AP WORLD HISTORYPOD #9 – Medieval Europe

Renaissance

Class Discussion Questions

McKay – “The Evolution of the Italian Renaissance”, pp. 415-421McKay – “Intellectual Hallmarks of the Renaissance”, pp. 421-424

McKay – “Art and the Artist”, pp. 424-428McKay – “Social Change”, pp. 428-440

McKay – “The Renaissance in the North”, pp. 440-443

What were the foundations upon which the Renaissance was established?

• 1050 to 1300 great economic and commercial growth on the European continent

• Emerging political power of self-governing cities• Great population growth• Urban centers are the driving force of 11th

century commercial growth• Trade and cultural diffusion as a result of the

Crusades

Why did the Renaissance begin in southern Europe (Italy)?

• Most scholars agree the Renaissance began in Florence• Florence was an important center of wealth as it came to

control papal banking and tax collection• Florence basked in great wealth from profits on loans,

investments, and money exchanges – this made it a great and prosperous city of vitality

• Many leading banking families (such as the Medici) began to control the politics and culture of cities

• The cities of Genoa, Milan, and Venice developed in similar ways – thus northern Italy became very prosperous and soon began to look for new outlets for its wealth

• This new outlet for wealth took the form of support for the arts and cultural activities

What was the status of the Northern Italian city-states?

• Cities were communes or sworn associations of free men seeking complete political and economic independence from nobles

• Membership in the commune was difficult to attain – only a small number of people were able to join this ruling class

• Cities were ruled by a signori (despotic one man ruler) or by an oligarchy

• These governments attempted to observe the law while in reality manipulating it to conceal their illegal corruption of power

• The five Renaissance Powers – Venice, Milan, Florence, the Papal States, and the Kingdom of Naples

• The major city-states dominated the smaller towns• These city-states were constantly shifting alliances in a

balance of power relationship

What is Renaissance individualism?

• The Renaissance witnessed the emergence of many distinctive personalities who glorified in their uniqueness

• Art stressed personality, uniqueness, genius and the full development of one’s capabilities and talents

• The person’s capabilities should stretch until fully realized

• The quest for glory

What is Renaissance humanism?

• There was a great emphasis put on the study of Latin classics

• The Latin word humanitas was described by Cicero to refer to the literary culture needed by anyone who was to be considered truly educated and civilized

What is Renaissance secularism?

• Concern with the material world instead of the eternal world of spirit

• Tends to find ultimate explanation of everything and the final end of human beings within the limits of what the senses can discover

• Focus on the immediate present• Wealth allowed greater material pleasure and a

leisure time to appreciate and patronize the arts

Miscellaneous Renaissance Notes

• The sculptors, painters and writers of the Renaissance spoke contemptuously of their medieval predecessors and identified themselves with the thinkers and artists of the Greco-Roman Civilization

• Medieval writers looked to the classics to reveal God, while the Renaissance humanists studied the classics to understand human nature

• The Church and Papal court were just as worldly as the great urban patricians – lest we not forget this was the class of their birth

• The Church was one of the largest patrons of the arts• However, the thousands of pious paintings, sculptures,

processions, and pilgrimages of the Renaissance period prove that strong religious feelings still persisted

How did Renaissance art differ from Medieval art?

• Characterized by classical balance, harmony, and restraint

• Represented corporate power – it was commissioned by wealthy patrons as a means to display their wealth, power, and influence in society

• Patrons could be wealthy individuals or groups such as guilds or religious institutions

How did discretionary spending differ from the Medieval era and the Renaissance era?

• Medieval Era – spending was on war and preparation for war

• Renaissance Era – spending was on the household as a way to demonstrate wealth and power to others

• “The culture of Renaissance was that of small mercantile elite, a business patricate with aristocratic pretensions. Renaissance culture did not directly affect the broad middle class, let alone the vast urban proletariat. A small highly educated minority of literary humanists and artists created the culture of and for an exclusive elite. The Renaissance maintained a gulf between the learned minority and the uneducated multitude that has survived for many centuries.”

Who were the major patrons of the art?

• The Church

• Wealthy Merchants

• Rising Bourgeoisie

What was the typical subject matter of Renaissance art?

• Early 15th century art remained overwhelmingly religious in nature

• Later 15th century art became more secular and included a greater amount of classical (Greco-Roman) themes

• Later 15th century while more secular art did not completely eliminate religious topics

• The individual portrait began to emerge as a new distinct artistic genre

• Renaissance portraits began to mirror reality as realism began to dominate

• Renaissance glorification of the human body revealed the secular spirit of the age

What was the social and economic status of the Renaissance artist?

• During the Renaissance the status of the artist improved

• Considered to be a free intellectual worker• They did not produce unsolicited works, but

rather only worked for a patron• Many of the eras artists were able to achieve

great wealth as they were respected, rewarded, and distinguished

• Nearly all Renaissance artists signed their work

What were the ideologies and philosophies of Niccolo Machiavelli?

• The Prince• A discussion of political power – how a ruler should gain,

maintain, and increase it • Humans are selfish and out to advance their own interests• The prince may have to manipulate the people in any way

he finds necessary • “Cunning of the fox with the ferocity of the lion”• It is better to be feared than loved• A ruler should be concerned with the practical way things

are, not the theoretical way things ought to be• Amoral behavior was not advocated but political activity

should not be constrained by moral considerations• “Machiavellian” – the end justifies the means

How did the ideas of the Italian Renaissance diffuse to northern Europe?

• Students from the Low Countries, England, France, and Germany studied in Italy and brought with them the ideals and artistic values of the Renaissance

How did the ideas of the Italian Renaissance differ from those of the northern Renaissance?

• The northern humanists applied their own cultural beliefs to the Renaissance ideals of individualism, humanism, and secularism

• The northern Renaissance was far more religious in nature than in Italy

• There was a movement to combine the best elements of classical and Christian culture

• Stressed the use of reason rather than the acceptance of dogma as the foundation of ethical behavior

What were the ideologies and philosophies of Desiderius Erasmus?

• In Praise of Folly (1509)

• The core of education should be the study of the Bible and the classics

• Christianity is an inner attitude of the heart and spirit, nor formalism, ceremony, or law

• Christianity is the life of Christ, not what theologians have later written about his life

What was the immediate and long-term impact of Johann Gutenberg and the printing press?

• Worked with Johann Fust and Peter Schoffer to create moveable type (taken from Chinese block printing)

• While the effects of the printing press were not felt immediately within a half-century the printed word had revolutionized the world

• The printing press made propaganda possible, allowing the development of widespread political parties and ideologies

How did the political ideologies of the Renaissance state evolve?

• By the 15th century rulers utilized aggressive means to rebuild strong governments after the chaos of the medieval era

• Strong monarchies began to evolve steeped in royal authority and national purpose

• The monarchy became the institution that linked together all classes

• The monarchy suppressed all opposition and rebellion, especially from the nobility

• The middle class began to support these new regimes as they favored a reduction in violence and chaos (and were willing to pay taxes to get it) in order to improve their business environment

• The middle class began to serve as civil servants

What were the ideologies and philosophies of Baldassare Castiglione?

• The Courtier• Sought to teach young men how to become the

perfect gentleman• Proposed a broad background in academic

subjects as well as strong physical and spiritual development

• Stressed a familiarity with dance, music, and the arts

• Laid the foundation for what later generations would refer to as the “Renaissance Man”