The Italian Renaissance

1. The Italian Renaissance Renaissance – def – French word meaning “rebirth” A rebirth of what? GRECO-ROMAN PERIOD RESUME GR./ROMAN CIVILIZATION DARK AGES

2. RENAISSANCE IN ITALY * Almost purely secular * Italian cities were the largest and busiest in Europe *Florence - chief city of Renaissance, home of the powerful Medici family

3. Why Italy? 1.Merchant Oligarchies – no kings to interfere w/ business 2. Great Schism – The Church was preoccupied 3. Wealth – trade generated a wealthy patron class that funded art, literature, and technical innovation Patron – def – a person who lends financial support to a person, organization, cause, or activity

4. Italian Renaissance – a secular focus Art/Lit of the Middle Ages – focused on Religion Greco-Roman period included pre-Christian topics that were embraced by Renaissance scholars

5. Renaissance artists focused on individuality Humanity was presented as beautiful and worthy of contemplation – contrasted w/ Middle Ages focus on faith and the afterlife

6. VIRTU – Def. – The well-rounded ideal of the “Renaissance Man”– well schooled in the classics, court etiquette, politics, and swordsmanship

7. Baldassare Castiglione – wrote The Book of the Courtier – defined the Renaissance Man Cas Lorenzo Valla– a founder of literary criticism – proved the “Donation of Constantine” to be a forgery

8. BELLINI’S CONDOTTIERE A RENAISSANCE MAN

9. HUMANISM • Literature no longer created solely for religious or mechanical teaching – poetry & prose were art in and of • themselves - Art & Literature focused on the human condition, human potential - Art and Literature revisited Greco-Roman themes - Combined Christian Piety w/ an appreciation of the pagan past

10. POLITICS IN THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE - Italy failed to develop effective political institutions - Politics were provincial, self-centered, ruthless, lacked national interest • Most of Italy was eventually conquered by larger • neighboring powers

11. MACHIAVELLI - Admired political unity of France and England - Feared Italy would suffer for its lack of unification

12. Machiavelli’s THE PRINCE - 1513 - Most well-known work of the Renaissance - Freed politics from religion and moral philosophy - Showed that successful politicians were often immoral & opportunistic - Viewed as a work of evil by some for “promotion” of immoral politics