Exploring the Renaissance Era

1. Possible Reasons: • Increased trade with Asia and other regions • Growth of large, wealthy city-states in Italy • Renewed interest in the classical learning of ancient Greece and Rome • Rise of rich and powerful merchants, who became patrons of the arts • Increased desire for scientific and technical knowledge • Desire to beautify cities

2. How did Lorenzo de Medici's family values shape the origins of the Renaissance?"

3. RENAISSANCE: • Historical period in Europe from about 1300-1600 where a renewed interest in the classical culture of Greece and Rome led to changes in art, learning, and worldviews.

4. Renaissance (French for rebirth) • This time period is seen as a distinct passing from medieval to modern society. • approximately 1,000 years between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance.

5. Some Ways to Describe It… • A time of creativity and great change • A rebirth from the disorder of the Middle Ages (Black Death, wars, etc…)

6. Bell Work: • 1. What does the term Renaissance mean? • 2. Where did the Renaissance begin? • 3. What was special about the location of many of Italy’s city-states?

7. Bell Work Answers: • Renaissance – Rebirth • Italy 1300s • Access to Mediterranean Sea

8. Why did the Renaissance occur? And why did it start in Italy? • Increased trade with Asia and other regions • Italy – crossroads in Mediterranean Sea • Growth of large, wealthy city-states in Italy • Rest of Europe – still rural • Renewed interest in the classical learning of ancient Greece and Rome

9. Can you name a famous artist from the Renaissance?

10. Leonardo Da Vinci • Series of videos • Guided Notes – 30 Points Formative Assessment Grade • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ud3BcxY4Vs

11. http://www.wikihow.com/Draw-Perspective#Basic_Perspective_Drawing_subhttp://www.wikihow.com/Draw-Perspective#Basic_Perspective_Drawing_sub

12. Why the Renaissance began in Italy (cont)… • Rise of rich and powerful merchants, who became patrons of the arts • Ex: Medici family in Florence • Increased desire for scientific and technical knowledge • Desire to beautify cities • Ancient ruins from the Roman Empire

13. Complete the Handout on Trade – 15 Minutes

15. How did Lorenzo de Medici's family values shape the origins of the Renaissance?"

16. Themes of the Renaissance • Individualism: • Went against Christian humility of the Middle Ages. • Uniqueness, Personality • Confidence in ability to achieve greatness • Genius, development of full potential • Quest for glory

17. Humanism/Classicism • Education centered around the study of the Latin classics. • Studied these classics to understand human nature rather than only to understand God. • Focus on the humanities – grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, etc…

18. Secularism • A basic concern with the material world instead of the spiritual world. “Worldly” • Attention on improving life in the here and now, but did not abandon religion. • More focus on education, business, wealth • More leisure time, art patronage, etc…

19. Important Writers/Literature • Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) • “Father of Humanism” • Poet • Famous for writing sonnets – 14 line poems to Laura

20. Other Humanists… • Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536) • Orphan; joined a monastery • Most famous work: The Praise of Folly (1509) – used humor to expose immoral behavior of clergy • Key Beliefs: • Education is key to moral/intellectual improvement • Christian attitude/study of the Bible

21. Other Humanists… • Thomas More (1478-1535) • Lawyer, writer, counselor to Henry VIII • Most famous work: Utopia (1516) “nowhere” • Ideal, nearly perfect society • Very radical for its time • Beheaded in 1535

23. Writing in the Vernacular • Dante (1265-1321) • From a noble family in Florence • Wrote the Divine Comedy between 1313-1321. • Journey of the soul through afterlife; Inferno, Purgatory, Paradise • Written in the Italian vernacular; helped develop the language.

24. Writing in the Vernacular • Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340-1400) • Wrote The Canterbury Tales in the English vernacular language. • Shakespeare

25. Renaissance Guidebooks • The Book of the Courtier (1528) • Guide to becoming a Renaissance gentleman • The ideal Renaissance man should be: • Educated in many subjects • Know how to sing, dance, play an instrument • Able to compose a sonnet, wrestle, ride expertly, and speak and write eloquently.

26. Renaissance Guidebooks • The Prince (1513) by Niccolo Machiavelli • About political power • How the ruler should gain, maintain, and increase it • “Machiavellian” – use of deceit in politics • “the end justifies the means”

27. Renaissance Architecture • Return from the Gothic style of the Middle Ages to the Classical styles of Early Greece and Rome. • Architecture became simpler, more symmetrical: columns, arches, domes

28. New Techniques • Perspective: The linear representation of distance and space on a flat surface. • How? By making distant objects smaller than those close to the viewer. Gives the illusion of depth.

29. Examples of Perspective

30. Techniques • See PPT from Mr. Ratcliff

31. The Geniuses of Renaissance Art • Leonardo da Vinci • Michelangelo • Raphael • Donatello

32. Leonardo da Vinci • Painter, sculptor, inventor, scientist • Mona Lisa • The Last Supper

33. The Last Supperhttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/leonardo-last-supper.html

34. The Mona Lisahttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/leonardo-mona-lisa.html

35. Michelangelo • Famous works include: • Pieta • statue of David • ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome

36. Pietahttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/michelangelo-pieta.htmlPietahttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/michelangelo-pieta.html

37. Statue of Davidhttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/Michelangelo-David.html

38. Ceiling of the Sistine Chapelhttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/sistine-chapel-ceiling.html

39. A student of Leonardo and Michelangelo Famous painting: The School of Athens Raphael

40. The School of Athenshttp://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/school-of-athens.html

41. Most famous for his sculptures Most famous is his bronze statue of David Donatello