The document summarizes key aspects of the Italian Renaissance. It explains that the Renaissance began in Italy due to several advantages, including the urbanization and wealth of the city-states of Northern Italy from trade. Merchants grew powerful in cities like Florence, with families like the Medicis rising to rule cities. Renaissance scholars looked to ancient Greek and Roman culture, sparking interest in subjects like history, literature, and philosophy. Wealthy patrons sponsored new styles of realistic painting and sculpture that focused on portraying the human form and worldly subjects rather than solely religious themes. Famous Renaissance artists and writers like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Petrarch advanced these new styles and topics that defined the cultural

1. Sec. 1 PPT
Ms. Serritella

2.  Italys’ Advantages
 Renaissance: rebirth, the revival of art & learning that took place
during 1300-1600

 City States
 Overseas trade, spurred by the _CRUSADES______________, had
led to the growth of large city states in __NORTHERN
ITALY________________.
 Northern Italy was __URBAN_____ while other parts of Europe
was __RURAL___________.
 Cities are often places where people exchange _IDEAS________,
therefore, they were a great place for an intellectual
_REVOLUTION________________.
 When the plague struck in the 1300s, 60_____ percent of the
population died. The people who were left could demand higher
_WAGES______ because of the shortage of laborers.


3.  Merchants and the Medici
 The wealthy MERCHANT class developed in the city
states. The MERCHANTS dominated the politics,
because cities like FLORENCE& MILAN were small.
A small city meant more involvement in politics.
 Merchants did not inherit social RANK. They had to
work hard to earn their place in society.
 Florence would become under the rule of one family
known as the MEDICI. The family had numerous
banks and were the wealthiest of the era. COSIMO DE
MEDICI would take control of Florence and be the
dictator of the city for 30 years.


4.  Greece & Rome
 Renaissance scholars looked to the ways of the GREEKS &
_ROMANS , when it came to the way that they learned.
 The scholars studied ancient GREEK & ROMAN
manuscripts for inspiration.

 Classics lead to humanism
 Humanism:
 Instead of trying to make classical TEXTS agree with
Christian teaching, humanists studied them to understand
ancient GREEK values.
 Humanists made the following subjects popular, HISTORY,
LITERATURE, PHILOSOPHY and they called these subjects
THE HUMANITIES.

5.  World Pleasures
 Humanists suggested that people should enjoy life.
 The wealthy could enjoy LUXURIES, FINE FOOD, GOOD
MUSIC.
 Many stayed devout CATHOLICS. However, people became
more “worldly”
 Secular: WORLDLY, RATHER THAN SPIRITUAL.

 Patrons of the arts
 Rome was beautified by spending large amounts of money on
ART.
 Renaissance MERCHANTS& wealthy families were patrons of the
arts.
 Patron: ONE WHO SUPPORTS THE ARTS FINANCIALLY.

6.  The Renaissance Man & Woman
 All educated people were expected to create ART.
 A man who excelled in several areas of study was
known as a RENAISSANCE MAN.
 Men should study poetry, create art, sing, ride
horses and wrestle!
 Upper class women should not seek fame, they
were to INSPIRE art but not create it.
 Women were to be EDUCATED but have no say in
POLITICS!


7.  The Renaissance Revolutionizes Art
 Artistic styles changed as the Renaissance advanced.
The artists moved away from religious art to a more
realistic style, using Greek & Roman subjects.
 Perspective: art that shows 3 dimensions on a flat
surface.

 Realistic Painting & Sculpture
 Painters began to paint IMPORTANT citizens. The
portraits showed what made the person distinctive.
 DONATELLO & MICHELANGELO were famous
artists during this time. They both used realistic
features in their paintings and sculptures.

8.  Leonardo, Renaissance Man
 Leonardo was a painter, SCULPTOR, inventor and
SCIENTIST. He was interested in how things WORKED.
 He studied how MUSCLES moved and how VEINS are
arranged in a leaf and would incorporate this into his art.
 Created the “Mona Lisa” & “The Last Supper”

 Raphael & Realism
 Learned from studying LEONARDO &
MICHEALANGELO. Famous for his use of perspective,
studied the Madonna.
 He is known for his paintings of famous Renaissance artists.

9.  Angussola & Gentileschi
 Very few WOMENwere notable painters. However
ANGUISSOLA & GENTILESCHI were recognized for
their works.

 Renaissance Writers Change Literature
 The writers of the Renaissance chose to write in
VERNACULAR instead of Latin.
 Vernacular: EVERYDAY LANGUAGE OF A
REGION.
 Wrote for self expression or to show individuality of
their subjects.
 Trends for modern writers were created during this
time!

10.  Petrarch & Boccaccio
 Petrarch is often called the FATHER OF THE RENAISSANCE. A poet
who wrote in Italian & Latin, he wrote 14 line poems about a lady named
Laura.
 Boccaccio is known for his work called THE DECAMERON_. This is a
collection of stories about young people trying to avoid the plague in
Florence.

 Machiavelli
 His work THE PRINCE_ examines the imperfect condition of human
beings.
 He believed people were selfish, fickle and corrupt. The book is not
centered around morals, but what is politically effective.

 Colonna
 A female writer who wrote about her personal EMOTIONS. Often wrote
letters to her husband whom was away at war.

11.  http://www.mrswiesehistory.com/renaissanc
e--reformation.html