaving no strong leader

– 1494 King Charles VIII of 1494 King Charles VIII of France invaded Italy-France invaded Italy-challenge by Ferdinand of challenge by Ferdinand of SpainSpain

– Resulted in the Habsburg-Resulted in the Habsburg-Valois Wars.Valois Wars.

– Involving all Italian city Involving all Italian city statesstates

– Diplomacy and war Diplomacy and war become keys to survivalbecome keys to survival

Niccolo MachiavelliNiccolo Machiavelli– Was a Florentine diplomat, Was a Florentine diplomat,

politician and philosopher. politician and philosopher. The founder of modern The founder of modern political sciencepolitical science

– Is appalled by the Is appalled by the devastation of the war- devastation of the war- Italy is without a head, Italy is without a head, without order, torn in without order, torn in pieces, overrun, and pieces, overrun, and abandoned to destruction. abandoned to destruction. She prays God to send She prays God to send someone to rescue her someone to rescue her from the barbarous from the barbarous crueltiescruelties

– Wrote Wrote The PrinceThe Prince to to advise Italian leaders on advise Italian leaders on the ruthless statecraft the ruthless statecraft needed to unite Italyneeded to unite Italy

Qualities of a Qualities of a successful Princesuccessful Prince– Pessimistic view of Pessimistic view of

human nature.human nature.

– Read selections of Read selections of The PrinceThe Prince and and The The CourtierCourtier. Follow . Follow directions.directions.

Test Tip.Test Tip.– The Prince is an The Prince is an

often asked topic often asked topic on the APEruo on the APEruo exam. You will exam. You will want to be familiar want to be familiar with his cynical with his cynical view of human view of human nature and ruthless nature and ruthless approach to approach to leadership.leadership.

Italian Renaissance ArtItalian Renaissance Art PatronsPatrons

– Artists were Artists were commissioned by the commissioned by the church, guilds and church, guilds and wealthy familieswealthy families

– Art became a symbol of Art became a symbol of power – patrons used power – patrons used art to display their art to display their wealth and fame.wealth and fame.

Characteristics of Ren. Characteristics of Ren. ArtArt– PerspectivePerspective

depthdepth– ChairoscuroChairoscuro

Light and shade illusionLight and shade illusion– Pyramid stylePyramid style

Symmetry and Symmetry and balance-3Dbalance-3D

– Classical forms and Classical forms and Christian subjectsChristian subjects

Tried to revive classical Tried to revive classical art, mixed classical art, mixed classical with Christian subjectswith Christian subjects

Test TipTest Tip

You do not need to memorize a long You do not need to memorize a long list of Renaissance artists and works. list of Renaissance artists and works. Instead, focus on key masterpieces Instead, focus on key masterpieces that illustrate Renaissance ideals and that illustrate Renaissance ideals and the impact of humanism.the impact of humanism.

Key examplesKey examples

Leon Battista Alberti, Leon Battista Alberti, The West Façade of The West Façade of Sant’ AndreaSant’ Andrea– Broke with medieval Broke with medieval

traditions, no statuestraditions, no statues– Roman triumphal Roman triumphal

arch/Corinthian pillarsarch/Corinthian pillars– a break with Christian a break with Christian

churches, combining churches, combining ancient forms with ancient forms with Christian uses.Christian uses.

Michelangelo, DavidMichelangelo, David

The pose resembles The pose resembles statues from Greece statues from Greece and Rome.and Rome.

Like many classical Like many classical statues, David is a statues, David is a nude. Not a serene nude. Not a serene statue, David is ready statue, David is ready to face Goliath, note to face Goliath, note muscles are tense muscles are tense ready for battle.ready for battle.

Raphel, The School of AthensRaphel, The School of Athens

Three dimensional Three dimensional spacespace

Plato and Aristotle Plato and Aristotle dominate the dominate the centercenter

Used Used contemporariescontemporaries– Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci– himselfhimself

Women and the RenaissanceWomen and the Renaissance

The debate about The debate about womenwomen– The Renaissance The Renaissance

coincided with a coincided with a debate about debate about women (women (querelle querelle des femmesdes femmes))

– Humanist scholars Humanist scholars and others debated and others debated women’s character, women’s character, nature and role in nature and role in societysociety

Christine De PizanChristine De Pizan– 1364-14301364-1430– The first femenistThe first femenist– Prolific writer-first Prolific writer-first

woman in European woman in European history to earn a history to earn a living as a writerliving as a writer

– Wrote a history of Wrote a history of famous women to famous women to refute the refute the masculine mythmasculine myth

Women cont.Women cont. Castiglione and the Castiglione and the

perfect womenperfect women– Should be attractiveShould be attractive– Well educatedWell educated– Able to paint, dance Able to paint, dance

and play a musical and play a musical instrumentinstrument

– Was not to participate Was not to participate in political, artistic or in political, artistic or literary affairsliterary affairs

– Should be an attractive Should be an attractive ornament for her ornament for her husbandhusband

Isabella D’Este Isabella D’Este – 1475-15391475-1539– Most famous Most famous

Renaissance womenRenaissance women– From the ruling family From the ruling family

Ferrara married the Ferrara married the ruler of Mantuaruler of Mantua

– An art patron, collected An art patron, collected from the great artistsfrom the great artists

– Becoming an art patron Becoming an art patron was most socially was most socially acceptable for a well acceptable for a well educated Renaissance educated Renaissance womenwomen