The Renaissance- Lecture The Renaissance- Lecture #2#2

Intellectual Themes Intellectual Themes

as Expressed as Expressed

Through ArtThrough Art

oror

Great Artists and Great Artists and

Their WorksTheir Works

I. ReasonI. Reason

Donation of ConstantineDonation of Constantine by Valla by Valla– Historical criticism Historical criticism

New Translation of the bible by New Translation of the bible by Erasmus of Rotterdam Erasmus of Rotterdam – Reinterpretation Reinterpretation

Reason Reason (cont.)(cont.)

The Prince The Prince - Machiavelli - Machiavelli – Born in FlorenceBorn in Florence– Served in government positions both in Served in government positions both in

the Medici family and as part of the the Medici family and as part of the short-lived Republic short-lived Republic

– Lived through the internal and external Lived through the internal and external political turmoil of the Italian city states political turmoil of the Italian city states Balance of Power and Habsburg-Valois Wars Balance of Power and Habsburg-Valois Wars

Reason (cont.)Reason (cont.) Side note of interest… Side note of interest…

Torture under the Medici Torture under the Medici RevivalRevival

““When evening comes, I return home [from When evening comes, I return home [from work and from the local tavern] and go to my work and from the local tavern] and go to my study. On the threshold I strip naked, taking off study. On the threshold I strip naked, taking off my muddy, sweaty workday clothes, and put on my muddy, sweaty workday clothes, and put on the robes of court and palace, and in this graver the robes of court and palace, and in this graver dress I enter the courts of the ancients and am dress I enter the courts of the ancients and am welcomed by them, and there I taste the food welcomed by them, and there I taste the food that alone is mine, and for which I was born. that alone is mine, and for which I was born. And there I make bold to speak to them and ask And there I make bold to speak to them and ask the motives of their actions, and they, in their the motives of their actions, and they, in their humanity reply to me. And for the space of four humanity reply to me. And for the space of four hours I forget the world, remember no vexation, hours I forget the world, remember no vexation, fear poverty no more, tremble no more at fear poverty no more, tremble no more at death; I pass indeed into their world. “death; I pass indeed into their world. “

Reason (cont.)Reason (cont.)

After finally losing a gov’t position, Machiavelli said of his life:

Reason (cont.)Reason (cont.) In Exile Under the Medici In Exile Under the Medici

Revival, Machiavelli wrote Revival, Machiavelli wrote The The PrincePrince

Goal was to win him back a job with Goal was to win him back a job with the Medici’s… the Medici’s…

……and to give Italian rulers a way to and to give Italian rulers a way to be stronger to avoid foreign be stronger to avoid foreign dominancedominance

Basic Idea? Basic Idea? – A ruler must be willing to act immorally A ruler must be willing to act immorally

to retain power and do what is to retain power and do what is ultimately right for the state ultimately right for the state

““Whoever desires to found a state Whoever desires to found a state and give it laws, must start with and give it laws, must start with assuming that all men are bad and assuming that all men are bad and ever ready to display their vicious ever ready to display their vicious nature, whenever they may find nature, whenever they may find occasion for it…occasion for it…

……Hence it is necessary for a prince Hence it is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use of it or to do wrong, and to make use of it or not according to necessity."not according to necessity."

Reason (cont.)Reason (cont.)

Reason (cont.)Reason (cont.) Political Ideas Political Ideas

““the ends justify the means” the ends justify the means” IFIF the the ends are the stability and health of ends are the stability and health of the state the state

Separated ethics from governingSeparated ethics from governing Politics by cold hard calculation Politics by cold hard calculation

(Realism) (Realism) People are basically bad, so a leader People are basically bad, so a leader

must impose goodness on themmust impose goodness on them Better to be feared than loved as a Better to be feared than loved as a

leader (why?) leader (why?)

Reason (cont.)Reason (cont.) Examples of Machiavelli’s Thought in Examples of Machiavelli’s Thought in

ActionAction ““I say that every prince ought to desire to be I say that every prince ought to desire to be considered clement and not cruel.  considered clement and not cruel.  Nevertheless he ought to take care not to Nevertheless he ought to take care not to misuse this clemency.  Cesare Borgia was misuse this clemency.  Cesare Borgia was considered cruel; notwithstanding, his cruelty considered cruel; notwithstanding, his cruelty reconciled the Romagna, unified it, and reconciled the Romagna, unified it, and restored it to peace and loyalty.  And if this be restored it to peace and loyalty.  And if this be rightly considered, he will be seen to have rightly considered, he will be seen to have been much more merciful than the Florentine been much more merciful than the Florentine people, who, to avoid a reputation for cruelty, people, who, to avoid a reputation for cruelty, permitted Pistoia to be destroyed. Therefore a permitted Pistoia to be destroyed. Therefore a prince, so long as he keeps his subjects united prince, so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal, ought not to mind the reproach of and loyal, ought not to mind the reproach of cruelty; because with a few examples he will cruelty; because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those who, through too be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise, from much mercy, allow disorders to arise, from which follow murders or robberies; for these which follow murders or robberies; for these are wont to injure the whole people, whilst are wont to injure the whole people, whilst those executions which originate with a prince those executions which originate with a prince offend the individual only.”offend the individual only.”

Reason (cont.)Reason (cont.)

First Political ScientistFirst Political Scientist but wait, Plato and Socrates and but wait, Plato and Socrates and

Aristotle thought about gov. too…Aristotle thought about gov. too…– Philosophy v sciencePhilosophy v science– Realist---- Is/oughtRealist---- Is/ought– Goal is Goal is notnot to get ruler into heaven, but to get ruler into heaven, but

to deal in the practical to deal in the practical

Reason (cont.)Reason (cont.)

Was Machiavelli Was Machiavelli machiavellian?machiavellian?

Machiavelli argued that a leader Machiavelli argued that a leader could break with morality for a could break with morality for a greater good, not just for selfish greater good, not just for selfish reasonsreasons

MachiavellianMachiavellian became an adjective to became an adjective to describe ruthless self-serving describe ruthless self-serving governance governance

The Focus on Reason Led to The Focus on Reason Led to Realism in ArtworkRealism in Artwork

Nudity

Accuracy of Nature

Even Mary and Jesus are portrayed as realistic appearing humans

Math to Math to figure figure

perspectivperspectivee

Fore-Fore-shorteninshortenin

gg

Single Point PerspectiveSingle Point Perspective

Single Point PerspectiveSingle Point Perspective

Use of light and darkUse of light and dark

II. Humanism II. Humanism

Oration on the Dignity of Man-Oration on the Dignity of Man- della della Mirandola Mirandola – Man is unique in that ‘he’ has choice to Man is unique in that ‘he’ has choice to

become godlike or beastlybecome godlike or beastly– ““There is nothing to be seen more There is nothing to be seen more

wonderful than man. ”wonderful than man. ”– Humanist ‘anthem’ Humanist ‘anthem’

Humanism (cont.) Humanism (cont.)

PetrarchPetrarch

Father of humanismFather of humanism Wrote letters to dead classical authorsWrote letters to dead classical authors Reviled scholasticism Reviled scholasticism One of the coiners of ‘Dark Ages’ One of the coiners of ‘Dark Ages’

““Like a black army of ants from some old Like a black army of ants from some old rotten oak, they swarm forth from their rotten oak, they swarm forth from their hiding places and devastate the fields of hiding places and devastate the fields of sound learning.” sound learning.”

Humanism Humanism (cont.) (cont.)

III. Secularism and III. Secularism and IndividualismIndividualism

The Courtier The Courtier – Castiglione – Castiglione – How one in the court of the king should How one in the court of the king should

win favor and influencewin favor and influence– ““Renaissance Man”Renaissance Man”

Secularism Secularism and and

Individualism Individualism (Cont.)(Cont.)

Artists Artists enjoy enjoy great great statusstatus

Secular Subjects of the Art

The Baptism of ChristThe Baptism of Christ

Leonardo Leonardo da Vincida Vinci

ArtistArtists sign s sign their their work, work, and and eveneven……

Sforzas Sforzas

And Always, Always, this link And Always, Always, this link back to the Classical timesback to the Classical times

The School of Athens- Raphael

Michelangelo as HeraclitusMichelangelo as Heraclitus

Leonardo Leonardo Da Vinci Da Vinci as Plato as Plato