IL RINASCIMENTO ITALIANO
The Italian Renaissance found its peak in 15th century Florence, and was based upon the
theory, appearance, and details of the Classical World and its idea of perfection.
Brunelleschi, who designed the Cathedral Dome, proposed “A New Athens” to be built in
order to glorify and celebrate Quattrocentro (‘400) Florence.
All Italian Renaissance art and sculpture reflect a sense of confidence, promise and well
being.
Throughout the Renaissance, Italy was divided in city-states, ruled by patrons that
strongly supported humanism and the development of the arts and sciences.
Lorenzo de'Medici (Lorenzo Il Magnifico) was perhaps the most powerful one; he was
strongly influenced by Niccolo’ Machiavelli and his political advice provided in “Il
Principe”.
Names in Italian Renaissance art: Leonardo, Donatello, Raffaello, Michelangelo
Names in Italian Renaissance architecture: Brunelleschi, Palladio
Names in Italian Renaissance literature: Machiavelli, Castiglione, Ariosto, Tasso
Names of powerful Italian Renaissance families/patrons: Colonna, Este, Farnese,
Gonzaga, Medici, Montefeltro, Sforza, Visconti
30 Facts about the Italian Renaissance
1.
Italy was divided into various city-states, and was not ruled by one king.
2.
Leonardo da Vinci was not only an artist but a scientist, an inventor and
a mathematician.
3.
The Catholic Church sold indulgences (forgiveness).
4.
Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were rivals.
5.
Artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo would dig up
human corpses and dissect the corpses to study human anatomy.
6.
Copernicus believed that the Sun was the center of the universe.
7.
The center for the latest in architecture was Florence.
8.
An increasingly popular art technique used during the Renaissance was a
vanishing point towards which objects would disappear.
9.
Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa and the controversial Cenacolo (The Last
Supper).
10.
Leonardo da Vinci thought about possibilities of human flight with
mechanical aids.
11.
Michelangelo was the creator of the sculpture David.
12.
Apprentices to artists were not allowed to work on paintings until they
had mastered the art of crushing minerals into pigments.
13.
During the Renaissance children were viewed as shrunken down
versions of adults with the same capacities.
14.
Blonde hair was very popular in Italy, so women would stay in the sun
trying to bleach their hair, and some women would use fake hair which
was against the law.
15.
Galileo was the first to discover that the moon was not a smooth surface
and that the light from the moon was reflected from the sun and not
created by the moon.
16.
Venice was one of the most heavily populated cities in Europe during
the Renaissance with a population around 100,000.
17.
Girls were expected to learn how to cook, sew, clean and buy food
from vendors by helping and watching their mothers perform these
tasks.
18.
If a girl went to school, she would stop after she learned to read.
19.
Most boys started school at age seven if their parents could afford it and
then became apprentices or went to universities.
20. The celebration before Lent was called Carnival, when people dressed in costume
to conceal their identity and be able to do what they really were not supposed to.
21.
Renaissance music became polyphonic (multiple sounds) and Opera was born.
22.
Devout Catholics who joined monasteries would spend their days
praying and working in other aspects for God.
23.
While some monks and nuns in monasteries lived very ascetic lives,
other monasteries were very wealthy and the nuns and monks did not live ascetic
lives.
24.
Many girls were sent to live in convents at a young age because the
girl’s father did not have enough money to provide a dowry for her,
but he had enough to make a contribution to the monastery.
25.
Bathing was a difficult chore and preparation took a very long time,
so most families bathed on the same night one after another and used
the same water.
26.
Many craftspeople and trades people ran their business on the first
floor of their homes and then lived on the other floors of the house.
27.
More than half of all Europeans did not live through childhood.
28.
Grapes and oil were the main crops grown in Italy.
29.
Women who were peasants sold their produce at the markets.
30.
Michelangelo sculpted the Pietà, still visible at St.Peter’s Basilica.