The Renaissance1450-1527

Humanism: a Movable Feast

Why is the Renaissance considered a “movable feast”?

Beginnings: 1340-1450 -experimentation

Height: 1450-1517 - creation of a new society

Northern Renaissance: 1517-1700 - diffusion of Renaissance ideals throughout

What was “Italy” in the 15-16C?

Many city states and kingdoms

While still mostly rural, the Italian peninsula was the most urbanized place in Europe

Condottieri (military leaders) and diplomats were the regulators of the balance of power

Trade continued throughout the Middle ages

Why Italy?

Continuous trade with the Mediterranean world during the Middle Ages

Legacy of Rome’s glory and civic pride

Commercial classes in city states emerge as a vibrant force, patronize art

Greek scholars flee there after 1453

Continuity and Changein Renaissance Society

Before:

Agriculture and rural society predominate

Family relationships most important

Importance of the church in daily life

Patriarchy

Disparity rich/ poor/small middle class

Short life expectancy

After:

Revival of cities

More consumer goods available to all

More luxury goods available to some

Expectation of a better SOL for future generations emerges

Beginning of the bourgeoisie (=middle class)

Classical humanism in art

Revered both secular and sacred subjects

Used Greek and Roman art as models

Heightened awareness of individualism, beauty, the dignity of man

Required the support of wealthy patrons

Used the human form as a metaphor for the potential and power of the human mind

Renaissance Humanism

Had respect for Classical civilization

Beauty of human mind and body

Civic virtue (virtu) and goodness

Emphasis on the here and now (the present)

Power of individual to improve and excel

Liberal arts education

Intellectual curiosity encouraged

All about being well rounded and balanced

Renaissance Ideals Individualism

Growing secularism

Materialism

Sprezzatura: with ease

Wider horizons

Expectation of a better life in this world for future generations

Humans have powerFrom Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook ^

Renaissance Painting: “Creating Naturalism”

Proportionality

Humanistic subject matter

Meticulous observation of what occurs in nature

Perspective to create 3 dimensional art

Renaissance techniques

Sfumato: allowing tones and colors to shade into one another

Chirascurro: light and shadow

Naturalism

Mathematical perspective

“The Trinity” by Masaccio

Raphael:School of Athens

Draws your eyes to a place in the painting.

Individualism“An Old Man and his Grandson”

By: Domenico Ghirlandaio

Civic humanism

Classics: Alessandro Botticelli’s Birth of Venus (1485)

The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein

‘Sir Thomas More’Painted by Hans Holbein

Christian Humanist of England

ObjectiveStudies of Nature andObjects

“The Hare” by Albrecht

Durer

David by Michelangelo

1501-1504,Florence

Northern Renaissan

ce

Emphasis on Christian

Humanism and piety

Photographic-like naturalism

Nature and bible themes

Humanistic Art, Christian Subject Matter

The value of the individual as represented through portraiture

WHY is this IMPORTANT?!

Ideals still accepted today

Respect for dignity of the individual and liberty

Science replaces faith as source of material knowledge

Expectation of a decent standard of living and growth of middle class

Diplomacy and balance of power deployed

“What a piece of work is man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable…”

-William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Tableau Activity

A group of motionless figures representing a scene from a story or from history (i.e. civic virtue/dignity)

Perspective

Naturalism/Power of individual

Beauty of human mind and body

Liberal arts education

Wealth