The Italian Renaissance

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The Italian Renaissance
Humanism
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In the Renaissance a new philosophy, HUMANISM,
emphasized
1. INDIVIDUALISM glorifying potential, talents
and accomplishments of individual human beings.
2. CLASSICISM Re-discovery and appreciation of
ancient Greek Roman culture (especially in
Italywhy is that?)
3. SECULARISM emphasis on this world (the here
now) and its material pleasures rather than
the afterlife (hereafter) or spiritual world.
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Why the change in philosophy?

• The medieval outlook of fatalistic Christianity
  reflected the realities of the Middle Ages.

• Manors were isolated no change came from the
  outside. Life was difficult.

• Life on the manor was traditional determined by
  heredity no change came from within.

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• With nothing changing, it was easy to believe
  that change wasnt possible unless God willed it.

• Since the Church taught that God had created the
  world and everything in it, it was logical to
  assume that God wanted you to do whatever it was
  you were doing in life.

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Since the vast majority, the serfs, lived lives
of poverty, extremely hard manual labor and
overall misery
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its not difficult to understand why they were
obsessed with the afterlife
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By the Renaissance (c. 1350-1660), peoples
reality had changed, at least in the towns and
cities

• Wealth increased

• A new middle class developed

• Trade increased new products appeared

• New skills could be learned

• New occupations were created

• Prosperity spread

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An individual could now

• Leave the manor

• Learn an occupation different from his parents

• Improve his status and economic standing

• Acquire nice things and enjoy some of lifes
  pleasures

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By no means did this mean rejecting Christianity
or questioning the basic teachings of the Roman
Catholic Church.
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But it did mean that on the way to the afterlife
the possibilities for individual achievement and
pleasure in the secular world would be explored
and enjoyed in ways inconceivable to the citizens
of the medieval manor.
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In no other place than Italy, and particularly
Florence, was this exploration of the secular
world more explored..
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The Italian Renaissance
Humanism in Art
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Renaissance art clearly depicts the philosophy of
humanism in its emphasis on
INDIVIDUALISM
CLASSICISM
SECULARISM
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Renaissance art also includes new or reborn
artistic techniques
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Symmetry
Botticelli, Venus and Mars c. 1485
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PERSPECTIVE
Piero della Francesca, Ideal City, c. 1470
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GEOMETRY
The triangular organization suggests stability
and order, values held by the ancient Greeks
Romans
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It also suggests the Trinity, a basic aspect of
Christian belief
God the Father
God the Son
God the Holy Spirit
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Chiaroscuro
chiaroscuro(shading)
Creates a sense of realism of individual
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Lets go back to this one
The Madonna of the Carnation, 1478-80
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How does this painting reflect Humanism?
INDIVIDUALISM
SECULARISM
3-D landscape
Mary is a real person, not a medieval zombie
Concern with details
Emphasize the real world setting
Why does she look real?
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But this is still a religious painting
The Church is still a major power art patron
Renaissance Europe is still a very religious
society
But the art is now done in a realistic style by
professionally trained artists, not untrained
monks
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Heres another famous Renaissance painting
Botticellis Birth of Venus, c. 1845
How does this work reflect Humanism?
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What about the subject of the painting?
Shes Venus
Roman goddess of love and beauty
Remember, one of the hallmarks of humanism is
CLASSICISM
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How does this painting reflect Humanism?
Leonardo Lady with an Ermine, 1490
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Portraits what could be a better expression of
INDIVIDUALISM
We did not see portraits in Middle Ages!
Remember, though, that the Romans were big on
portraits
CLASSICISM
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With reminders of their classical past all around
them, Italians engaged in a rebirth of Roman
architecture
Thats the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in
Florence on the right
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Notice the difference in scale of the Dome
compared to a medieval Gothic cathedral
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The Renaissance cathedral is more down to earth,
more human in scale
Appropriate for the Renaissance focus on man
life in the secular world
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As you have seen, Italian Renaissance art clearly
reflects Humanism in its empasis on
1. INDIVIDUALISM glorifying potential, talents
and accomplishments of individual human beings.
2. CLASSICISM Re-discovery and appreciation of
ancient Greek Roman culture
3. SECULARISM emphasis on this world (the here
now) and its material pleasures rather than
the afterlife (hereafter) or spiritual world.
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CIAO!