The three main cities were
Milan
Venice
Florence

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Italian city-states

What are the roots of this new wealth?

The Crusades

A positive aspect of the Crusades was an increased interest in trade. Italy's location - in the middle of the Mediterranean - made it the best European region to begin this trade.
New economic concepts began with this increase in trade. Traders often needed Credit and this marks the beginning of the Banking Industry. Banks make their money by charging interest on the sum borrowed - this is called Usury. For this reason, bankers encouraged citizens to borrow more and more money making bankers like the Medici family extremely wealthy.
With the introduction of the Indo-Arabic number system, bookkeeping/accounting practices began.

Florence

The Medici Family

Perhaps the most signficant family during the Renaissance was the Medici Family. The Medici, like many wealthy people, controlled their city-state of Florence. Many Medici through the generations, not only ruled Florence, but many gained important positions in the Church, including the position of Pope. They were also considered some of the Arts most important patrons

Niccolo Machiavelli & The Prince

What is the significance of The Prince?

Machiavelli wrote what is considered to be one of the world's most important Political treatise (a work dealiing formally & systematically about a subject).
Machiavelli studied many different types of rulers and city-states within Italy. His work in The Prince contains many different suppositions on how ruler gets and keeps POWER. Some of his most famous quotes are...

“it is much safer to be feared than loved because ...love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.”

“…he who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived.”

Italian Renaissance Art

What inspired their work?

Renaissance artists typically looked to the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome to inspire their creations. There is a return to perspective- the creation of 3D imagery. This is often why this time period is called the Rebirth.

Unlike Medieval art that focused on Religious Art, Renaissance artists were interested in secular (non-religious) subjects as well.

All of these ideas are feueled by a new philosophy called Humanism - a focus on human potential and the greatness they can achieve. The "Father" of Humanism was an Italian poet named Francesco Petrarch - he wrote sonnets that professed his love for a woman named Laura.

Renaissance Artists

Leonardo Da Vinci & Michelangelo

Da Vinci was not only considered an artist but an inventor as well. His journals contained thousands of drawings - studying anatomy as well as coming up with inventions such as a machine that would mimic today's helicopters. His most famous paintings are the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

Michelangelo was both a painter and sculptor. He was commissioned by Pope Julius to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel located in the Vatican. His many panels depict different stories from the Bible. His other works include the statue of David - shephard boy turned Hebrew king and The Pieta - a dipiction of the Mother Mary holding the body of Jesus after his crucifixion.

• ​Primarily a Sculptor

• Lived in Florence

• His sculpture of David is as a young shephard boy.

Donatello

• ​Painter & Sculptor

• Most famous work is the School of Athens which honors the great Greeks and others who came before

Raphael

Northern Renaissance

How was the Northern Renaissance different from the Italian Renaissance?

Eventually, the ideas of the Italian Renaissance reached Northern Europe via the trade routes.
The Northern Renaissance combined the ideas of the Italian Renaissance with their strong Christian ideals forming what is known as Christian Humanism. Some of these ideas became the precursor to the Protestant Reformation and the creation of Protestant Churches

Countries included in the Northern Renaissance include Germany, the Netherlands, Flanders (Modern Belgium) Northern France & England

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Northern Renaissance

Northern Renaissance Art

How did art change in the North?

Northern Renaissance Art tended to focus on the everyday people rather than just important people or religious figures.

• ​Like his father, Holbein was famous for his portraits such as this one of King Henry VIII of England

Hans Holbein the Younger

• Flemish Painter

• One of his most famous works was the Arnolfini Marriage showing the expectant couple in their home.

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Jan Van Eyck

• German Painter & Printmaker

• In addition to paintings he was well-known for his woodcuts that were carved out of blocks of woed and then printed on paper

• This one is entitled"The Last Judgement"

Albrecht Durer

Humanist Writers

What made their works unique?

During the Humanist period, books are written to share ideas or to entertain, not just record history. The printing press - invented by the German, Johannes Gutenberg helps to begin a revolution of new ideas being spread as well as an increase in literacy. Writers begin to use their Vernacular (common language) in their book which will allow more and more people to read. Prior to this, most books were printed in Greek or Latin which was unknown to uneducated people. In fact, the first book Gutenberg printed was a copy of the Bible written in German.

• English writer and playwright

• Perhaps the most famous author of his time

• Wrote such classics as Romeo & Juliet and Julius Caesar
  

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William Shakespeare

• English Humanist

• Executed by "friend" Henry VIII over a disagreement

• Wrote famous book, Utopia - describes a perfect society based on Christian principles

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Sir Thomas More

• ​Dutch Christian Humanist

• Friend to Sir Thomas More

• Critical of the Catholic Church - forerunner to men like Martin Luther

• Wrote satrical book, In Praise of Folly

Desiderius Erasmus