Northern Renaissance and Reformation
Michelangelo's David
Symbolized: Represented Florence's republican ideals and strength against potential enemies, particularly the Medici family, symbolizing resistance against tyranny and the defense of liberty.
Symbolism: Reflected a civic ideal of strength, courage, and humanism, resonating deeply with Florentine citizens who saw David as a protector of their Republic.
Frescoes in the Great Council Chamber of Florence
Meaning: Depicted Florentine military victories and historical events, such as the Battle of Anghiari, reinforcing civic pride, collective memory, and the Republic's values.
Purpose: Served as propaganda to inspire patriotism, remind citizens of their history, and legitimize the government’s authority through visual storytelling.
Machiavelli’s Relationship with the Medici
Relationship: Initially served the Florentine Republic as a diplomat but was later associated with the Medici after their return to power, navigating complex political transitions.
Prediction: Likely faced periods of favor and disfavor depending on political circumstances, Medici rule, and his own evolving political thought, reflecting the turbulent nature of Florentine politics.
Sculpting of the Medici Tombs
Offer: A significant commission for the Medici Chapel in Florence despite Michelangelo's republican sympathies, demonstrating Medici patronage as a means of asserting their cultural influence.
Significance: Secured Michelangelo's financial stability and allowed artistic expression through innovative architectural and sculptural designs, irrespective of his personal political alignment.
Giovanni de Medici as Pope
Character: Known for his lavish lifestyle, political maneuvering, and patronage of the arts as Pope Leo X, embodying the opulence and secular interests of the Renaissance papacy.
Impact: Reflected the Renaissance papacy's secular interests and involvement in politics, leading to both cultural achievements and criticisms of corruption, which impacted the religious landscape and contributed to the Reformation.
Conditions for the Spread of Renaissance Ideas
Trade, geography, and social conditions played crucial roles in the dissemination of the Renaissance into Northern Europe, particularly Germany, fostering an environment conducive to intellectual exchange.
Significance of Trade in the Northern Renaissance
Trade Routes: Hanseatic, Venetian, and Genoese routes facilitated the movement of goods, people, and ideas, connecting diverse regions and cultures.
Germany's location in the center of Europe made it a crucial hub for the spread of new philosophies from Italy to France, the Low Countries, and England, acting as a conduit for Renaissance thought.
Medieval Trade Routes and Trade Fairs
Trade Routes: Served as conduits for the exchange of goods and new ideas, facilitating cultural diffusion and economic growth.
Commercial Centers: Towns holding fairs and Hanseatic towns were the principal nodes, serving as key hubs for mercantile activities and intellectual exchange.
Overland routes: Facilitated connections between various commercial centers.
Trade Network
Trade network connected England, Netherlands, Belgium, and Northern Italy, facilitating Renaissance ideas, promoting intellectual discourse and artistic innovation across borders.
Medieval European Trade Routes
Multiple trade routes crisscrossed Europe, fostering economic growth and cultural interaction, integrating disparate regions into a cohesive economic and cultural entity.
Hanseatic League
Goods, Wealth, Ideas: The Hanseatic League facilitated the spread of goods, wealth, and new ideas, contributing to economic prosperity and intellectual ferment in Northern Europe.
Northern Renaissance Regions
France, the Low Countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), and Germany.
Appeal of the Renaissance in Northern Europe
Connection to the Classics: Revived interest in ancient texts and philosophies, leading to renewed appreciation for classical learning and its relevance to contemporary society.
Humanism: Emphasis on human intellect and agency, promoting individual potential and contributions to society.
Science: Advancements in empirical observation and scientific inquiry, fostering a spirit of experimentation and discovery.
Education & Inquiry: Importance of education and critical thinking, cultivating intellectual curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge.
New Artistic Techniques: Introduction of techniques like perspective, influencing later Baroque art, transforming artistic expression and visual representation.
France and Leonardo da Vinci
King Francis I’s invitation: The King invited Leonardo to live in France near his palace, showing French patronage of Renaissance artists, fostering artistic innovation and cultural exchange.
Francis I’s purported feelings: Francis I purportedly held Leonardo in his arms when he died due to their close relationship, underscoring the personal bonds between patrons and artists.
Erasmus
Description: Preeminent Dutch scholar of Humanism born in Rotterdam.
Experience: Well-traveled and taught at Cambridge, discussing letters with Martin Luther using his translation of the New Testament from Greek into Latin, bridging classical scholarship with religious reform.
Universities
England: Oxford, Cambridge
Germany: Erfurt, Cologne, Wittenburg
France: The Sorbonne
Feudalism Decline
Post-Plague Environment: The post-plague environment and use of money over land caused the decline of feudalism, shifting economic structures and social hierarchies.
Growth of Freemen and Independent Nation State Monarchies: The emphasis on the growth of freemen and independent nation state monarchies reduced dependence on nobility, consolidating power and undermining feudal ties.
Obsolete Feudal Armies and Agricultural Productivity: Advancements in technology and agricultural productivity made feudal armies obsolete, transforming warfare and agricultural practices.
Pilgrimage
Regular pilgrimages from north of the Alps to Rome facilitated the transmission of cultural and artistic ideas, promoting cultural exchange and dissemination of artistic styles.
Medici Banks
Branches in the north: Conveyed the concept of patronage, producing high-profile art, thereby cultivating a sense of prestige associated with the patron’s brand, influencing artistic production and establishing cultural dominance.
Poland
Florentine artists moved to Poland at Polish king’s behest, which launched an artistic Renaissance in Krakow, enriching Polish culture with Italian artistic influences.
Northern Art vs Italian Renaissance Art
Northern art reflected Italian Renaissance ideas with a focus on everyday humans and events, using color/light and techniques like perspective to portray realism, adapting classical influences to local contexts.
Not as much obsession with the classics, but Renaissance ideals of Humanism still present, emphasizing human values and individual agency.
New use of light/dark contrast and new technique called engraving too, enhancing artistic expression and technical skill.
Vermeer
Vermeer is most famous for his study and use of light in his portraits to convey realism, mastering the art of capturing lifelike representations through nuanced illumination.
Northern artists painted religious themes, but were still humanist
Albrecht Durer was famous for his engravings but also engraved religious scenes, blending religious subject matter with humanist perspectives.
Northern Renaissance Art Analysis
New element introduced by the Northern Renaissance style: Focus on everyday behavior.
Showing how NOT to behave in society by focusing on everyday people, such as crude relationships, inappropriate dressing, and kids running lose, offering social commentary through artistic representation.
Pre-Gutenberg
Invention's absence: Anything that needed to be copied was done by hand; called illuminated manuscript.
Result: Very pretty but took a long time to make, limiting the production and dissemination of texts.
Pre-Gutenberg
Invention's absence: Used BLOCK BOOKS, but they took a long time to make and were fragile.
Result: Would sometimes only be able to be used for a specific book, restricting their versatility and widespread adoption.
How Gutenberg contribute to the Northern Renaissance
Invented INDIVIDUAL metal molds that have separate letters on them; they were RE-ARRANGEABLE.
Introduced the printing press (press stamps against paper).
Written works now produced at a faster pace with fewer errors, to put to the press the fastest, the BIBLE! 20 million were made!
Printing press
Current-day corollary is the internet
Impact of moveable type/printing press
The book that was put to the press the fastest THE BIBLE! 20 million were made!
Religious impacts: Christian ideas were spread more easily, and people felt that they could have a more direct connection to God because they could have a Bible in their homes! Not surprisingly, the Church didn’t love this!
Scientific impacts: People could privately acquire info (more education) which meant they could question/build off of scientific findings
The Creation of Lutheranism and Martin Luther
Background of Martin Luther: Martin Luther was a German monk and theologian born in 1483. He taught at the University of Wittenberg, where he lectured on the Bible.
Ninety-Five Theses: On October 31, 1517, Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Church, criticizing the sale of indulgences and questioning papal authority. This act is often seen as the start of the Reformation.
Core Beliefs: Luther's theology emphasized salvation through faith alone (sola fide), the Bible as the ultimate authority (sola scriptura), and the priesthood of all believers. He rejected the Catholic Church's sacramental system and papal supremacy.
Excommunication and Diet of Worms: In 1520, Pope Leo X condemned Luther's teachings, and in 1521, Luther was excommunicated. He was summoned to the Diet of Worms, where he refused to recant his beliefs, declaring, "Here I stand; I can do no other."
Spread of Lutheranism: Luther's ideas spread rapidly through the printing press. Several German princes supported him, providing political and military protection. Lutheranism became the state religion in many parts of Germany.
Impact on the Reformation: Luther's actions sparked the Protestant Reformation, leading to the emergence of