The Renaissance began in Italy in the 14th century as a result of changes brought about by events like the Crusades, Black Death, and Hundred Years' War. Wealthy Italian city-states like Florence financed the Renaissance and patrons like the Medici family in Florence supported artists and scholars. Key intellectual movements included humanism, with its focus on human potential and secularism. Renaissance art flourished in Italy and the Northern Renaissance, with artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Durer producing famous works. The Renaissance spread north and its ideas were a precursor to the Protestant Reformation.

1. The Renaissance
“rebirth”
The Crusades, the Black Death, and
the Hundred Years’ War all brought
about changes that led to a new way
of thinking.

2. Economic Foundations of the
Renaissance
• Trade flourished in Italy during the Middle
Ages and the Renaissance, creating
unprecedented wealth in Florence, Genoa,
and Venice.
– Italy was separated into city-states and enjoyed a
democratic atmosphere- republics
• Florence was known for banking and textiles
and was the center of the Italian Renaissance

3. • Usury: charging interest on money loaned
(church did not allow)
• Credit: “buy now, pay later”

4. The Medici Family of Florence:
banking family, ruled Florence, patrons of the arts
• Cosimo de Medici
– Banking
– Ruled Florence
– Supporter of artistic and scholarly projects
– Uses to taxes to build up city and make it a center
for learning and the arts!
• Lorenzo de Medici (“the Magnificent”)
– Banking, also ruled Florence
– Patron of the arts- supported Michelangelo

5. Florence- the heart of the Italian Renaissance

6. Sforza Family- Milan
• Caterina Sforza ruled Milan
Isabella D-Esta of Mantua
• Sketch of Isabella by da Vinci
• Patron of the arts

7. Intellectual Movements
Humanism:
Intellectual
movement at the
heart of the Italian
Renaissance
Classicism:
Return to the ideals of
Greece and Rome
Secularism:
Interest in non-religious
world and enjoyment of
worldly pleasures
Celebrating the glory and
power of humans and the
individual!
Seen in the intellectual
thought, art, and
architecture of the time

8. Renaissance Literature
• Petrarch: the “Father of Humanism”, he wrote
poetry about classical virtues and his
unrequited love for a woman he called
“Laura”. He wrote in Italian (vernacular) and
Latin. Supposedly he died with a pen in his
hand.

9. Renaissance Literature
• Dante Alighieri: The Divine Comedy,
emphasized politics and human interested,
wrote in the vernacular instead of Latin

10. Renaissance Literature
• Castiglione: The Courtier, a handbook on how
to be a “Renaissance Man”.
– Speak Greek and Latin
– Be charming, polite, and funny
– Strong and graceful
• Machiavelli: The Prince, secular treatise (long
essay) on how to be a good ruler
– “The ends justify the means”
– Discusses ancient leaders as examples of
what a good ruler should do

11. Renaissance Literature
• Erasmus: The Praise of Folly- poked fun at the
clergy, scholars, and merchants. He was from
Flanders- Northern Renaissance
• Shakespeare: English playwright, wrote about
the human condition in both tragedies and
comedies

12. Art- Early Renaissance
• Giotto di Bondone- carved frescos on human
figures that show depth and emotion
• Ghiberti- Carved the doors of the Florence
Baptistery
• Brunelleschi- designed the dome of the
Cathedral of Florence, the first dome
since antiquity!

13. Art- Early Renaissance
• Donatello: Sculpted the first free standing
nude sculpture of “David”
• Masaccio- “The Father of Modern Painting”,
shows perspective and distance

14. • Michelangelo
– The “David”
– The “Pieta”
– Sistine Chapel ceiling- “The Last Judgment”
– Dome on St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome

15. Art- High (later) Renaissance
• Leonardo da Vinci
– Painted “The Last Super” and “The Mona Lisa”
– Renowned engineer and architect
– Example of the “Renaissance Man”
• Raphael
– Painted “The School of Athens” and many
Madonnas (pictures of Mary and baby Jesus)

16. Art- Northern Renaissance
• Durer- woodcuts and engravings
• Hans Holbein the younger- portraits (“Henry VIII”)
• Van Eyck- painting with vivid color and detail
– Example: “The Marriage Portrait”
• Peter Bruegel the Elder- paintings of
weddings, festivals, and peasant life

17. Cultural Centers of the Renaissance
• 1400s- Center of the Italian Renaissance was
Florence Italy
• 1500s- Rome became a center of art with Pope
Julius II
– Loved art and power and built St. Peters Cathedral
with the help of Michelangelo
• Renaissance ideas spread north through trade
and travel.
• Flanders- present day region of Belgium was the
center of the Northern Renaissance

18. The Northern Renaissance
• Northern Renaissance= Humanism +
Christianity
• Art and writing is more infused with
Christianity
• 1450- Johannes Gutenberg invented a printing
press that used movable type. The Bible
became an instant best seller….

19. Protestant Reformation
• People start reading the Bible for themselves
and questioning the Catholic Church
• Martin Luther breaks away from the Catholic
Church. 1517 posts 95 Theses
• 1536 Henry VIII separates from
the Catholic Church creating the
Church of England or the Anglican Church
• Sir Thomas More wrote “Utopia” about a
perfect society. He was executed by Henry VIII
for refusing to admit king > God.