Overview of the Italian Renaissance (1400-1650)

Renaissance

Cultural movement meaning 'rebirth' in Europe.

Florence

City where the Renaissance began around 1400.

Patronage

Support from wealthy individuals for artists.

Medici Family

Powerful banking family, major patrons of arts.

Humanism

Focus on human potential and achievements.

Secularism

Emphasis on worldly rather than religious matters.

Individualism

Valuing individual over collective or religious identity.

Dante Alighieri

Early Renaissance thinker, known for 'Divine Comedy.'

Rene Descartes

Philosopher known as the father of modern philosophy.

Cogito, ergo sum

Descartes' principle meaning 'I think, therefore I am.'

Marco Polo

Venetian merchant who traveled across Asia.

Copernicus

Astronomer who proposed heliocentric universe model.

Galileo Galilei

Improved telescope and supported Copernican theory.

Printing Press

Invented by Gutenberg, revolutionized information dissemination.

Masaccio

First great painter of the Italian Renaissance.

Donatello

Influential sculptor known for marble statue 'David.'

High Renaissance

Period marked by peak artistic achievement in Italy.

Julius II

warrior Pope known for military campaigns and art patronage.

Leo X

Medici pope, significant patron of Renaissance artists.

Gothic Architecture

Style labeled as barbaric by Renaissance thinkers.

Silk Road

Trade route connecting Europe and Asia.

Scientific Discoveries

Challenged church doctrines during the Renaissance.

Christopher Columbus

Discovered the Americas in 1492.

Furnishings

Luxurious items reflecting Renaissance ideals of beauty.

Classical Forms

Architectural elements like columns and pediments.

Elaborate Interiors

Richly decorated spaces reflecting Renaissance aesthetics.

Magnificence

Quality of being grand or impressive.

Banking

Financial system that flourished during the Renaissance.

Fra Angelico

15th-century painter known for serene religious works.

Piero della Francesca

Painter and mathematician noted for geometric forms.

Andrea Mantegna

Known for realistic figures and large paintings.

Sandro Botticelli

Florentine painter famous for 'The Birth of Venus'.

Giovanni Bellini

Pioneer in natural light portrayal in painting.

Leonardo da Vinci

Polymath known for art, science, and invention.

Raphael Sanzio

Admired for clarity and Neoplatonic ideals in art.

Michelangelo Buonarroti

Influential sculptor and painter of the High Renaissance.

Cinquecento

High Renaissance period from 1500 to 1600.

Baroque

Art style characterized by dramatic expression and grandeur.

Rococo

Ornate style emphasizing elegance and decorative arts.

Andrea Palladio

Architect known for classical principles and villas.

Villa Rotonda

Famous villa designed by Andrea Palladio.

Quattro Libri

Palladio's influential treatise on architecture.

Renaissance Garden

Formal gardens featuring geometric designs and sculptures.

Coffered Ceilings

Ceilings with sunken panels, often decorated.

Della Robia

Artist known for light blue terra-cotta plaques.

Naturalism

Art style focusing on realistic representation of subjects.

Gothic/Renaissance Transitional Style

Style bridging Gothic and Renaissance architectural elements.

Florentine Renaissance

Artistic movement centered in Florence during Renaissance.

Venetian Artistic Milieu

Cultural environment influencing Venetian Renaissance artists.

Altar Pieces

Artworks created for display on altars.

Perspective

Technique for creating depth in two-dimensional art.

Geometric Forms

Shapes used to create structure and balance in art.

Serene Humanism

Artistic approach reflecting calm and rational human experience.

Classical Influence

Artistic style inspired by ancient Greek and Roman culture.

Terra-cotta Plaques

Ceramic artworks featuring relief ornamentation.

Pilasters

Flat-faced projections resembling column details.

Niche

Recess in the wall for decoration or function.

Checker Patterns

Inlaid tile designs featuring alternating colors.

Terrazo

Flooring material made from crushed marble and cement.

Loggia

Room with open area or colonnade on one side.

Cassone

Decorated chest used for storage and dowries. The most important pleceyost KRenalssance furniture was a hinged chest or storage box

cassoni

were passed from one generation to the next and many have survived. Great ingenuity

was applied to their ornamentation. Very popular at the beginning of the period was a classic

architectural framework adorned with pediments, cornices, and moldings. Paintings of battle

scenes, religious scenes, and Roman triumphs were included, along with friezes, swags of fruit,

and flowers in gilt gesso. Later, carved and polished walnut cassoni became popular and some

emulated antique sarcophagi, sypported on lion'-paw feet and derated with carved foliage or

scenes from classical mythology

Cassapanca

Marriage chest with storage under the seat.

Intarsia Designs

Inlaid patterns using colored woods and materials.

Sedia

Square chair with low stretchers and ornamented back.

Finials

Decorative ornaments on furniture and chandeliers.

Sgabello

Light wooden chair used for dining.

Certosina

Ivory inlay technique used in furniture decoration.

Savonarola Chair

Curved slat chair named after a historical monk.

Dante/ dantesque Chair

Heavily ornamented chair with cloth or leather seat. Also called X-chair, Savonardiaesq chair, or Dante chair supported by two crossed and curved

supports either at the sides or at the back and front. Because of its basic simplicity, it is one of

the oldest forms of chair or stool, with examples reaching back to the 2nd millennium be.

Italian Credenza

Dining sideboard with display cabinets and marble top. the tasting of food

and drinks by a servant for a lord or other important person (such as the pope or a cardinal) in

order to test for poison. The name may have passed then to the room where the act took place,

then to the furniture. is a dining room sideboard, particularly one where a central cupboard is

flanked by glass display cabinets, and usually made of burnished and polished wood

credence

Originally in Italian the name meant belief or trust

Letto

Italian word for bed, derived from Latin.

Oriental Rugs

Decorative textiles used occasionally in interiors.

Mantles

Ornamental structures above fireplaces.

Furniture Arrangement

Placement of furniture reflecting social habits.

High-relief Carving

Carving technique emphasizing depth and detail.

Upholstered Seats

Seats covered with fabric for comfort.

Wall Composition

Arrangement of furniture and art on walls.

Marquetry

Decorative inlay technique using different woods.

Pastiglia Designs

Bas-relief designs made from plaster over fabric.

Horizontal Lines

Design element emphasized in furniture styles.

Elaborate Patterns

Complex designs popular in flooring after 1600.

Social Interaction

Increased emphasis on comfort and gathering.

Furniture Ornaments

Decorative elements enhancing furniture aesthetics.