Download e-ren-notes[1].

Humanism:
-philosophy that broke from medieval attitudes and ideas of the ‘City of God’ by
focusing on life on earth, physical love, and stressing an active life here and now
-led to artists and writers depicting humans realistically as they are on earth, not in
an idealized form (can show true emotions)
-ideal renaissance individual would be cultured, educated and well versed in the
classical Greek and Roman ideals, and competent in all forms of art
Northern Italy the area of origins for the renaissance:
-urban population of major Italian trade cities required and received higher levels of
education (e.g. Florence, Milan, Venice and Naples)
-following the Black Death the patriciate (wealthy merchants) emerged as a new
nobility
-middle class of merchants and traders developed as the ideal life
-middle class active politically in regulating growth of cities and trade
-new nobility did not have old traditions to follow, therefore patriciates encouraged
new trends in art, literature and philosophy
-became patrons (guardians) for artists, writers and philosophers
-spread of renaissance ideas enabled by the printing press