Humanism

1. Humanism Italian Humanism Northern (Christian) Humanism

2. Definition of Humanism • Both a program and a philosophy • Shifts intellectual emphasis off of theology to human achievement • Rediscovery of classical knowledge of Greece and Rome • Critical of the RCC – anti-clerical, not anti-God

3. Migration of Humanism • Starts in Italian city states • Migrates to northern Europe where it becomes a bit less-secular • In north- called Northern or Christian Humanism

4. Humanism and Education • Focused on human’s ability • Understand the universe and how it worked • Logic, grammar, astronomy, music, poetry, rhetoric, literature

5. Petrarch-Father of Renaissance • Poetry (Laura) • Use of vernacular • Collected Greek texts influenced by Cicero and Augustine • Believed only true study for humans was to study oneself.

6. Ficino • Founder of the Academy- religions could be related to each other– with Christianity the greatest • Defines a “Platonic relationship”– the highest form of friendship

7. Mirandola • Manifesto for Renaissance • Oration on the Dignity of Man • Centered on man’s capacity and human perspective • “human relation to the divine”

8. Valla • Linguistic studies • Found “Donation of Constantine” to be a forgery • Used Latin as evidence • Humans always act in their own self interests • Compared Latin Vulgate to Greek Bible ( was published by Erasmus)

9. Alberti • Civic humanism-humanistic education was to train leaders and promote the common good • Studied ancient architecture

10. Castaglione**** • The Courtier • defined the perfect man and woman • 4 sections-Music, classic languages, horsemanship/ hunting, goodness

11. Dante • Man is a rational animal and the world can be understood by human reason. • The Divine Comedy • Critical of the church • The church was not serving the spiritual needs of the people

12. Erasmus- Father of Humanism • Dutch Humanist • Praise of Folly • Italians humanists– spoke to upper class– Northern humanists spoke out against the civil, social and religious evils • New and accurate version o the Bible

13. Rabelias • French Humanist • Gargantua and Pantagruel • Satirizes society • Abuses of the church • Against hypocrisy

14. Sir Thomas More • English humanist • “Utopia” • Wants a planned and orderly economic climate • Felt governments were a conspiracy of the rich

15. Montaigne • Skeptic of humanism- condemned the formalism that humanism became in the 16 century • When reason fails– we resort to experience (forcasts the coming rise of science)

16. Status of the Artist • Artists were considered a free intellectual worker • Usually worked on commission from a powerful prince • Artist reputation depended upon the status of their sponsor • Most artists were apprenticed to older artists

17. Salaries and Commissions in Perspective • Ghilberti’s salary was 200 florins a year– it compared favorably to the head of city government • Da Vinci made 2000 florins annually. (a person could live princely on 300 florin a year) • Michaelangelo made 3000 ducats for the Sistine Chapel- he refused a commission payment for St. Peter’s Basilica. HE DIDN”T NEED IT!!! (No I don’t know the conversion!!)

18. Artists in summary: • Artists were considered genius and divine (an indication that the attitudes in the Middle Ages – only God can create was changing to include man as genius and creator.) I’M DONE!!!