The Renaissance, Northern Renaissance, Printing, and the New Monarchies

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the lecture notes.

Renaissance

Period of rebirth of Greco-Roman thought and a shift toward humanism in Europe.

Context

The setting and circumstances in which an event occurs; helps explain its significance.

Dark Ages

Term used by 1400s scholars (Petrarch) to disparage the period before the Renaissance.

Medieval / Middle Ages

Pre-Renaissance era; shaped beliefs, scholasticism, and religious focus.

Vasari

Renaissance historian who coined the term Renaissance to mark the rebirth of classical thought.

Petrarch

Early humanist who criticized the past as the Dark Ages and promoted classical revival.

Catholic Church

Christian authority that dominated Europe; encouraged study of classics to understand God.

Greco-Roman classics

Ancient Greek and Roman literature valued as truth for understanding God and afterlife.

Scholasticism

Medieval method of learning that treated classical authorities as truth.

Humility

Christian virtue de-emphasizing individual vanity in favor of community.

Afterlife

Life after death; central goal in medieval Christian worldview.

Italy's location

Geography at the crossroads of trade; proximity to Greco-Roman ruins.

Italian wealth

Trade wealth that allowed patrons to support scholars and artists.

Renaissance humanism

Movement studying classics to understand human nature and potential.

Liberal arts

Core humanities studies: language, rhetoric, history, etc.

Humanities

Fields like language, literature, rhetoric, and history central to humanism.

Vernacular language

Everyday language used to publish works and foster identity.

Individualism

Celebration of individual achievement and virtù in Renaissance thought.

Virtù

Human ability to shape the world and influence others.

Donation of Constantine

Forged document used to justify papal power; exposed by critics.

Lorenzo Valla

Humanist who exposed the Donation of Constantine as a forgery.

On the Dignity of Man

Pico della Mirandola's work asserting human potential and worth.

Pico della Mirandola

Renaissance thinker who argued humans can choose their path.

Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini

Self-promoting Renaissance memoir illustrating individualism.

Self-portrait (Dürer)

Albrecht Dürer’s reflective portrait symbolizing Northern realism.

Mona Lisa

Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic portrait showcasing Renaissance artistry.

Dome of Florence

Brunelleschi’s dome; first major dome in western Europe since Rome.

Brunelleschi

Architect who built Florence Cathedral’s dome, reviving classical engineering.

The School of Athens

Raphael fresco showing Plato and Aristotle in a classical setting.

Plato

Classical philosopher featured in The School of Athens.

Aristotle

Classical philosopher featured in The School of Athens.

Single-point perspective

Artistic technique with a single vanishing point to create depth.

Medieval focus on afterlife

Emphasis on salvation and life after death in religious life.

Here and now

Renaissance emphasis on present life and worldly concerns.

Secularism

Emphasis on non-religious aspects of life and society.

The Prince

Machiavelli’s treatise on political power and statecraft.

Niccolò Machiavelli

Florentine political theorist who wrote The Prince.

Hamlet

Shakespearean tragedy reflecting human and secular themes.

Macbeth

Shakespearean tragedy highlighting political power and fate.

David (Michelangelo)

Michelangelo’s sculpture celebrating the ideal human form.

Michelangelo

Renaissance sculptor and painter who created David and the Sistine Chapel works.

Julius II

Pope who patronized Michelangelo; a major Renaissance patron.

The Sistine Chapel

Michelangelo’s ceiling fresco; symbol of papal authority and Renaissance art.

Medici family

Florentine patrons who funded artists and humanist scholars.

Raphael

Painter of The School of Athens; renowned for harmonious composition.

Civic humanism

Idea that educated elites should participate in government.

Classical styles

Renaissance revival of Greek/Roman proportion and forms.

Arches

Architectural element revived as part of classical style.

Domes

Curved roof structures revived in Renaissance architecture.

Proportion

Balanced, harmonious relationships in art and architecture.

Naturalism

Realistic portrayal of people and scenes in art.

Northern Renaissance

Renaissance movement in Northern Europe with emphasis on naturalism and daily life.

Pieter Brueghel the Elder

Northern Renaissance painter famous for everyday scenes.

Hunters in the Snow

Brueghel painting illustrating Northern realism and daily life.

Albrecht Dürer

German artist known for self-portraits and high-quality prints.

Self-portrait (Dürer)

Dürer’s self-representation showcasing self-awareness.

Vernacular literature

Literature written in local languages across Europe.

National identity

Shared language and culture that bind a people.

State building

Process of strengthening central authority and institutions.

Printing press

Invention enabling rapid reproduction of books and ideas.

Johann Gutenberg

Inventor of movable-type printing press in 1454.

Movable type

Individual letters can be rearranged to print different texts.

Block printing

Earlier printing method using carved blocks; predecessor to movable type.

Spread of Renaissance ideas beyond Italy

Printing and commerce spread Renaissance thinking across Europe.

Vernacular spread

Growth of works published in local languages.

New Monarchies

Strong, centralized monarchies after 1450 (France, England, Spain).

France

Example of a New Monarchy with centralized royal authority.

England

Example of a New Monarchy; Henry VII and Star Chamber.

Spain

Example of a New Monarchy; Reconquista and Catholic consolidation.

Centralized monarchy

Power concentrated under a single ruler.

Monopolized tax collection

State controls tax revenue via loyal officials.

Loyal bureaucrats

Officials who owe allegiance to the monarch.

Royal army loyal to king

Military force maintained by the crown.

Charles VII

French king who built a royal army and centralized power.

Henry VII

English king who used the Star Chamber to curb nobles.

Star Chamber

English court used to suppress noble power and enforce law.

Reconquista

Christian reconquest of Iberia combining politics and religion.

Jews and Muslims expelled from Spain

Expulsion following the Reconquista as part of religious consolidation.

Catholic identity in Spain

Spain’s national identity shaped by Catholicism post-Reconquista.

Patronage

Financial support of artists and scholars by rulers and churches.

Art as power

Art used to enhance a ruler’s legitimacy and prestige.

Julius II patronage

Pope’s support of Michelangelo and other artists to glorify Rome.

Synthesis of classical and Christian themes

Renaissance blending of pagan and religious subjects.

Renaissance architecture

Revival of classical architectural forms and proportions.

Proportion in Renaissance art

Careful balance of parts in painting and sculpture.

Naturalism in Northern art

Northern painters emphasized realistic everyday life.

Everyday life in the Northern Renaissance

Art focused on ordinary people and scenes.

The School of Athens as an artwork

Raphael's work representing ideal philosophy through classical arrangement.

Classical philosophers

Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle celebrated in Renaissance art.

Scholastic method vs textual criticism

Shift from accepting authorities to scrutinizing texts.

Greek New Testament

Erasmus’s edition of the New Testament in Greek; purer source.

Erasmus of Rotterdam

Dutch humanist who criticized church excesses and produced the Greek NT.

In Praise of Folly

Erasmus’s satirical critique of church corruption.

Donation of Constantine vs papal power

Understanding forged documents used to justify papal authority.

Fief

Feudal estate; a notion used in Donation of Constantine to justify power.

Textual criticism

Analyzing ancient texts to reconstruct original wording.

National identities via vernaculars

National unity built through common language and culture.

Revolution in literacy

Printing and vernacular publishing increased literacy.

Formation of nation-states

Emergence of centralized, sovereign states in Europe.

Artistic patronage as political tool

Patronage used to enhance rulers’ legitimacy and power.