Download The Italian Renaissance - Manasquan Public Schools

The Italian Renaissance
 Renaissance
rebirth
Italian Renaissance
rebirth of ancient Greek
and Roman worlds
Characteristics
Secular Urban Society (City-States)
Age or Recovery
New view of human ability and worth
Why Italy?
Center of the old
Roman Empire
Ruins and art
surrounded the
Italians &
reminded them
of their past
Italy’s city-states
became very
wealthy
City-states
competed with
each other
They could pay
painters, sculptors,
architects, &
artists to produce
new works
Florence, Genoa,
Venice, Milan &
Rome
Origins of the Renaissance
 European trade with Asia increased during the
1300’s
Italian merchants organized much of the trade
Trade cities in Italy grew wealthy
The competed to create works that would
increase the prestige of their cities
Venice
Genoa
Milan
Italian City States - Not yet the nation of Italy
Each
Each Italian citystate had its own
wealthy ruler
The Medici family

They were the greatest bankers in Florence – Making
Florence the banking center of Italy
They became Patrons of the Arts
Lorenzo Medici represented the
Renaissance Ideal – some called
Him the Renaissance man
Leonard da Vinci – The true
Renaissance man –painter, artist,
sculptor, humanist, scientist ,
philosopher, architect, engineer and
more
Niccolo Machiavelli – The Prince “The
End Justifies the Mean” – Rule like a lion to keep peace and
stabilize power
Italian Renaissance Humanism
 Stressed man was center of the universe –Man had
dignity and value
 Humanism-intellectual movement based on the classics
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Each individual finds the truth for himself
One can enjoy life and still be good Christians
Encouraged human achievement
Study-grammar, rhetoric, poetry, philosophy & the
Humanities
 Goal-Create complete citizens
 Vernacular Literature – written in common language
 Petrarch – “Father of Humanism” – recovered works of
Greek and Roman writers
Artistic Renaissance in Italy
 Rome center of Renaissance art in the 1500’s
 Masters –Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo,
Raphael
 Fresco – water color on fresh plaster
 Law of Perspective
Leonardo da Vinci
 Study of Human anatomy
Creation of Adam
Michelangelo
Last Judgement
PIETA
Comparison between Renaissance in
Northern Europe and Italy
NORTHERN EUROPE
Did not study the classics as
much
Art emphasized everyday life in
greater detail
Artists supported by royalty and
nobility
Linked with religion although
studies of religion led to
questioning of church practices
ITALY
Heavy emphasis on reading the classics
Art depicted every day life, but not as
detailed
Artists supported by wealthy merchant
class
Not as much emphasis on religious
issues humanism very important
The Printing Press
 Johannes Gutenberg was a
German goldsmith and printer
 Guttenberg 1st to develop
moveable type
 Allowed for mass production of
books
 Guttenberg was the key figure in
spreading the Renaissance
 His invention of moveable type is
considered the most important
invention in history
Impact of the printing press
 Much easier to publish
books
 Increased literacy
 1450-1500-20 million
books printed covering
35,000 topics
 Vernacular Literature
 Written in common
language
 Dante, Chaucer,
Shakespeare
Contributions of the Renaissance

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Invention of the Gutenberg Press
The banking industry
Exploration, colonization of world
Expansion of trade
Humanism, individual is center of universe
Reintroduction of Greek & Roman knowledge and
philosophy
 Gateway to modern art forms
 Expansion of Greek and Roman architecture &
sculpture
 Increased scientific knowledge, and desire to know
more