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EARLY RENAISSANCE
I.
What was the Renaissance?
A. A period following the Middle Ages when classical Greek and
Roman values were strongly adopted (1350-1550) in Italy and
extending to1620 in Northern Europe
1. Renaissance means "rebirth" and it refers to the rebirth of
classical Greece and Rome
2. Some classical ideas were present through the Middle Ages
a. Augustine incorporated Platonic concepts into
Christianity
b. Thomas Aquinas incorporated Aristotlean ideas into
Christianity
c.
Dante revered Vergil and Cato (Roman values)
3. During the Middle Ages, only a few people were aware of
classical ideas whereas during the Renaissance, the
population at large was aware of them
a. Many lesser classical authors and lesser works of
major authors were rediscovered (often through the
assistance of the Moslems and Byzantine scholars)
b. An effort was made to recapture the arts as they were
perceived to have existed in classical Greece and
Rome
4. Renaissance began in Italy and gradually moved northward
in Europe
B. Classical ideas (philosophies, values, art)
1. Middle Ages uses of classical ideas
a. Find God
b. Prove pre-conceived ideas
2. Renaissance uses of classical ideas
a. Find man (within Christian teachings)
b. Promote learning in general
C.
Humanism
1. Individualism became a major pursuit and way of thinking in
the Renaissance
a. Concern with individual personality, uniqueness,
fulfilment, talents
b. Recognition that humans can be highly creative (as in
art) and not just vehicles for God to use to
demonstrate his genius
c.
Appreciation for the arts as a product of mankind and
not just as a symbol for something religious
2.
II.
A basic culture (education) needed of all human beings (a
concept developed by Cicero)
a. A program of studies was developed to replace the
medieval emphasis on logic, rhetoric, and
mathematics (trivium, quadrivium)
b. The new courses were language, literature (especially
ancient), history, and ethics
c.
This is the basis of modern General Education
3. Life could be beautiful and enjoyable on Earth (not just in the
next life)
4. Increase in realism rather than symbolism in art and life
D.
Secularism (within a Renaissance context)
1. Secularism as we see it in the world today was not known
2. People still very religious, at least outwardly
3. Strong concern about non-religious activities (business,
nation, leisure)
E. Regionalism
1. Each region began to be aware of its history
2. People started to associate their city or region with certain
values
What were the causes of the Renaissance?
A. Lessening of feudalism
1. Some early Renaissance writers (such as Petrarch) wrote
about classical times and people
2. Church disrespected
3. Nobility in chaos (changing roles for barons and knights)
4. Growth of the middle class, especially in Italian cities
a. Merchants, bankers, and artisans had wealth
b. Wealth led to political power among the middle class
c.
Non-noble families felt that they could achieve the
priviledges and respect of nobility by being sponsors
of the arts (Medici, Sforza, Borghese, Borgia,
Fuggers)
B. Education
1. Rise of universities
2. Writing in common languages
3. Wealth led to leisure and that led to an increase in education
C.
Trade
1. Provided the money to promote art
2. Increased awareness of other cultures and brought in new
ideas
3. Allowed the purchase of ancient works of art and
manuscripts
D.
Fall of Constantinople (1453)
1. Movement to Italian city-states of Greek-speaking
(Byzantine) scholars who had preserved classical knowledge
III.
had lived in the Byzantine empire (chiefly in the city of
Constantinople since the other centers of learning, such as
Alexandria and Pergamon, were in Moslem hands)
2. For about 100 years the Byzantine scholars were worried
about their security and they had begun to leave
Constantinople and look for employment outside Byzantium
(in Christian countries)
3. The places where the money and jobs were located were in
Italy
a. The newly rich families were looking for scholars to
teach their children and thus gain credibility
b. The Italians knew about the scholars through trade
with Constantinople
4. The presence of the scholars in Italian courts led to a
reawakening of interest among the nobility in classical
(especially Greek) works
E. Nostalgia among the Italians to recapture the glory of the Roman
empire
1. Strong connection with the classical past through early
Renaissance writers
2. Strong desire to develop an Italian culture independent of
scholasticism (which was viewed as being largely French)
a. This was enhanced by the Italian-French rivalry over
the papacy (in Avignon)
b. Further exacerbated by the great schism
The Italian background
A. Major centers in Italy
1. Venice -- a republic ruled by the 200 (oligarchy) with strong
Byzantine origins and culture
2. Milan -- ruled by the Sforza and Visconti families
3. Florence -- ruled by the Medici family
4. Papal States -- ruled by the Pope (supported by the
Borghese family)
5. Kingdom of Naples -- ruled by the king of Aragon (Spain)
B. Balance of power
1. The cities maintained balance by contracting treaties
between themselves and with other countries (such as
France and Germany)
a. Permanent embassies established abroad and in
each other's cities
b. Ambassadors worried about politics and commerce
2. The cities were unable to unite to form a united entity
3. Eventually (at the end of the Renaissance) the Italian citystates lost power and came under the control of France,
Germany, and Spain
C.
Nobles in Italy
1.
D.
Lived in the cities rather than in country castles as in
northern Europe
a. Italian nobles lived off commerce, thus legitimizing
commerce as a profession
b. Commerce in northern Europe was depreciated and
so nobles in northern Europe lived off their land
(rents, sale of farm goods, etc.)
2. Newly rich Middle Class in Italy acted like nobles and took
political control
Florence
1. Medicis were originally a family of physicians
2. Made their money in banking
a. Got control of the papal money (as investors for the
pope)
b. Became the papal tax collectors
3. Financed the tremendously successful wool trade between
Florence and Flanders
4. Became the defacto rulers of Florence
a. Never actually had any official office but controlled the
city
b. It was said that the Palazzo Vecchio (town hall) had
the government but the Medici palace had the power
5. Cosimo de Medici (r. 1434-1464)
a. Spent vast sums on the collecting and copying of
ancient manuscripts
b. Financed a chair of Greek studies at the Stadium of
Florence
c.
Established an academy in Florence for the study of
Plato
d. Convinced several leading Greek scholars (from
Constantinople) to move to Florence
e. Wrote his own compendium of Platonism
f. Lavished money on art for the city of Florence
1. Some was to atone for his sins, chiefly that of
usury
2. Some was motivated by his desire to be better
than the rival Florentine families
3. Strongly supported Donatello, for example
6. Piero de Medici (r. 1464-1469)
a. Son of Cosimo
b. Was the power in the city for only 5 years
c.
Continued his father's artistic support
i.
Began the support for Botticelli
ii.
The Adoration of the Magi shows three
generations of Medici as the Magi
7. Lorenzo de Medici (Lorenzo the Magnificent) (r. 1469-1492)
a.
b.
c.
d.
E.
Son of Piero
Continued the support of artists
Was an accomplished poet himself
Became a sponsor and personal friend of
Michelangelo (who lived in Lorenzo's home)
e. Rebuilt the University of Pisa which became the chief
university of Tuscany (Galileo taught there in the next
century)
f. Continued to invite scholars in Greek to work in
Florence
g.
Made Florence the dominant commercial and military
power in Europe
h. One of Lorenzo's sons became Pope Leo X and he
also supported the arts
8. Piero de Medici (r. 1492-1494)
a. Succeeded his father but was not strong
b. Was forced to make military and commercial
concessions to the King of France (Charles VIII) who
invaded Italy
c.
The people of Florence were outraged at this loss in
power and prestige and drove Piero and the other
Medicis out of the city
9. Savonarola (r. 1494-1498)
a. Came to power when Piero was driven from the city
b. Girolamo Savonarola was a friar who decried the
money and power of the Medici court and also the
paganism (classical Greek influence) in Florentine art
c.
He gained great power, especially among the lower
class
d. He eventually lost the backing of the Pope and so lost
influence among the powerful in Florence
e. He was eventually tried, excommunicated, strangled
and then hung by the ruling families of Florence who
had regained control of the government of the city and
proclaimed it a Republic
f. The Medici were returned in 1512 when the Spanish
gained dominance over Florence, were briefly exiled
in 1527 but were restored in 1531 and now the Grand
Duke of Tuscany (a title awarded by the Pope) is now
a hereditary title of the Medici
Other Italian cities
1. Other cities copied Florence (because of both rivalry and
civic pride)
2. Even smaller cities (such as Padua, Genoa, Ferrara, and
Mantua) developed strong artistic and cultural identities
a.
IV.
V.
Even today some of the Renaissance events
(festivals) are held in these cities (Examples: the flags
of Siena and the sled wars of Pisa)
F.
Wars between Italy, France, and Germany/Austria in the late
Renaissance
1. Largely fought on Italian soil
2. Soldiers from the other countries saw and understood the
Renaissance and carried the concepts northward
Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494)
1. Close friend of Lorenzo de Medici
2. Precociously brilliant and well educated
a. He claimed that he had read every book in Italy
b. He wrote a set of 900 theses (statements of truth) covering
what he believed to cover all knowledge and he offered to
debate all comers on any or all of the theses
c. Church leaders declared that 12 of the theses (mostly
dealing with magic) were heretical
i.
Pico retracted them but it was too late to avoid trouble
ii.
Pico spent a brief time in prison
iii.
After prison he returned to Florence to write
iv.
After his death, he was absolved of any wrong doing
3. Believed that all human learning was based on a finite set of basic
and elementary truths (very classical in thought) and that these
were accessible to mankind
. He sought to master all of the systems of knowledge that
then existed
a. Wrote On the Dignity of Man
.
Focused on man as the center of the universe and the
apex of the creation
i.
Cites Biblical references and Jewish, Arabic,
Neoplatonic support
ii.
Strongly Humanistic
Machiavelli (1469-1527)
0. Early life
. Grew up in Florence
a. Served the city as a bureaucrat for 14 years
b. Served under Lorenzo de Medici as a diplomat
c. When the Florentine Republic was created (following
Savonarola), he was part of the ruling council
.
His office was in the city hall and he could open the
small window and hear the proceedings of the elected
people's representatives
i.
He reported the proceedings to the council and that
helped them rule and dominate the elected
representatives
d. When the Medici returned after the Republic, he was briefly
put in prison and then exiled
e. He tried but never gained the favor of the Medici and when
the Republic was briefly restored to power, he was viewed
as being pro-Medici (because of his efforts to gain the favor
of the Medici family) and so he was also rejected by the
Republican government
1. The Prince
. Written to try and get into favor with the Medici family again
.
Like a handbook on how to be a prince (ruler)
i.
Copied after the concepts and exploits of Cesare
Borgia (who was the illegitimate son of the Pope, a
cardinal, a suspected murderer of his brother,
conquered and ruled several cities in central Italy
includingUrbino, and eventually died in a battle in
Spain)
ii.
Handbooks were very popular during this time
a. God versus secular authority
.
Medieval concept of rule
0. Christian society ruled by a prince answerable
to God
1. Ruled in accordance with theological principles
i.
Concept of The Prince
0. Advocated that the most pressing need was
the retention of power by the prince
1. All other decisions were secondary to that
premise
b. Moral/theological foundation for actions
.
Machiavelli exhorted the prince to act in keeping with
moral/theological principles, but only if such behavior
is conducive to obtaining and maintaining political
power
0. Hence, those in power may violate Christian
principles so long as they seem to be for the
common good
1. Thus the good of the state (or of keeping the
Prince in power) takes precedence over all
other values
2. All means to this end are therefore justified
i.
The Prince need not actually have strong values, but
he must seem to have them so that the people will
support him
ii.
There is so much evil in the world that good must
sometimes be compromised
iii.
Humans are inherently selfish and can't be trusted
0. Compare concept of the natural man
1.
VI.
Compare -- It is the nature of man to exert
unrighteous dominion
iv.
Reality should be the controlling paradigm and not the
ideal
c. Fear and love
.
Fear and love are both desirable but if one must be
chosen, chose fear because it is in the ruler's hands
i.
A prince should be liberal in treating people well but
should not be perceived as a liberal
0. Be generous but only a few should know it
1. Be known as stingy
ii.
Never let the barrier between the ruler and the people
be crossed by familiarity
iii.
The prince should be strong like a lion and smart like
a fox
iv.
Kill someone if you must, but don't take away the
inheritance or you will make enemies of the heirs and
this will last a long time
d. The Prince drew upon classical authors for some of the
conclusions, thus reflecting the Renaissance culture of its
writing
e. Questions:
.
Are the Machiavellian principles acceptable for a
government in his time? or in ours?
i.
What are the contrasts with Dante's Divine Comedy?
ii.
Should reality be accepted over the ideal?
iii.
Is it better to be feared than loved as a leader?
iv.
Was Jesus feared or loved?
v.
Is mankind inherently evil?
vi.
Can repressive governments help people become
better?
vii.
Should principles be compromised for efficiency?
viii.
Does the timeframe of the government determine or
affect the morality upon which it is based? (Can we
judge Renaissance governmental morality and ethics
by today's standards?)
Erasmus (1466-1536)
0. Early life
. Born in Holland
a. Parents not married (father was a priest)
1. Became a priest and then a monk (University of Paris)
2. Studied ancient languages
. Became an expert in Latin and Greek
a. Excellent writing style, especially in Latin
b. Made many translations from both Greek and Latin
3. Translation of the New Testament
VII.
. Grew to doubt the reliability of the St. Jerome version
(Vulgate) which was translated about 400 AD
a. Went to England and gained access to manuscripts housed
in monasteries throughout England
b. He was given assistance by his friend, Sir Thomas More
c. His new testament was published in 1516 in Latin, together
with a commentary
d. His was the first translation to use both the early Greek
manuscripts and compare with later translations
4. In Praise of Folly
. Major work except for the translations
a. Written in the classical style
b. Discoursed on the foolishness and misguided pompousness
of the world
c. Book was not accepted well at the time but has later been
much loved
d. "There are also those who think that there is nothing that
they cannot obtain by relying on the magical prayers and
charms thought up by some charlatan for the sake of his
soul or for profit. Among the things they want are: wealth,
honor, pleasure, plenty, perpetual good health, long life, a
vigorous old age, and finally, a place next to Christ in
heaven. However, they do not want that place until the last
possible second; heavenly pleasures may come only when
the pleasures of this life, hung onto with all possible tenacity,
must finally depart. I can see some businessman, soldier, or
judge taking one small coin from all his money and thinking
that it will be proper expiation for all his perjury, lust,
drunkenness, fighting, murder, fraud, lying and treachery.
After doing this, he thinks he can start a new round of
sinning with a new slate."
5. Erasmus openly criticized Martin Luther and his break with the
Catholic Church after Erasmus was forced to make a choice
between Luther and the Pope (for his own church standing)
[compare to the stand taken by Thomas More]
. Wanted to change the church gradually
a. Was a close friend of several popes and several rulers and
moved between countries with ease, always trying to calm
the troubled waters
Early Renaissance Art Overview - What was different in Renaissance art
and art from previous periods?
0. Realism (versus medieval and Byzantine symbolism)
. Faces showed emotion
a. Bodies were muscular and perfectly proportioned (classical)
VIII.
b. Poses were realistic and dynamic, often with posturing to
give life and animation to the painting (thus bringing the
viewer into the painting)
1. Perspective
. Linear perspective invented (single point) which gave a
feeling of depth and reality
a. The perspective was constructed so that the beholder was at
the point where the perspective was most apparent (viewer
involvement)
2. Geometrical arrangements of figures
. Less clutter than Medieval
a. Triangular or pyramidal arrangements to direct the eye
(viewer involvement)
3. Use of contemporary people, scenes, and clothing, regardless of
theme
. Gave immediacy to the paintings
a. Gave viewer involvement
4. Classical (pagan themes) as well as church themes
. Savonarola objected to the large number of pagan themes
and started a counter-movement
a. Savonarola objected to modern dress on the people in the
paintings ("Making the holy mother look like a whore")
5. Use of light for shadowing (realism) and perspective effect
. Called chiaroscuro (light and dark)
a. Not as dramatic as post-Renaissance art
6. Blending of background images together with the sky and making it
all hazy
. Called sfumato (smoky)
a. Adds dramatic feeling to the foreground and a feeling of
depth
7. Artists able to live from commissions
. Da Vinci made 2000 ducats per year when 300 was a good
yearly salary
a. Artists were able to choose which commission to take
because of the competition among the patrons for the best
artists
Early Renaissance Painting
0. Masaccio (1401-1428)
. Uses strong perspective (see Tribute Money, The Holy
Trinity with the Virgin and St. John)
.
For the first time in history, we are given the
information to measure the depth of the space
created by perspective
i.
Figures close to the viewer are life size while those
slightly farther back are slightly less than life size
ii.
IX.
We could geometrically size the space and place the
figures in it simply from their size and the other
dimensional features
iii.
The exception is in the Holy Trinity where God the
Father is much larger than true perspective would
dictate
0. This is probably because of the strict rules from
Medieval days of how the Trinity must be
represented
1. Someone insisted that the Trinity not be
adopted to the new style (perhaps even
Masaccio)
a. Strong expression and realism
.
Best evidence is The Expulsion from Paradise
i.
Adam and Eve show anguish at their plight
b. Use of light and shadow is evident in The Tribute Money
.
Has the effect of adding realism
i.
Brings the viewer into the picture, that is, locates the
viewer with respect to the figures in the picture
c. Drama in painting
.
Shown in The Tribute Money
i.
Peter is instructed to go and catch a fish (center of the
painting)
ii.
Peter catches the fish (far left)
iii.
Peter gives the money to the tax collector (far right)
1. Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510)
. Sponsored by the Medici family
a. Strong mythological themes
.
La Primavera
i.
The Birth of Venus (used the "modest Venus" pose
from classical sculpture)
b. Attempted to depict perfect beauty or idealized themes
rather than specific people
Early Renaissance Architecture -- Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446)
0. Founded the Renaissance style
. Simple lines
a. Substantial walls but not massive
b. Structural elements hidden except as desired for artistic
purposes
1. Studied ancient structures
. Actually measured the dimensions of ancient buildings (part
time archeologist)
a. Invented linear (scientific) perspective, perhaps as a method
of representing these ancient buildings
.
Believed that great buildings could be represented
mathematically
i.
X.
Brunelleschi's concepts (and others) were codified by
Alberti in his book on painting
2. Pazzi palace chapel
. Prototype of the Renaissance style
a. Built on the concept of simple circles and rectangles
.
Circles are in a 2:1 ratio
i.
The squares enclosing the small circles are 1/8 the
area of the square enclosing the larger circle
ii.
Harmonious use of Corinthian columns and arches
(classical treatment)
iii.
Plastered walls are clean, especially with a
contrasting color for the structural units
3. Won the commission to build the cathedral dome in Florence
. Building was started 70 years previously and stopped
because no one could figure out how to bridge the altar
space (140 feet)
a. Beat Ghiberti for the job
b. Used unique architectural concepts
.
Studied the Pantheon for ideas
i.
Used 8 major ribs to support the structure
0. The ribs converged at a point 100 feet above
the drum
1. This was like an 8-sided Gothic rib vault
2. 24 minor ribs between the major ribs give
added support
ii.
Two shells covering the ribs that interlock to reinforce
each other
0. These hide the inner structure to improve the
aesthetics
1. This is typical of the Renaissance style
iii.
This vastly lightened the dome compared to a
massive and self-supporting structure which was like
the Pantheon (concrete) or a Gothic vault
0. The lighter weight allowed him to eliminate the
timbers normally used to build the dome, thus
simplifying construction
1. Fewer support columns were needed, thus
opening up the interior
iv.
Gave whole number ratios to all of the important
dimensions of the building, thus achieving a unity in
the entire structure
v.
Structural elements have been copied widely -- St.
Peter's (Rome), St. Paul's (London), US Capitol
(Washington DC)
Early Renaissance style sculpture
XI.
0. Ghiberti won the competition for the north baptistry doors in
Florence
. Panels for the north doors were to be quatrefoils (4-lobed
panel borders)
a. Each panel is a scene from the Bible
b. Comparison of Brunelleschi and Ghiberti designs
.
Brunelleschi's was somewhat Gothic in feeling
i.
Brunelleschi's was somewhat crowded without a
strong unifying positioning of the figures
ii.
Ghiberti's is detailed beauty with dramatic effect
iii.
Ghiberti's figures are arranged to give emphasis to
the sacrifice
iv.
Ghiberti used actual Greek statues for his models
v.
Ghiberti cast the entire panel as one piece whereas
Brunelleschi cast the panel in separate sections which
he mounted on the panel
vi.
Ghiberti was more classical in that nudes are shown
and they are realistic
c. Took 24 years to complete the north doors (to about 1420)
d. Ghiberti was immediately given the commission for the east
doors (Gates of Paradise)
1. Donato Bardi, Donatello (1386-1466)
. Learned sculpture under Ghiberti on the baptistry doors
.
Donatello's personality was opposite to that of the
careful Ghiberti
i.
Donatello thought of Ghiberti as a goldsmith rather
than a sculptor
a. Established the Renaissance sculpture style
.
Human body was the important focus
i.
The body was capable of movement and drama
ii.
Draping was to follow the body's action rather than
the other way around
iii.
Sculpture could stand on its own as art (not just to
decorate a space)
b. Very comfortable in most mediums (marble, wood, painted
terra cotta, bronze)
c. Regarded as the greatest sculpture of his time (before
Michelangelo)
d. Donatello's David is flowing and speaks to us by pose and
expression with a much different feeling than Michelangelo's
David
e. Donatello's equestrian statue is extremely well done and has
great power
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
0. Early life
. Born in a small village (Vinci) near Florence
a. Illegitimate son of a local official and a peasant girl
b. Raised in the home of his father (his mother married another
man shortly after Leonardo was born)
c. Studied horses and became an excellent horse trainer
d. Loved birds and studied them extensively and sometimes
bought birds at the market and then took them home and set
them free
e. Sent to apprentice with local painters (Verrocchio and
Pollaiuolo)
f. Learned engineering from Verrocchio
g. Accepted into the Florentine artists' guild at 20
h. Excellent singer and he accompanied himself on the lyre
i. Practical joker
j. Detail oriented so that if he wanted to paint a plant in a
scene, he would study botany
k. He studied anatomy to be able to paint the body
l. Painted but did not finish the Adoration of the Magi (see also
Madonna of the Rocks)
.
Used a triangular or pyramidal arrangement of the
figures
i.
Emphasized the center of the triangle and drew
attention to the most important figure which was
placed at the center
ii.
This arrangement was praised and copied widely
iii.
Also used light and shadows to give 3-dimensional
character to the figures
0. This technique is called chiaroscuro (light and
dark)
1. Forms do not stand side by side but merge into
each other
1. Went to Milan
. Duke Sforza asked him to be his court military engineer
a. Milan was known as a center for the manufacturing of
armaments
b. Became an architect for the Duke
c. Designed a revolving stage and sets for a play
d. Designed a device that could be used to view an eclipse
without hurting your eyes
e. Became a teacher in mechanics, biology, math, physics, and
art
f. The Sforza horse
.
The horse was so immense that he had to invent a
new method for casting the horse
i.
He drew the horse (in great detail), made a full scale
model, and detailed the method for making it
ii.
The bronze intended for the horse was used, instead,
to make cannons because of the anticipated war with
France
g. Given a commission to paint a wall in a monastery in Milan
.
Subject was the last supper
i.
Leonardo went around Milan sketching the locals and
trying to get interesting and appropriate expressions
to be used in the painting
ii.
Expressed unique emotions in every single character
0. Tried to capture what Leonardo wrote in one of
his notebooks -- the most difficult aim of
painting is to depict the intention of man's soul
iii.
Used perspective to focus the attention on Christ
iv.
Used frescos as the painting medium
v.
The painting was noted for its interesting groupings of
the apostles
vi.
Monastery was hit by a bomb in WWII but the wall
was spared
vii.
However, the fresco technique eroded badly and not
until after WWII was a technique used to halt the
decay, but it is still in bad shape
h. Left Milan when the French finally invaded Milan
.
They killed the Duke of Milan
i.
They destroyed the model of the great horse
2. Went to Mantua and then to Urbino
. In Urbino he became associated with Cesare Borgia
a. Became a military engineer for the Borgias
b. When Borgia had one of Leonardo's friends strangled,
Leonardo left
3. Returned to Florence
. In great demand as a portrait painter
a. Painted the Mona Lisa
.
Wife of a local official
i.
She was so morose during the sittings that he hired
jesters to try to make her smile and be happy
ii.
He famous smile was captured and has, of course,
become an intriguing psychological fascination
iii.
Used the technique called sfumato (haze or smoke) to
give soft shadows and unusual use of light to the
painting
iv.
Accomplished the effect through the use of many
layers of extremely thin glazes
v.
The painting seems to glow from within
b. Dissected corpses to study anatomy
.
Chiefly the bodies of criminals
i.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Wrote his findings in a book that was used as a
medical school text for many years
c. Became interested in motion
.
Made many sketches of animals and men moving
d. Asked to paint a wall in the city hall
.
Michelangelo was also asked to paint a wall in the
same room
i.
A spirit of competition developed between the two
ii.
Leonardo left before the work was finished
iii.
He may have abandoned the work because he was
trying a new technique and the plaster began to
crumble
Notebooks
. Coded
.
Wrote in a right to left style that could be read in a
mirror
i.
Unknown why he did this since he clearly intended to
have his works published and become reference
works for others (unless it reflects some injury to his
right hand that forced him to write left-handed)
ii.
Probably permitted him to be free to express himself
which he was reluctant to do in his public works
(especially his paintings)
a. Created the genre of the scientific illustration
b. Used science to support art and art to support science
Returned to Milan and then Rome
. Given several commissions by the Pope
a. Worked on optics
b. Left most of his works unfinished
c. Returned again to Milan
Moved to Paris at the request of king Francis I
. Became the assistant to the king
a. Outlined a model city
b. Suffered a stroke and was partially paralyzed
c. Joined the Catholic church at 67
d. Died one year later
e. Buried at Amboise, France (where there is a museum in his
honor)
f. The king acquired many of da Vinci's paintings for his
personal collection, including the Mona Lisa
.
DaVinci took the Mona Lisa to Paris (that's why it is in
the Louvre)
i.
It is rumored to have originally hung in a bathroom in
the royal palace
Technology
. Military
.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Armored tank (overlapping metal plates, horse or
man-powered)
i.
Ideas for cannonballs filled with shrapnel
ii.
Rockets
iii.
Breech-loading cannons
iv.
Multiple fire weapons
v.
Steam cannons
vi.
Numerous catapults and other siege machines
vii.
Wall-scaling devices (such as rope ladders)
viii.
Pontoon bridges
ix.
Offensive and defensive weapons specifically for sea
battles
x.
Method for mining under a river to lift a siege
Aeronautics
.
Most were based on the assumption that man had
sufficient muscle power to emulate birds
i.
Used both arm and leg power is various designs for
aircraft
ii.
Helical screw helicopter
Machines
.
Labor-saving devices
i.
Methods to convert reciprocating motion to rotary
motion
ii.
New ideas for ratchets, gears, cams, pulleys, cranks,
linkages, racks and pinions
iii.
Wind power machines
iv.
Flywheels
v.
Machine tools (which formed the basis of modern
manufacturing)
Hydraulics
.
Basic theorem of hydrodynamics (potential energy is
a function of position and motion)
i.
Water moving equipment (refined over Archimedes)
ii.
Undersea suits
iii.
Submarine
iv.
Double-hulled ship
Vehicles on land
.
Bicycle
i.
Gear-driven carts
Architecture
.
Stress distribution in arches
i.
Designs for various buildings
General observations and interest
.
Cartography and meteorology
i.
Anatomy
ii.
Nature (plants, animals, etc)
iii.
iv.
v.
XII.
Geometry
Clocks and pendulums
Music (bell with two hammers and multiple dampers,
three-tone bagpipe, portable organ)
g. Scientific method
.
United the concept of observation and experiment
i.
"Those sciences are vain and filled with errors which
are not borne of experiment, the mother of all
certainty."
ii.
"O investigator, do not flatter yourself that you know
the things nature performs for herself, but rejoice in
knowing the purpose of those things designed by your
own mind."
8. Legacy
. Only 17 paintings
a. Notebooks -- details of most of his inventions and ideas
b. Drawings and unfinished works of architecture (including a
domed cathedral, probably St. Peter's in Rome, which he
drew to help his friend Bramante, the architect at the time)
c. Diverted rivers to prevent flooding
d. Established the principles of the turbine
e. Laid the groundwork for modern cartography
f. Discovered screw threads, transmission gears, hydraulic
jacks, and swiveling devices
g. Created detailed, practical plans for breech-loading cannons,
guided missiles, armored tanks and numerous other war
machines and strategies
h. Built the first revolving stage
i. Developed a canal system whose locks are still in use
j. Designed a submarine and other ship features still in use
k. Designed a flying machine and the helicopter
l. Designed a parachute
Renaissance Man
0.
Definition
. A broad knowledge about many things in many different
fields
.
Usually comes from a passion for learning and
knowledge
i.
Courage to explore
a. A deep knowledge or skill in one area
.
Depth gives the person an understanding of what it
takes to become an expert in any field
i.
This depth allows the expert to gauge the depth of
other people's knowledge
b. Creative
.
XIII.
Ability to link areas and thus create new
knowledge/relationships
i.
Possesses the elements of creativity (uniqueness,
value, intent, continuance)
1. Ancient Renaissance Men
. Plato and Aristotle were possibly the first Renaissance Men
a. Quote from Aristotle extolling the virtues of a universal
education.
2. Renaissance Period
. Leonardo is the prototype
a. Michelangelo and Raphael are equal to da Vinci but in other
areas (some overlap)
b. Pico della Mirandola, Petrarch, Lorenzo d'Medici, Galileo,
Erasmus
3. Why were there so many Renaissance Men during the
Renaissance period?
. Perhaps it was the lack of boundaries between disciplines
a. Knowledge was just knowledge
Creativity in the Renaissance period (politically)
0.
Why did creativity flourish in the Renaissance?
. Money and patronage
a. Middle class
b. Recognition
c. Other?
1. What were the local influences that dictated creativity and
progress?
2. Why did individuals emerge as creative geniuses when previously
artists were less well known as individuals?
3. Was the Renaissance just a re-creation of the Classical Period or
were new concepts added that made it unique?
4. Why was the classical culture revived and not some new culture?
5. What was the role of the Catholic church in creativity during this
period?
6. The Renaissance has sometimes been described as encompassing
three ideas -- classical humanism, scientific naturalism, and
individualism.
. What creative concepts were embodied in each of these
ideas?
a. Are these ideas new to the Renaissance? If not, what was
the expression of the idea previously?
7. What was the creativity in Machiavelli's work?
8. What made Leonardo da Vinci so creative in so many areas?
9. Are the boundaries between disciplines good or bad for creativity?