The Church in the

Renaissance

Dante Alighieri

• 1265-1321• Epic poem The Divine

Comedy• Journey through hell

(Inferno) to Purgatory (Purgatorio) and to Paradise (Paradiso)

Renaissance (Rebirth of Classics)

• Middle Ages focused on spirituality

• Shift to Humanism• Focus on human condition• Rediscovery of ancient

world literature• Term Renaissance coined by

Petrarch

Transformation of Art Styles

Architecture

Virtues

• Virtuous person• Well-rounded• Solid education• Strengthen the soul (ideas

of Ancient Greek thinkers)• “Renaissance man”

Causes?

• Byzantine Empire’s collapse• Environmental change on

the continent• Italy’s political environment• Money• Patrons• Italy was the site of the

heart of Roman Empire• Excavations

Michelangelo

Powerful Families

• Medici• Borgias• Visconti• Sforza