RenaissanceRenaissanceRenaissanceRenaissance

SOL WHII.2SOL WHII.2

Late Medieval PeriodLate Medieval Period

• 1300’s—AKA The Dark Ages

• Marked with:– Famine, Disease, War and Death…many

Europeans believed that the end was coming

– Reflected in art

• 1300’s—AKA The Dark Ages

• Marked with:– Famine, Disease, War and Death…many

Europeans believed that the end was coming

– Reflected in art

Art during the Dark AgesArt during the Dark Ages

Dark AgesDark Ages

• Famine—widespread crop failures leads to starvation

• The plague—leads to death

• 100 Years War—leads to death!

• Famine—widespread crop failures leads to starvation

• The plague—leads to death

• 100 Years War—leads to death!

The PlagueThe Plague• 1347-rat infested trading ships from

the Black Sea to Sicily

• By 1348—it reached Spain and France

• Bubonic Plague—spread by fleas on rats (bites

• Pneumonic Plague—airborne—lungs-cough

• 1347-rat infested trading ships from the Black Sea to Sicily

• By 1348—it reached Spain and France

• Bubonic Plague—spread by fleas on rats (bites

• Pneumonic Plague—airborne—lungs-cough

The Plague: Signs of SicknessThe Plague: Signs of Sickness• Red dots, swelling—black bruises, heavy

sweats, coughing, horrible odor, internal bleeding

• Life expectancy—3-4 days

• 1 out of 3 people died

• 25-33% of Europe's Population

• Ring Around the Rosies

• Red dots, swelling—black bruises, heavy sweats, coughing, horrible odor, internal bleeding

• Life expectancy—3-4 days

• 1 out of 3 people died

• 25-33% of Europe's Population

• Ring Around the Rosies

Plague led to hysteria!!!Plague led to hysteria!!!• People turned to magic/witchcraft

• Pleasure seeking—enjoy life before you die

• Some felt it was a punishment from God—they beat themselves for repentance

• Blamed the Jews--persecution

• People turned to magic/witchcraft

• Pleasure seeking—enjoy life before you die

• Some felt it was a punishment from God—they beat themselves for repentance

• Blamed the Jews--persecution

The Black Death Caused:The Black Death Caused:

• Economics were nearly ruined—loss of population resulted in a decrease in the number of craftsmen

• Decrease in TRADE!!!!• Decrease in number of workers so serfs left Manor

and farmland was abandoned• Increase in prices• Church declined

• Economics were nearly ruined—loss of population resulted in a decrease in the number of craftsmen

• Decrease in TRADE!!!!• Decrease in number of workers so serfs left Manor

and farmland was abandoned• Increase in prices• Church declined

ChurchChurch

• Lacked strong leadership

• Church was not able to offer peace of mind during the plague

• Critics of Church corruption

• People begin to doubt the church

• Lacked strong leadership

• Church was not able to offer peace of mind during the plague

• Critics of Church corruption

• People begin to doubt the church

WarWar• 1337-1453-England and France fought a

series of conflicts—Hundred Year’s War

• Both have been fighting over control of French lands

• When Edward III (England) claimed the French throne—war erupted

• 1337-1453-England and France fought a series of conflicts—Hundred Year’s War

• Both have been fighting over control of French lands

• When Edward III (England) claimed the French throne—war erupted

• The English King, Edward III, is the grandson of the last Capetian King on his mother’s side.

• The French do not want the throne to go to the English King, so they crown Philip VI, a nephew to the deceased king and cousin of Edward III

• The English King, Edward III, is the grandson of the last Capetian King on his mother’s side.

• The French do not want the throne to go to the English King, so they crown Philip VI, a nephew to the deceased king and cousin of Edward III

• The wool industry: Flanders was at this time the center of the European wool industry. England’s main source of revenue was the selling of wool to Flemish wool merchants.

• France was gradually gaining control of Flanders and shutting out the English.

• Edward III made a great deal of his income from profits on wool.

• So in 1337 Edward III, threatened by having a large amount of his property and income taken away, declares war on Philip VI.

• The wool industry: Flanders was at this time the center of the European wool industry. England’s main source of revenue was the selling of wool to Flemish wool merchants.

• France was gradually gaining control of Flanders and shutting out the English.

• Edward III made a great deal of his income from profits on wool.

• So in 1337 Edward III, threatened by having a large amount of his property and income taken away, declares war on Philip VI.

Joan of ArcJoan of Arc• 17 year old peasant convinced the

king to let her lead the French troops against England—lead several victories

• Was captured by English—tried for witchcraft and burned at the stake

• England was forced off of French lands—with cannons

• 17 year old peasant convinced the king to let her lead the French troops against England—lead several victories

• Was captured by English—tried for witchcraft and burned at the stake

• England was forced off of French lands—with cannons

RenaissanceRenaissance• Italian for rebirth (classical learning)

• Intellectual and artistic revival

• Focused on themes of Ancient Greece and Rome

• Started in 1300’s—height in 1500s

• Started in Italy then spread throughout Europe

• Italian for rebirth (classical learning)

• Intellectual and artistic revival

• Focused on themes of Ancient Greece and Rome

• Started in 1300’s—height in 1500s

• Started in Italy then spread throughout Europe

Why did it start in Italy?Why did it start in Italy?

• First to recover from the Dark Ages

• Trade revived in Italy first

• Wealthy merchant class (Medici—Lorenzo “the Magnificent”)

– They were big patrons of the arts (supporters of the arts)

• First to recover from the Dark Ages

• Trade revived in Italy first

• Wealthy merchant class (Medici—Lorenzo “the Magnificent”)

– They were big patrons of the arts (supporters of the arts)

Renaissance CitiesRenaissance Cities

• Florence, Venice, Genoa, Milan (North)—cultural centers of trade

• Rome—central

• Naples--southern

• Florence, Venice, Genoa, Milan (North)—cultural centers of trade

• Rome—central

• Naples--southern

Renaissance LiteratureRenaissance Literature• Writers focused on humanist ideals• Humanism: mode of thought or action

in which human interests, values, and dignity predominate

• Emphasized religious and moral reform• Wrote in vernacular

• Writers focused on humanist ideals• Humanism: mode of thought or action

in which human interests, values, and dignity predominate

• Emphasized religious and moral reform• Wrote in vernacular

Literature continued…Literature continued…• Machiavelli—The Prince—guide to

gain/maintain power; the end justifies the means—use whatever is necessary to achieve their goals

• Francisco Petrarch—started a library of classical manuscripts; wrote Sonnets to Laura

• Machiavelli—The Prince—guide to gain/maintain power; the end justifies the means—use whatever is necessary to achieve their goals

• Francisco Petrarch—started a library of classical manuscripts; wrote Sonnets to Laura

Literature continued…Literature continued…• Cervantes—Don Quixote—mocked

Romantic notions of chivalry

• Shakespeare—Renown playwright—– Comedies—A Midsummer Night’s Dream– History—Richard III– Tragedies—Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth

• Cervantes—Don Quixote—mocked Romantic notions of chivalry

• Shakespeare—Renown playwright—– Comedies—A Midsummer Night’s Dream– History—Richard III– Tragedies—Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth

LiteratureLiterature

• Castiglione– wrote a “how to” book explaining how to become Renaissance people—The Book of the Courtier

• Castiglione– wrote a “how to” book explaining how to become Renaissance people—The Book of the Courtier

Reasons for the success of Renaissance Literature

Reasons for the success of Renaissance Literature

• Development of printing

• 1300’s = papermaking

• 1400’s = movable type

• 1456 = Johann Gutenburg (German)-printed a Bible with movable type

• Books = cheaper, easier to produce, more available

• Development of printing

• 1300’s = papermaking

• 1400’s = movable type

• 1456 = Johann Gutenburg (German)-printed a Bible with movable type

• Books = cheaper, easier to produce, more available

Renaissance ArtRenaissance Art

• Still used religious images/figures (icons)

• Revived classical form

• Focused on realism

• Used perspective—technique that gives art three dimensions

• Still used religious images/figures (icons)

• Revived classical form

• Focused on realism

• Used perspective—technique that gives art three dimensions

Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci

• Mona Lisa

• Last Supper

• Dissected corpses to study bones and muscles

• Sketches of flying machines and undersea boats

• Mona Lisa

• Last Supper

• Dissected corpses to study bones and muscles

• Sketches of flying machines and undersea boats

Last Supper

Mona Lisa

Vitruvian Man

MichelangeloMichelangelo

• David—statue of the shepherd that killed Goliath

• Designed the dome for St. Peter’s in Rome

• David—statue of the shepherd that killed Goliath

• Designed the dome for St. Peter’s in Rome

David

Ceiling of Sistine ChapelCreation of Man

RaphaelRaphael

• School of Athens—gathering of thinkers (Plato, Aristotle, …)

• Madonna—mother of Christ portrayals

• School of Athens—gathering of thinkers (Plato, Aristotle, …)

• Madonna—mother of Christ portrayals

School of Athens

An example of a Madonna by Raphael

Northern RenaissanceNorthern Renaissance

• 1450’s—region of Flanders (today—N. France, Belgium and Netherlands)

• 1450’s—region of Flanders (today—N. France, Belgium and Netherlands)

Northern ArtistsNorthern Artists• Albrecht Durer—German; studied in

Italy; returned home—helped to spread the Italian Renaissance to his homeland (nickname—German Leonardo)

• Jan and Hubert van Eyck—oil painters; paintings

• Albrecht Durer—German; studied in Italy; returned home—helped to spread the Italian Renaissance to his homeland (nickname—German Leonardo)

• Jan and Hubert van Eyck—oil painters; paintings

Durer--Eve Durer—A Young Hare

Jan van Eyck—The Betrothal of the Arnolfini

Jan van Eyck—Portrait of a Man in a Turban

Northern Artists continued…Northern Artists continued…

• Pieter Bruegel—scenes of peasant life• Pieter Bruegel—scenes of peasant life

Pieter Bruegel—Netherlandish ProverbsPieter Bruegel—The Harvesters

ScholarsScholars• In addition to classical learning—they

emphasized religious and moral reform

– Desiderius Erasmus—(Dutch) challenged corruption in the church; In Praise of Folly—used humor to highlight immoral behavior of the clergy—called for a vernacular translation of the Bible

• In addition to classical learning—they emphasized religious and moral reform

– Desiderius Erasmus—(Dutch) challenged corruption in the church; In Praise of Folly—used humor to highlight immoral behavior of the clergy—called for a vernacular translation of the Bible

ScholarsScholars

• Sir Thomas More—(English) Utopia—wanted social/economic reform; ideal society—where people live in peace

• Sir Thomas More—(English) Utopia—wanted social/economic reform; ideal society—where people live in peace