Chapter 11: The Italian Renaissance

The Renaissance was the rebirth of classical culture
Birthed a new spirit of being self aware
Provided a sense of relief after all the chaos of the 14th century
Allowed for a sense of self assertion * Celebration of the human spirit and celebration of potential was also allowed
Lasted from around 1330-1550
Had 3 distinct phases * Phase 1: (1350-1400) declining population & rediscovery of classical knowledge * Phase 2: (1400-1500) artistic/literary achievements, the population recovered, & the government stabilized * Phase 3: (1500-1550) Italian political life was transformed due to invasions from France and Spain with said invasions spreading the Renaissance all across Europe
By the late middle ages, nearly one in four Italians lived in a town * There were more Italian cities and people who lived in them
By 1500 around 7/10 of the largest cities were Italian
Urban areas provided markets for agricultural produce and manufactured goods
Cities developed into city-states * Cities were the centers of political and ecclesiastical power
Rural societies * Land-ownership/sharecropping were key features of the social structure * 80% were sustenance farmers
Urban societies * Divided based on occupation
The Black Death caused there to be high death rates
Aggregate demand diminished, labor supply diminished, overproduction, prices declined, and wages increased
The standard of living increased for the lower class (poor people)
The pattern of consumption in general became conspicuous for the wealthy * Sense of mortality * Lack of motivation for investing
The consumption of luxuries allowed for skilled craftsmen to be seen as more valuable
Grouping of relatives
primary economic units
Marriage was seen as either a political or an economic arrangement * Dowry, status, and patronage were in high consideration
Men married in their 30s
Women married in their late teenage years * Married women were pressured with family interests
The state had superiority over the church
The wealthy, upper class were able to hire help
The poor, lower class had to face high mortality rates * Life for the lower classes was terrible but had still improved from what it had been before
Health improved (population grew) * New foods * Increased supply of grain
Starvation wasn’t a big issue * It was more common for individuals to die due to deadly diseases than to die due to starvation
Renaissance art commonly portrayed social ideals and the talent of the artist * Was the leading “edge” of society * There were several technical advancements in the field of art * Three-dimensions * Perspective
Portraits reflected the significance of people * Allowed for prestige
The elite (wealthy) commissioned the art and patronized the artists who produced the art
Renaissance art had 3 mediums with most artists being active in all 3 mediums * Architecture * Painting * Sculptures
The architecture commissioned during this time period increased an individual’s fame and prestige * Commonly commissioned
Architecture in the Middle Ages * Gothic Architecture * Vaulted Ceilings * Pointed Arches * Large Windows * Slender Spires * Flying Buttresses * The goal of the impressive and grand architecture was to impact viewers with the might of God
Renaissance architecture consisted of a reincorporation of classical features
A famous artist of the time was Brunelleschi who mixed gothic and classic architecture * Florence Cathedral
Donatello was a famous sculptor * Created a sense of reality in his sculptures * Demonstrated perspective
In paintings, light and shading was used to create perspective with them also increasing the display of human emotion * The Expulsion of Adam and Eve (1425)
Boticelli, a prominent painter was known for classical themes and bright colors * The Birth of Venus (1478) * Spring (1478)
Humanism was an important Renaissance ideal * Humanism: reaction to an intellectual world that was focused on the church doctrine * Secular outlook
There was an emphasis on human achievement
Ideas of Renaissance were applied to the secular and spiritual world
Scholars attempting to escape Muslim expansion were extremely influential
New education standards and standards for studying classical texts were developed * Liberal Arts * Grammar * Rhetoric * Philology * History * Moral Philosophy
Civic humanism combined the Classical and Renaissance world and was a representation of the first secular understanding of the government
Powerful families and guilds took over the field of regional governments
The major industries were those of textiles and finance * Textiles: Wool, Silk, & Cotton
Bank branches were established throughout Europe with external conflicts causing a financial crisis
Byzantine Empire was allowed exclusive trade rights
The government controlled trade * Italy was responsible for exporting manufactured goods, capital resources, and cultural innovations
Wars of Italy (1494-1529) * Renaissance in Italy is ended