Renaissance Humanism

I. Defining the Renaissance

A. An ideal more than an era--1300s to 1600s

B. literally "rebirth" of ancient culture

C. spirit of humanism

1. focus on human creativity, knowledge and improvement

2. recovery of ancient culture (back to the future)

3. travel and exploration

II. Making the Renaissance in Italy

A. Rise of trade and wealth

B. Independent cities

1. competition to dominate cities and trade

2. competition to dominate Rome and Papacy

3. Italian cities create a ruling class of a different type

III. Social and Moral Outlook

A. Honor in Wealth

1. pride in worldly accomplishments

2. contrast with medieval tradition.

B. Embrace of knowledge as power

1. practical benefits of learning

2. the freshness of old knowledge

IV. Defining Humanism

A. focus on human creativity, knowledge and improvement

B. study of ancient culture

C. travel and exploration

V. Cultivating human excellence

A. Knowledge is power: the Renaissance Man

1. example from art: Bronzino's Young Man

B. Giovanni Pico della Mirandola's Oration on the Dignity of Man (1486)

1. humans can create their own destiny

C. Petrarch and Boccaccio pioneer new (old) literature

1. examples of the ancients as writers

2. studies in love

3. studies in greatness

4. studies in folly

D. Baldesar Castiglione's Book of the Courtier (1528)

1. value of learning for quality of life

2. value of learning for power

VI. Putting Knowledge to Use

A. Science

B. Realism in art

C. Realism in philosophy and politics

1. Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince (1513)