Renaissance midterm

Cimabue

(1240-1302) was an Italian painter who designed Florentine mosaics. His works were influenced by designs from Byzantium, but he distinguished himself from them. His bodies were more realistically proportional to what actual humans were like. He used more shading. Cimabue was the teacher of Giotto. Cimabue made the Crucifix painting at Arezzo. It dates back to roughly 1270 and it's considered one of the earliest works that is out of sync with the Byzantine style. Cimabue also made the mosaics at the Baptistry of San Giovanni in Florence.

Leonardo Bruni

(1370-1444) an Italian humanist, historian and statesman, recognized as the most important humanist historian of the early Renaissance, often called the first modern historian. He was the earliest person to write using the three-period view of history: antiquity, middle ages, and modern.

Caterina Sforza-Riario

(1463-1509) the illegitimate daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza and his mistress Lucrezia. She was raised in the refined Milanese court as an Italian noblewoman and she was the Countess of Forli and Lady of Imola. She had a militant/forceful personality. She experimented in alchemy; she liked to hunt and dance. She outlived two husbands and ended up marrying three times total and had children with all three. In March, 1499, Pope Alexander VI delegitimized Caterina's (along with others) rank as a feudal lord. She resisted and put up a fight. She personally trained a militia and deployed military tactics to defend her fortress. She also recruited her fighters. Her successful defense against the Venetian militia is what landed her with the nickname of "La Tigre."

Marsilio Ficino

---- was an talian philosopher, theologian, linguist, and humanist. He translated the works of Plato and other Greek writings into latin, with the patronage of Cosimo de' Medici. With the sponsorship of Cosimo, Ficino establish the Florentine Academy (or Platonic Academy) through which he reintroduced the philosophy of Plato.

Trinità

----- known as The Trinity, is located in Santa Maria Novella in Florence and was painted sometime between 1425-1428. It is the painting where the first instance of a completely realized use of single-point perspective in the history of painting. The painting is of the figure of God with his arms outstretched standing behind the crucified Christ, with a dove representing the Holy Spirit hovering above Christ's head. On either side of Christ are two saints : the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist; beneath them are a man and a woman who are the two donors who commissioned the work. It is a "painfully realistic image of Christ suspended in what seems to be a three-dimensional space. Masaccio intentionally draws us into this painting

merchant guilds

----- were small groups of wealthy individuals who had ruling power during the Renaissance. Often they were producers or traders of certain goods and services such as wool, banking, woodworking, silk, and other precious materials. These guilds built massive amounts of wealth through the new trade passage on both land and throughout the Mediterranean Sea

Michelozzo

------ (1396-1472) was an architect and painter who studied under Lorenzo Ghiberti and did a lot of projects for Cosimo il Vecchio, such as Palazzo Medici (present day name: palazzo medici-riccardi) and the library at San Marco, which was the first "public" library in Florence and had over 1,000 books. He later worked on additions to Santa Croce (Florence) and collaborated with Donatello on the sacristy of Santa Trinita (Florence).

Lippi, Filippo

------ (1406-1469) was a painter closely tied to the patron Cosimo de Medici, who comissioned multiple works to decorate the Palazzo dei Medici. He recieved his artistc training after taking vows as a friar, but later left the Church to marry a nun, Lucrezia Buti (Cosimo used his connections to the Pope to get Lippi a dispensation). His paintings are generally of religious subjects, especially the Virgin Mary, and his most well-known works are the frescoes that decorate the Cathedral of Prato. He trained the artists Filippino Lippi (his son) and Sandro Botticelli.

Duccio

------ (active 1278-1318) was part of the Sienese school of Art in the early trecento. He was a Contemporory of Giotto who developed is own distinctive manner. His style incorportated the old Byzintine style with formal poses and gold backgrounds but also infused his innovative use of color and delicate human expressions. His masterpiece was the Maestà that we saw in class that included the Virgin Mary with angels, saints, and martyrs and then includes panels depicting scenes from the bible.

St. George (Donatello)

------ is a marble statue by Donatello created for the Florentine guild of armorers and sword makers. It sits in the guild's niche at Orsanmichele [there is a copy there today, the original is at the Bargello]. St George, the patron saint of the armorer's guild, was commonly depicted as a military figure. Donatello's St. George stands tall with a confident posture. He holds his shield in front of him with its small base touching the ground, almost as if he could move the shield at any moment, showing a sense of readiness to combat. Both of St George's legs support his weight, even though the front of his left foot is not completely planted on the ground, but instead partially hangs off the front of the base. Donatello intended this posture to appear immovable, stable and defensive. St George's head is slightly turned to his left, with a mouth barely opened, eyes looking up and to his left (rather than directly in front of him), and a wrinkled brow. Like his stance, the concentration in his facial expression also signifies courage and fortitude.

Lorenzetti, Ambrogio Allegory and Effects of good and bad government

------ was said to have reached the peak of Sienese School with these frescos. It is painted on the walls of the council chamber where priors met in the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena. The first fresco depicts what goes into a good government. We see Peace, Fortitude, Prudence, Hope, Magnanimity, Temperance, Widsom, Concordia, and Justice (twice). The next two pictures for the good government allegory show the effects out in Siena. We see things like teacher and students, shopkeepers doing business and woman dancing in the street. He also depicted the countryside doing well and thriving. The next frescos depicts what a bad government consists of and the effects it has. It consists of Pride, Greed, Tyranny, Vainglory, Cruelty, Treason, Fraud, Frenzy, Divisiveness, War adn then Justice tied up dead. The city scene shows destroyed walls, people getting arrested, and other terrible things and the countryside shows a barren destroyed landscape.

le arti - corporate guilds

------ were organizations of merchants that oversaw a specific trade or profession. They originally started out as Confraternities (Religious Organizations) and in many cases were required by law. Flornece was composed of 21 guilds: 7 major guilds, 5 middle guilds, and 9 minor guilds. These guilds were responsible for the stable economy of Florence during this time because they controlled trade, limited competition, and provided essential goods and services to their city. Guilds were also huge patrons of the arts as seen by the sculptures surrounding Orsanmichele, the construction of Ospedali degli innocenti, and also "the gates of paradise".

Fra (Beato) Angelico

------(c. 1395-1455) (beatified in the 20th century - so also called Beato Angelico in present day) was a friar at San Marco (Dominican church in Florence), where he did many fresco paintings--one in each cell and an altarpiece for Cosimo il Vecchio, and many other religious works. In class we also looked at "The Healing of Justinian by Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian" (1438-40 tempera on wood) and "The Burial of Saints Cosmas & Damian" (1439), two of the scenes from the predella of the San Marco altarpiece, commissioned by Cosimo. Dedicated to religious art.

Giotto

------- was most likely born in Florence in 1265 to a blacksmith named Bondone. Giotto was trained by the artist Cimabue, who discovered Giotto drawing pictures of a sheep on a rock and believed the young boy had a talent for the arts. Giotto married in 1290 and had four daughters and four sons (one of who became a painter). He worked in Florence, Rome, and Rimini but is best known for his work on the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua. In Giotto's work he moves away from stylized and elongated forms and instead creates figures that are more three dimensional and lifelike. He also advanced the techniques of drapery to create more naturally hung cloth that shows the human figure. Some other famous Giotto works include Lamentation, the Ognissanti Madonna and the Bardi Chapel at Santa Croce.

De vulgari eloquentia

-------- is treatise written in Latin by Dante Alighieri in 1303-1305. In this he explains why the Italian vernacular is a worthy literary language and encourages creating new vocabulary, though he does acknowledge some of the weaknesses of Florentine dialect compared to Latin. Even though Dante's goal in writing De vulgari eloquentia was to establish the Italian vernacular in order to make literature more accessible, he wrote it in Latin to appeal to the top scholars of his time.

De familia

-------- was written by Alberti (1433-4) and comprised of three books. It was his 1st treatise. He wrote about how people should behave in a domestic setting. He wrote about familial roles such as the subservient role of the wife, the role of husbands, etc.

Vita nova

-------- was written by Dante around 1292 and is an autobiographical book in the Italian vernacular. The book is in the Medieval genre of courtly love, and Dante writes for and about his muse Beatrice. He explores the nature of love, discussing his love from the very first time he saw her to his extensive mourning and sadness after her death. He talks about the forms of love, from the more lowly physical and earthly form he experienced when he was young, to its metaphysical and transformative form he experienced as he grew older and wiser.

Alberti, Leon Battista

---------- (1404-1472) was an Italian humanist and artist. He was the first universal genius who could "do everything" (math, art, architecture, writing, etc). He is the writer who documented Brunelleschi's linear perspective / vanishing point technique. He wrote a short autobiography, De Familia, De Pictura, De Statua, and De Re Aedificatoria. He designed the facade of the Palazzo Rucellai. He also designed the Basilica di Sant'Andrea in Mantua, but died a year after its construction began. Additionally, he designed the upper facade of the Santa Maria Novella. he was not involved in the actual construction of his designs (unlike Brunelleschi).

Laura Cereta

------was a Renaissance scholar, feminist, and writer who lived from 1469-1499. She wrote letters throughout her adult life and the content of the letters formed the basis of feminism that surfaced during the Englighenment. She was educated at the covent until she was forced to come home and then she was taught by her father. She had a passion for learning and was known for her excellent Latin. She strongly believed that all human beings are born with a right to education and that women have a purpose in society.

Brunelleschi, Filippo

1377-1446; friend of Donatello who accompanied him to Rome; trained as a goldsmith and sculptor; participated in the Baptistry door competition and lost to Ghiberti; turned to architecture and built the cupola, or dome, on Florence's cathedral; also designed the Ospedale degli Innocenti; invented single-point perspective

St. Bernardino of Siena

1380-144 - He belonged to the order of "frati minori". He used to say the mass in open spaces because the churches were not big enough to contain all the people who wanted to hear him speak. He gave Christian value to women and the important work the perform as mothers and keper of the household.

Ospedale degli Innocenti

1419. Was the first public [civic/ city-run] /non-church orphanage. The building had a round table where babies could be dropped off 24 hours a day. The building was designed to mimic the images Brunelleschi had sketched of Roman buildings. It feature rounded arches and perfect perspective [geometry?/symmetry/ balance]. For example, the colums outlined a perfect square and the arch/semi-circle was exactly half of on sqaure and if it were completed it could be percectly circumscribed inside a square.

Burckhardt, Jacob

1818-1897) 19th century Swiss historian. Wrote "The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy" in 1860 which first brought the term "Renaissance" into popular use. Described the city-states as "state as a work of art" 1) Development of the Individual 2) The Revival of Antiquity 3) Discovery of the World and of Humanity 4) Equalization of Society with Festivals and Common Culture 5) Immoral and Irreligious Age.

canto

A '---- or 'song' is a smaller poetic division 9similar to a chapter) of a canticle, which are divisions of a larger poem. Dante's Divine Comedy was divided into 100 cantos in 3 canticles (Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso). The 3 canticles are broken up into 33 cantos each, Inferno has the addition of canto 1 which acts as a prologue giving The Divine Comedy 100 cantos in total.

fresco

A ----- is a type of technique used for painting. It is used in many paintings during the from the Trecento period and Renaissance times. There is many steps to the technique but it involves making plaster and applying in to the wall and before it dries one paints onto the wet plaster. This causes the paint to actually become part of the plaster and wall which makes these types of painting very durable and able to last thousands of years.

terza rima

A form of poetry first used by Dante, using an iambic pentameter and rhyming scheme: ABA, BCB, CDC, DED, etc. No limit to the length of the poem, as long as each stanza has three lines and it follows the rhyming pattern.

predella

A predella is comprised of additional narrative scenes in painting or sculpture below the main frame of an altarpiece. They are significant because the artist had more freedom and the development of historical narrative or stories became more evident in the predella. An example of a predella in sculpture is the scene below Donatello's St. George, of st. George defeating the dragon in schiacciato relief (see both St. George above and schiacciato below). Predella scenes we saw in painting include the Sts.Cosmas and Damiano stories which were two of seven scenes in the predella of the Beato Angelico's San Marco altarpiece.

Papal States

A swath of land (mostly in central Italy - Lazio, Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo) which was directly governed by the Pope. The borders were constantly changing as loyalties changed.

Humanism

A system of thought that emphasizes the potential of the human being, science, logic, and nature. It was not in opposition to Christian religion and the divine, but sought out the humanity of the Christian stories and the biblical figures, and focused on that bit of the divine in all humans (the rational mind, and becoming your best version of yourself in all things). Human needs and the needs of society have priority over everything else. Humanism deviates from the theocentric medieval philosophy but is more akin to ancient Greek and Roman philosophies and ideals. Decimation by the plague allowed for new systems of thought such as this Humanism to thrive.

De pictura

A treatise written by Italian humanist and artist Leon Battista Alberti. This treatise is on art. This was aimed to describe the arts through geometry. Inspired by the order and beauty inherent in nature, his groundbreaking work sets out the principles of distance, dimension and proportion; instructs the painter on how to use the rules of composition, representation, light and color to create work that is graceful and pleasing to the eye; and stipulates the moral and artistic pre-requisites of the successful painter.

Gemistus Pletho

Also called Plethon, he was born in 1355 (Constantinople) and died in 1450. He was a Byzantine philosopher and scholar who helped to clarify the distinction between Platonic and Aristotelian thought and even helped determine the philosophical orientation of the Italian Renaissance. Plethon served as theologian with the Byzantine delegation (see council of ferrara/Florence) to unite the Latin and Greek churches though he was more concerned with the advancement of Neoplatonic philosophy rather than religious conflicts

The Great Schism

Also known as the Western Schism or Papal Schism refers to rival claims to the papacy that divided the church which lasted from 1378-1417. Popes were established in Avignon and Rome. Another pope was elected in an ecumenical council in Pisa, which makes for three popes. The council of constance resolves the conflict as the three current popes were recalled and a completely new one appointed. Popes/Antipopes: Clement VII (Avignon), Urban VI (Rome),Alexander V (at the Pisan council)

Divina Commedia

Also known as the-------, this work written by Dante is a long narrative poem written in Italian and is considered to be one of the greatest works of literature in the world. The work is divided into three major sections [or canticos - each divided cantos or 'songs' (chapters)] inferno(hell) [prologue + 33 cantos], purgatorio(purgatory) [33 cantos], and paradiso(heaven) [33 cantos = 100 total] and is an imaginary journey through these three realms. It is the first significant text written in the Italian vernacular and is written in terza rima. Terza rima is an interlocking three-line rhyme scheme invented by Dante.

Schiacciato relief

Also referred to as stiacciato (a shallow or flattened relief), In a relief sculpture the sculpted elements remain attached to the background of the same material. in a high relief (think roman sarcophagus, or the pulpits of Giovanni and Nicola Pisano) the figures project far beyond the surface. Schiacciato (flattened) reliefs are shallow, almost etched in to the background. Compositionally speaking, relief sculpture is more similar to painting. Donatello was famous for his abilities and was really the inventor of schiacciato reliefs. For example his Feast of Herod relief in marble, or even the same subject in bronze (Siena)

altarpiece

An ------ is a work of art such as a painting or sculpture that represents a religious moment. They are found above or behind altars in the Church. [often comprised of several panels diptych - 2 panels, triptych - 3 panels, polyptych - many panels - MD] Artists used altarpieces to showcase their skills. Often times, highly esteemed families would pay artist to create ------- in the churches they funded. Most times they contained the stories of Christ.

Ghiberti, Lorenzo

An Italian sculptor and artist born in Florence. Son of a goldsmith so growing up ---- was trained by his father and became a very skilled goldsmith. As his life went on and the plague ripped through Florence, ---- left the city and went to Rimini where he received schooling in sculpting, painting, and other artistic skills. -----'s depth and visually advanced style of art was something that was a big part of the Rennaissance era. He combined the linear perspective of the Medevil time period with the expressive nature of the Rennassiance to give great depth in his works. This style of perspective he used many of his pieces had never been seen before. Ghiberti is best known for the North doors of the Baptistery and the influences he had on other artists when it comes to visual optics and the different perspectives you can take within a piece

manuscripts

Ancient ----- represented knowledge that had been lost to Medieval scholars, hidden away and preserved in monasteries. During the Renaissance, many humanists devoted themselves to uncovering manuscripts in order to unlock knowledge from the past. Petrarch was particularly obsessed with finding the Letters of Cicero. Many important manuscripts written in Latin and Ancient Greek were discovered by humanists in the 1400s. Book hunters like Niccolo Niccoli and Poggio Bracciolini devoted their lives to finding and copying lost manuscripts. Niccoli's collection was bequeathed to Cosimo il Vecchio and formed the basis for the collection for the library of San Marco commissioned by Cosimo in 1437. Manuscripts were leather-bound books, whose pages were made of parchment or vellum (from the skins of animals), they were written by hand, as the printing press had not yet been invented. Later, with inovations in paper- production, paper will replace the parchment. Books were considered precious objects and were often embellished with illuminations - painted decorations, and sometimes the covers were encrusted with gemstones.

desco da parto

Birth tray- important symbolic gift given to mother when a baby was born successfully. They did not need to be commissioned, were made in workshops, often showed scenes of mothers after childbirth or little kids.

Rucellai, Giovanni

Born 1475 in Florence and died 1525. He was a humanist, poet, and man of letters, from a family of wealthy wool merchants. He was known as one of the wealthiest men in Florence; his relations include both the Strozzi and Medici families. He was also very well known as a patron of the arts, most noticeably as Alberti's patron. He commissioned the facade of Santa Maria Novella (Rucellai's name is writtern across the front of the building in huge letters). He also commissioned Alberti to design his city palace, Palazzo Rucellai and it's loggia, as well as his own tomb which he called the 'santo sepolcro' (holy sepulchre)

Lucrezia Tornabuoni

Born into a powerful noble family, ------ (1427-1482) married Piero de Medici in 1444, which further increased her political influence. She was well-educated in classical learning, and made sure that the same was true of her children. she played a role in the political activity of the family as a representative of her sick husband and an advisor to her son, Lorenzo, often travelling alone and meeting foreign dignitaries, which was unusual for a woman at the time. She also wrote poetry and plays, and was an important patron of the arts.

The Craftsman's Handbook

Cennino Cennini a late gothic Florentine painter, who used techniques similar to Giotto, is the author of this libro di bottega of (workshop book). Written in 15th century Florence, it shows the secrets and techniques of Cennini's workshop. It is meant to pass on the techniques and secrets of the trade to the aprentices. It is a book on methods, techniques, and styles of the medieval artist. It includes the instructions on fresco technique (how to prepare the intonaco [plaster], how to mix colors, etc), as well as the first known explanation of the technique of painting with egg tempera. It is still an important source for artists today.

Old Sacristy/San Lorenzo

Comissioned by Cosimo "il Vecchio" in 1421. The space was initially only used as a place for priests to get ready for mass, but it eventually baceme the resting place of numerous Medici. It is ripe with sybolism featuring many mystic numbers. For example, the dome is made of 12 components representing the 12 apostles. There are four [roundels by] Donatello representing the four [evangelists who wrote the four] gospels [of the New Testament]. The building itself is separated into three layers.

Commentarii (Ghiberti)

Completed in about 1447, Ghiberti's -------- is composed of three books. The first book, reflecting Renaissance humanist interests, discusses art in ancient times, where Ghiberti draws from sources of classical authors that wrote on this subject. The second book discusses art from the recent past as well as Ghiberti's own achievements, namely the bronze doors for the Baptistery of San Giovanni. This signifies the first artist's autobiography. The third book discusses artistic topics related to optics and perspective.

David (Donatello)

Considered one of Donatello's most famous works, this bronze sculpture was commissioned by Cosimo de'Medici for the Palazzo Medici courtyard somewhere between 1430 and 1440. This work was part of the resurgence of nude sculpture in the round and depicts the biblical scene of David's victory over the giant Goliath. In this sculpture, David is seen wearing only a hat and knee length sandals with his left foot pressing down upon Goliaths severe head and a sword at his side. In the original story, David uses his slingshot to strike down Goliath and then decapitates the giant with his own sword. David was often depicted as a king in past works but here he is depicted not only nude but also as a youth giving the figure an air of innocence.

Palazzo Medici

Cosimo the Elder commissioned Michelozzo to design the------, and it was built from 1444-84. Michelozzo was influenced by Brunelleschi who used Classical Roman principles in his designs. The solid, geometric structure of the palace represents Renaissance ideals of rationality and order. The palace is also known for its stone masonry techniques that lead the eye upwards towards the building's cornices.

North doors of Baptistery (Ghiberti)

Created by Ghiberti, these doors were created as a result of a contest that was commisioned by the Bapistery that came to a clash of Ghiberti and Brunelleschi as the final two contestents. The orginal task of the creators was to design the doors from the Old Testament but transitioned to being based off the New Testament. The competition between Ghiberti and Brunelleschi was a battle of who can depict the sacrifice of Issac bettwen which Ghiberti ended up winning. Both the doors and the pieces of the Sacrifice of Issac remain on display today

contrapasso

Dante Alighieri (In his Inferno) devises a system of ------; in which the "punishment fits the crime". For example, the lustful on earth were incessently blown and battered by powerful winds. The suicides, who had willfully stripped themselves of their earthly lives, are turned into trees where branches are painfully ripped off. Thus, the contrappasso is referring to the punishment of souls by a process resembling or contrasting the sin itself.

Beatrice

Dante's original muse, the character of ----- is supposedly based off a girl that grew up with Dante and was his crush. also the giver of blessings and a main character in Dante's cantos including sending Virgil to save Dante.

Donatello

Donato di Niccolo di Betto Bardi, nicknamed Donatello was the greatest Italian sculptor of his generation. At an early age Donatello took special interest in scultping and was an appretience of some medevil sculptors and quickly mastered their gothic styles. Donatello was commisioned to do many works throughout his life time but his most famous work was the statue of David. Donatello had close ties to the Medici family and they commisioned him to do a sculpture for them. The staue of David stands 5 feet tall and is best known for the attention to detail Donatello puts on the human body. Each limb was carfully constructed and this depiction of the body was a key theme of the italian Rennaissance as the human body gained importance. People still to this day write about the works and life of Donatello and his works are still on display today.

Federico da Montefeltro

Duke of Urbino (1422-1482) known as "il lume d'Italia" (the light of Italy). Duca ----- was a condottiero, a Humanist scholar, a just leader, patron of the arts and sciences, and an avid bibliophile (owned one of the biggest collections of books in his day.) Montefeltro earned many honors as a successful condottiero of the Renaissance and was lord of Urbino until his death. He also helped contribute greatly to turning Urbino into a cultural and intellectual center. He was nicknamed the light of Italy for his contributions to enlightened culture and provoking some of the key aspects of the Renaissance. Artists at his court were (painters) Piero della Francesca, Giovanni Santi (Raphael's father) Melozzi da Forli`, Justus of Ghent, Pedro Berruguete, and architect Luciano Laurana. Succeeded by his son Guidobaldo.

Gonfaloniere

During the Renaissance, the ------ was a person who held an important and particular position in the Florentine (among other papal states) city government. In Florence, the Gonfaloniere was actually called the Gonfaloniere di Giudizia (Gonfalonier of Justice), and was meant to protect the interests of the people. The holder of this position was therefore the most prominent member of the Signoria, which was essentially the dominant ruling system throughout much of reniassiance Italy.

Council of Ferrara/Florence

Ecumenical Council of the Eastern and Western churches that had been convened in the city of Ferrara in 1348. Delegations from the east and west met to discuss matters of religious dogma, and more importantly the impending threat of the Ottoman Turks that were advancing toward the West and threatening the capital of the Orthodox Empire, Constantipole. After a plague breaks out in 1439 threatening the delegation, Cosimo de' Medici offers to foot the bill and moves everyone to Florence, thereby, bolstering his city and it's economy, but also creating important political ties with the papacy and the eastern Empire. Along with the delegation, there were scores of scholars, philosophers, theologians, etc. Cosimo wanted to learn from these enlightened individuals, and invited many to stay in Florence to teach, in particular, ancient Greek and the works of Plato and other philosophers.

John Paleologus

Emperor of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Christian). Accompanied by Eastern Church Patriarch Joseph II and other Platonic scholars, he met with Pope Eugenius IV in an Ecumenical Council in 1439. The council was prompted by pressure from Turkish advances. It was an attempt to resolve the schism between the Western and Eastern churches over various doctrinal matters. Council moved to Florence at Cosimo di Medici's insistence when a plague struck Ferrara. Cosimo included the portrait of the Emperor as one of the three kings from the East, in the Cavalcade of the Magi, in the Medici's private family chapel.

Tempio Malatestiano

English translation: Malatesta Chapel) A burial chapel in Rimini Italy for the Malatesta family. Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta was the condottiero of Rimini as well as a patron of the arts. The chapel was originally the gothic church of San Francesco and renovated by Leon Battista Alberti in 1446. Construction stopped at the death of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta in 1448 and remains unfinished. On the interior, there is a relief by Agostino Duccio and Bernardo Ciuffagni. Gemistus Pletho, a Constantinople-born philosopher, inspired the Neo-Platonic iconography of the church and is buried on the right side of the building.

Palazzo Rucellai

Form: -3 levels (like classical) -round arches Content: -3 levels: each different column style -built around courtyard -levels around divided by entablatures with frieze -Medici and Rucellai symbol in frieze -humanism: domestic architecture Function: -show allegiance to Medici -civic pride -beautiful city -residences and businesses -show their good taste Context: -architect: Leon Battista Alberti -1450 CE Florence, Italy -Giovanni Rucellai commissioned it -Early Italian Renaissance

The Sforza family

Francesco I Sforza (1401-1466) received the title of Duke of Milan upon his marriage with Bianca Maria, Duke Filippo Maria Visconti's only heir. He was a well-liked condottiero and an ally of Cosimo de Medici. The Sforza family ruled Milan until 1515 when Francis I of France advanced into Milan and imprisoned Maximilian Sforza, the last Sforza Duke of Milan. The Sforza family also ruled Pesaro during the 15th century up until 1512. The Sforza family also had significant political and ecclesiastical power in the Papal States. Caterina Sforza (a topic on this Google Doc) was an illegitimate child of the Sforza family.

Petrarca, Francesco

Francesco Petrarca was a scholar, author, poet, and one of the "tre corone" of the Italian vernacular, who was born in Arezzo and lived from 1304-1374, travelling a lot during his lifetime. He wrote many works in Latin, as well as some in Italian, and was an early humanist with a love for the classics. Many of his poetic works reference his muse Laura, and his works show a new trend towards authors expressing and writing about feelings and emotions.

Vasari, Giorgio

Giorgio Vasari was an italian painter, writer, architect, and historian. One of his many works includes "Lives of the Artists," in which he presents biographies of many other famous renaissance figures, including Alberti and Da Vinci. Vasari was important to the renaissance because he was one of the first to chronicle the lives of his fellow artists, and is therefore known by some as the "first art historian".

Scrovegni Chapel

Giotto is probably best known for his frescos in the ----- located in Padua (or Arena Chapel because it was built on remains of ancient Roman arena). The chapel was commissioned by Enrico Scrovegni, who is depicted kneeling at the feet of the Virgin Mary in one of the frescos. At the time, many wealthy families were donating to the church in the hopes of earning passage into heaven at the end of their lives. The frescos are of biblical scenes from the lives of Mary and Christ including the Annunciation and the Last Judgement.

Villani, Giovanni

Giovanni Villani (1276-1348) was an Italian banker, official, diplomat, and chronicler who wrote the Nuovo Cronaca (New Chronicles) on the history of Florence. His chronicle is the first to use statistics as a positive element in history. He was inspired to write his Cronica after attending the jubilee celebration in Rome, and provided important details on many important historical events in Florence and Tuscany. Villani died from the Black Death in 1348, and his scholarship received criticism for his emphasis on supernatural guidance of events and his glorification of the papacy and Florence.

Niccolò Niccoli

He was an Italian humanist during the Rennaissance time period. Niccolo was known for his large library of ancient texts that was only topped by that of Cosimo de'Medici. Niccoli's services to literature consisted of collating ancient manuscripts, correcting the texts, introducing divisions into chapters, and making tables of contents. Many of the most valuable manuscripts in Florence are by his written by his hand.

podesta`

Highest judicial and military magistrate on medieval Italian communes; instituted by Emperor Barbarossa to govern rebellious cities; often selected from neighboring city to ensure neutrality and often a nobleman.

Il Canzoniere

Il Canzoniere is a collection of poems by Francesco Petrarca. Unlike much of Petrarca's work, which is written in Latin, Il Canzoniere was written in the vernacular. In total, there are 366 poems in the collection, and 317 of these poems are written in the form of a sonnet. The theme running throughout these poems is Laura, who was Petrarca's muse, though it is unclear whether they actually ever met. There are two main sections to Il Canzoniere: the first section consists of all the poems written while Laura was still alive, and the second includes all of the poems written after her death in 1348, when she was 38 years old. Other themes of the poem are religion, politics, and time.

Sacrifice of Isaac bronze panels

In 1401 the cloth importer guild (Arte di Calimala) held a contest to select an artist to cast a set of gilded bronze doors for the baptistery of San Giovanni in Florence. The competition panels had to depict the story of Issac, a biblical lamb and other religious values. Ghiberti spent 24 years working on the set of doors and beat out Brunelleschi to be placed along with the set by Andrea Pisano. The mold used by Ghiberti changed bronze working for future artists and set up both Ghiberti and Brunelleschi for future success

Signoria

In the middle ages we saw the commune, the signoria describes the form of goverment, or the governing authority of the many of the Italian city-states in the Quattrocento. The signori, or gentlemen, are the ruling class men or the Lords. They are not necessarily aristocrats or nobles. More often, the signori were prominent merchants (Medici), or condottieri (Sforza, Malatesta) that rule their city-states through influence, and/or military power

individualism

Individualism is the idea of being one person and their choices. There was less emphasis on religion (however not secular) and now art and philosophy were centered around people making their own choices, rights, and independence. People were now writing their names on their paintings, writing first-person expressing their own opinions and emotions, statues of individuals, etc

diaries/ memoirs

Inside look of the private lives of two Florentine businessman during the late 14th century- Buonoccorso Pitti and Gregorio Dati. Provide insight into Florentine business and activity.

Datini, Francesco

International merchant and banker, made his fortune from trading armour, cloth, religious articles, paintings, and jewlery. In 1386, he transferred his headquarters to Florence, other locations in Italy, and Spain. Joined the silk-merchants guild of Florence and opened a bank/worked in insurance. [Most notable contributions to the world of commerce and finance: he invented the cambiale or letter of exchange- the I.O.U. - essentially the personal check, and he was an early proponent of double entry booking - which he was using for his own records, over many years. Later the mathematician Luca Pacioli will pick up on Datini's method and will codify it]

Isotta Nogarola

Isotta Nogorola was one of the first women to change the narrative about females. She was a highly educated woman who was fearless in terms the debates she had clear in her letter with Ludovico. In the letters she attempts to empower women and spark this new wave by educating women. She and Laura Cereta were pioneers for upper middle class women and female humanists in the sense that they showed them to be fearless and confident in their intelligence. Prior to these two women, no women ever argued or went back and forth with men.

"Laura"

Laura was Petrarch's muse, and the subject and address of much of his writing, including The Canzoniere which is composed of 263 poems before her death and 103 after her death. Petrarch describes his love for Laura as something transcending the human world. Her name represents poetry, gold, fame, and laurel.

linear perspective

Linear perspective is used by artists to show depth and relative size of an object by drawing lines which converge at a single part of the horizon. This technique was thought to be used by Brunelleschi in his construction of Florence's Duomo, and by other artists during the Renaissance as part of the movement to make art more representative of real life and realism. It also combined math and art, which reflects the emerging ideals and educational values of the time.

vita contemplativa/vita activa

Literally translated to contemplative life/active life, this expression represents the two types of lives that a person should live. A contemplative life is one filled with introspection and centers around the individual whereas the active life is concerned with society as a whole (not the individuals) and encourages the improvement and wellbeing of society. Humanists believed that in order to live the best life, one must maintain a balance between these two types.

naturalism

Naturalism was one of the appreciations of Renaissance humanists which emphasized nature, the real world, in art. Instead of depictions with no background or of heavenly figures, artists began to include detailed environments with attention to the trees and leaves, the sky, animals, and water with a focus on experiences everyday people encountered

neologism

Neologisms are words or expressions that are newly coined, and therefore, in essence, made up. In the Renaissance this word is most important in reference to the newfound movement of humanism. The ideals and framework of humanism had yet to be discovered and this was therefore a Renaissance-inspired creation.

Piero "il Gottoso" de' Medici

Nicknamed the "Gouty" because of the gout he developed later on in his life, Piero [was the head of family after Cosimo's death, and as such, in a sense} ruled the city from 1464 to 1469. Piero was often times bedridden due to his gout and conducted many political meetings from the Medici household which led the Medici palace to become the seat of Italian government during this time period. Upon taking over the Medici bank, he prompted financial payments from many who had outstanding loans to the Medici bank. This led to many merchants going bankrupt and added members to Medici family ranks. This was important because in 1468 he was able to sniff out an attempt to overthrow his rule. Supringing to many, Piero combatted this attempt with troops of his own, restablishing his rule and showing how strong the Medici rule and influence was during this time period. Piero was as a patron for the Platonic Academy and supported the school finanacially due to his love for art. This academy housed great artists as Donatello, Andrea del Verrocchio, and Sandro Botticelli who all produced many well known pieces of work during the Italian Rennaissance,

oligarchy

Oligarchies are a small number of men having power over the state and claiming to represent the entire state. During the Renaissance merchant guilds were often the officials in charge of the oligarchy as their wealth gave them more power than those of lower social class. These were often referred to as republics and had regular elections and short terms for it representatives.

De re aedificatoria

On the Art of Building is an architectural treatise written in Latin by Alberti in 1450. It draws inspiration from the Ten Books of Architecture by Vitruvius, a Roman architect and engineer, but it is also a critique of of Vitruvius' work. Alberti supplemented Vitruvius' highly technical treatise with descriptions of buildings found in the works of other ancient writers, as well as through his empirical study of evidence left by the Roman civilization. Alberti's is the first modern theory of architecture; he combines classical models and motifs with innovative ideas such as mathematical principles and musical harmony. Alberti was also concerned with urban planning, and beauty in architecture, or concinnitas (the idea of creating coherence/ congruity) among the parts of a building, or between the buildings in a city.

Gonzaga Family

One of the ruling families of the Quattrocento Renaissance. The ----- resided in Mantua, and were condottieri (mercenaries), or hired guns of Venice and sometimes Milan. Their wealth, acquired through mercenarial service allowed them to purchase the title of Marchese in 1433 (purchased by Gianfrancesco Gonzaga). They are eventually commissioned by Pope Pius II to send a crusade to Constantinople which had fallen to the Turks. For their service, Pius makes the young Francesco Gonzaga a cardinal. To create their Ducal palace, they enlarged and totally remodeled the medieval Palazzo del Capitano. Lodovico III, son of Gianfrancesco, favored the artists Alberti and Andrea Mantegna.

"To Posterity"

Originally written in Latin and completed in 1371 or 1372, it was the first autobiography in a thousand years (since Saint Augustine). It speaks to the growing individualism of the early Renaissance, as well as to interiority, of Petrarch subjectively describing his emotions. In it he calls the former vices of his youth ("fires of youth") bad habits he was glad he threw off. He also wishes he had grown up in the times of the ancient Romans / Greeks. He praises the liberal arts education. He brags of his relationships with kings and princes as well as of his achievements. He egotistically believes that he is the one that should address future generations.

Orsanmichele

Orsanmichele was built in 1337 originally as a grain market, but was turned into a guilds church between 1380-1404. The facades of the church have niches with statues commissioned by the guilds, of saints (such as Saint John the Baptist, Saint Mark, Saint Peter, etc.), Madonna and child, and Christ and Saint Thomas (the statues today are duplicates). The architecture of the church is unique because it is a square. Located in Florence.

Mantegna, Andrea

Painter - born 1430 near Padua and died 1506. Married a daughter of Giovanni Bellini,one of the most famous Venetian painters of the Quattrocento. He received his first important commission in 1448 painting frescoes for the Eremitani Chapel in Padua, Verona, and Venice. His most famous works come from his years as a court artist to the Gonzaga family. He paints the Camera degli sposi and the ducal palace in Mantova. He had a scholarly interest in the antique and developed a painting technique that enabled him to imitate the look of classical sculpture. His engravings also helped spread his designs and fame beyond Italy.

Boccaccio, Giovanni

Poet and scholar best known for writing the Decameron. Along with Petrarch laid the foundations for humanism and was one of the first Italian writers to write in the vernacular.

Pope Boniface VIII

Pope Boniface (1235-1303) served as the Pope from 1294 until he died in 1303. He was in power during an intense period of conflict over authority between the Pope and the Holy Roman Empire. He is remembered today for his conflicts between King Philip IV of France and Dante, who placed the pope in the Eighth Circle of Hell in his Divine Comedy amongst the simoniacs - those who sold church offices and roles. Dante wrote his treatise De Monarchia to dispute Boniface's claims of papal supremacy.

Pope Eugene IV (Eugenius)

Pope Eugene (1383-1447) served as the Pope from 1431 until he died in 1447. Eugenius was from a wealthy Venetian family, and reformed the Church by giving half of all Church revenues to the cardinals. He got into a bloody war with Colonna family, and was bailed out by support from Florence, Venice, and Naples. Eugene is also known for consecrating the Duomo in Florence, Santa Maria del Fiore in 1436 after the completion of Brunelleschi's dome. He was a friend to Cosimo during his exile to Venice, and helped to reinstate the Medici in Florence in 1434.

Pope Martin V

Pope Martin V (1368-1431) served as Pope from 1417 until he died in 1431. He took over as Pope during a difficult time, as he was tasked with ending the Great Schism by uniting the split in the Western Church. He restored a lot of power to the Papacy by passing a proposal in 1418 that condemned the "conciliar theory" that stated that popes were subject to a council. He is known for asserted papal supremacy in all ecclesiastical matters. On a cultural note, Martin V helped to restore Rome to her former glory by continuing the reconstruction of her monuments and churches.

Pope Pius II

Pope Pius II studied at the University of Siena and at the University of Florence. In 1431 he became the secretary to the Bishop of Fermo. He also served other masters and was ordered around by Cardinal Albergati. He would side with the council on affairs and would eventually have sway in the direction matters went. In 1442, he was crowned imperial poet laureate. Pope Pius II was a humanist (which was unheard of for a Pope); he was a learned man. He wrote many things including an account of his election to the papacy in which he describes how he persuaded enough votes to win the papacy instead of it going to the cardinal of Rouen. Most of his persuasive arguments revolve around the opposition being French and being corrupt.

Guelphs / Ghibellines

Rival political parties that formed in Italian city states in the 1200's. The Guelphs supported the Catholic Pope and many supporters came from banking/commerce. The Ghibellines supported the Emperor and many supporters were landed aristocracy.

abacus school

School in Italy where students were prepared for commerce. Students would learn math, business, and how to trade. Mostly attended by members of the upper-middle class.

Judith and Holofernes (Donatello)

Sculpted between 1455 and 1460, this bronze sculpture was created near the end of Donatello's life. This work was created as a companion piece for Donatello's David and was commissioned by Cosimo de'Medici as adornment for the fountain in the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi Garden. Both sculptures feature tyrant slaying characters and are designed to be viewed in the round. The statue of Judith and Holofernes was cast in 11 separate pieces and was originally gilded to create and sparkling quality. The statue shows Judith assassinating the Assyrian general Holofernes, her hands grasping his hair, and her sword raised to deliver a final blow. The storyline symbolizes the power of the weak over the strong and the value of liberty.

Strozzi, Alessandra

She was a Florentine Renaissance business and noblewoman known for her preserved correspondence which chronicled her financial and political struggles in Medici Florence. Strozzi was largely family oriented and worked hard to place her sons in successful banking positions and all her children beneficial marriages. Seventy-three of her letters were preserved by her son Filippo and are now housed by the Archivio de Stato di Firenze. Strozzi's letters rank among the most significant primary sources from fifteenth-century Florence.

Siena

Siena is a city in Tuscany that became very important due to its placement on the Via Francigena. It was home to many early medieval and Renaissance Painters like Duccio and Lorenzetti that were apart of the Sienese school of art. The Duomo in Siena was built many times over to compensate for the growth in population but in the 4th remodel to make the Duomo bigger the Plague hit Siena and causing over a third of the population to die in 1348.

sonnet

Sonnet is derived from the Italian word "sonetto" which is defined as a "little song". In poetry a sonnet has 14 lines and is written in iambic pentameter. Each line has 10 syllables and as a whole follows a specific rhyme scheme. The groups are decided by the rhyme scheme they follow.

St. Francis of Assisi

St Francis was born into wealth but eventually grew disgusted by the amount of material wealth and consumption he saw around him. He rejected all material things and instead begged for food, and practiced poverty. He gained a large following which became known as the Franciscan monks, and preached on the streets where he lived. He performed a small number of miracles and was known for his affinity for animals.

St. Catherine of Siena

St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) was a member of the Dominican third order, meaning she took simple vows and could remain outside the convent/monastery. She is known for her asceticism (severe self-discipline and avoidance of indulgence) and was an activist and author. Her writings consisted of hundreds of letters and some prayers and treatises, and they had a great influence on Italian literature. She was canonized by Pope Pius II in 1461.

Black Death

Starting in Italy about 1347, the ---- wiped out nearly ⅔ of Europe's population, including ½ to ⅔ of Italy's. Although the ---- was devastating, it created new opportunities for people. During the ----, it was sometimes the reason for many people's writings and first-hand experiences that we can read today. However later on, after many of these people died, there was an obvious decrease in labor and so people of lower social class were able to raise their social class by learning a trade and fulfilling positions of past craftsmen had. Also, there were much fewer people and so there was a redistribution of wealth among people

dolce stil novo

The "dolce stil novo" is a literary style that became popular between 1280 and 1310. It describes Italian poetry that was written in the vernacular, and which typically centered on themes of love, celebrating a spriritual and idealized version of love and femininity. Dante, and his portrayal of his pure and divine relationship with Beatrice, is one of the most prolific writers in this literary style.

studiolo

The "studiolo," or study, was based on the model of the austere, contemplative rooms of monks living in monastaries. During the Renaissance, they began to be built in the private homes of the wealthy, who used the rooms to read, write letters, and find solitude. Beyond housing many valuable books, the studioli of the wealthy were also highly decorated by comissioned artists and used to house precious objects and Roman relics. These rooms represented the growing importance of education and of the classical past during the Renaissance.

catasto

The ---- is a graduated income tax that was introduced in 1427. This required families and merchants to pay the local government based on their business's incomes, assets/debts, family members, etc. This money was used for public services, but primarily things like war between other city-states, public education, and public hospitals and orphanages. The rich particularly disliked this since they had to pay a greater percentage as their income increased.

Este Family

The ---- were an Italian noble family that ruled in Ferrara and Modena. The ---- had a particular influence on Ferrara, where they were the Signoria for over three and a half centuries. They had a large impact on the city culturally, because the family established a university in the late 1300's. Many of the family members were also patrons of the arts. Their contributions to the city include commissionings and purchasings of architecture, music, literature, and various art pieces.

"Gates of Paradise" (Ghiberti)

The ------ were the doors of the Florence Baptistry that were created by Lorenzo Ghiberti and commissioned by the Arte di Calimala (Wool Merchants Guild). There were 10 panels that made up the doors and each one represented an event from the Old Testament. Each panel was a relief sculpture made entirely from bronze. Michelangelo was the one that first referred to these doors as "The Gates of Paradise" due to their extreme beauty and intricacy.

Albizzi Family

The ------- were the powerful leaders of an oligarchy of wealthy families that ruled Florence in the second half of the 14th century. They were the enemies of the Medici, starting around the time when Giovanni de Bicci and his son Cosimo were starting to increase their wealth. They were enemies becasue the Medici started to gain more power as they become wealthier, taking away the power from the -----. Rinaldo degli Albizzi was a soldier and diplomat who became the head of the family when his father died in 1417. He wanted to keep the oligarchy [aristocracy - see oligarchy below ~MD] in power and defeat all of Florence's enemies. He stated a war to conquer Lucca, which ended up hurting Florence.

Library of San Marco

The -------, which opened in 1444, consisted mostly of the amassed texts from the travelling scholar, Niccoli. The handlers of Niccoli's estate allowed Cosimo de' Medici to house the books in the library of the Dominican Convent of San Marco, where it became the Renaissance's first "public library."Not only did it serve as the common library of the Dominican convent of San Marco, it made available a vast collection to humanists and resembled the Medici's public patronage.

three architectural orders

The 3 architectural orders are Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The most basic of them was Doric which was a column with a simple base at each end. After that there is Ionic which is a column whose ends resemble that of a partially rolled scroll. And lastly, the most intricate was the Corinthian which was a column whose ends were extravagant, usually resembling curled leaves. In particular, Alberti and Brunelleschi were the ones who first noticed and incorporated these orders in there works. For example, Alberti's Palazzo Rucellai shows off the use of each order in one building. He sculpts the edges of the building to resemble columns between each window and separating each story. They were influenced by these architectural styles from ancient rome buildings that took influence from these greek orders.

Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore

The Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore was one of the cities greatest challenges for many years. The dome was just a hole in the room for many years until Brunelleschi figured out how to constrcut a dome. So from 1420-1436 Brunelleschi oversaw its constrcution. He realize that they would have to construct two domes. One dome would be a smaller inner dome that could be seen from inside as the roof. Then over that dome, they would construct a far larger, grander dome that the entire City of Florence would view. This was no small task, and Brunelleschi actually had to invent many of the machines and techniques used to contrcut the dome. He was constantly doubted with many writing that his strategy would destroy the entire building, but he sucessfully completed the project and it has stood strong ever since.

Commune

city states in Italy; associated with a political and social structure

Facade of Santa Maria Novella

The Dominican church of --------------- in Florence is one of the most well-known examples of early Renaissance architecture in Italy. This in large part is due to the façade created by architect Leon Battista Alberti in the mid 15th century. Alberti designed both the top section of the façade and the main doorway from 1456-70. Before Alberti, the facade was bare like many other Florentine churches. Alberti's greatness proved the glue necessary for a "modern" solution using a rigid Gothic structure, i.e. the ability to harmonize nobly the existing elements with the new style. The facade reflects the influences of then recently rediscovered geometric and mathematical studies applied to nature and art that were a part of the revival of Platonic philosophy which found its center in the Florence of the day. Triangles, circles, squares, rectangles and attached geometrical figures cover the architectural landscaped designed by the brilliant architect to form a wonderful series of harmonic relationships.

Holy Roman Empire

The Holy Roman Empire lasted from 800-1806 CE and had its territories exanding from Western and central Europe. The Empire is significant because during the reign of Charlemagne, there was the Carolingan Renaissance. During this time, Charlemagne made significant improvements in literacy and culture. The reinstiution of literacy, culture, and art also happened during this time.

Gozzoli's Cavalcata dei Magi in Palazzo Medici

The Medici's Magi Chapel is famous for the series of wall paintings by Benozzo Gozzoli, with the "Cavalcade of the Magi" in the small private chapel] which was painted between 1459 and 1463. Despite the religious context, the painting maintains traces of lavishness and secular elegance. The background resembles the typical Florentine countryside. As the Magi approach Bethlehem, they are accompanied by their respective followers along with the scene of a noble hunting party with falcons and cats. Numerous Medici family members are portrayed as followers of the Magi, namely Lorenzo de' Medici, Cosimo with his sons Piero, Giovanni and Carlo and Giuliano di Piero. Benozzo also includes a self-portrait in the scene. [This consecrated chapel is not in a church, but in their family home. This was uncommon, but granted through thier relationship with the pope. ~MD]

Mendicant orders

The Mendicant orders consisted on Dominican and Franciscan monks who moved out of monastaries and into communities. Toward this mission of serving and being accessable to ordinary people, they were heavily involved in education and caring for the sick, and spoke Italian rather than Latin even when performing religious ceremonies. Often, they renounced worldly posessions as an act of humility and religious devotion, and depended on the goodwill of the community to survive. They were also more accepting of women than Medieval orders had been, praising the care of family and community as a form of spiritual devotion.

Platonic Academy of Careggi

The Platonic Academy of Careggi was during the Council of Florence in 1439 and was sponsored by Cosimo the elder. The group dedicated themselves to introducing Ancient Greek texts by Plato and other writers from antiquity by translating the manuscripts in Latin. The academy then served as a center for discussing the philosophy of Plato uncovered in these translated works.

Via Francigena

The Via Francigena was like the silk road of Europe. It went from Rome to France and was used for trade and pilgrimages to the Holy Land. It also helped art spread all over Europe and towns that were on this road became much more prominent and wealthier

contrapposto

The classically inspired ------ is a stance given to sculptures in which the weight of the figure rests on one straight leg and the other bends; it is a dynamic stance, the torso twists gently from the hips to counterbalance the weight giving the appearance of movement. It can be seen within many of Donatello's scultptures such as Saint Mark Arte dei Linaioli e Rigattieri and Saint George Arte dei Corrazai e Spadai. It is also seen in the various statues of David, by Donatello, by Verrocchio, and by Michelangelo.

Masaccio

The effect of heightened realism was first achieved by ----- (Tommaso di Giovanni di Simoni Guidi). He lived from 1401-1428 was born in San Giovanni Valdarno and died in Rome. He entered the Florentine Arte dei Medici e speziali: a guild to which painters belonged. Masaccio, in a span of six years, created new paths for Renaissance painters to come and was known for his advances in paintings and fresco styles. His two most well known works are La Trinità and the Branacci Chapel frescos. Masaccio's art eventually inspired many of the conceptual and stylistic foundations of Western painting.

Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici

The eldest of the Medici family, -------- was the father of Lorenzo and Cosimo. Giovanni gave birth to the Medici banking empire and was responsible to for the opening of branches in Florence, Rome, Venice, Genova, and Naples. Often did charitable work and paid for works of art to be constructed for the city of Florence. Giovanni changed how financing worked and started loaning out to very powerful political elites.

piano nobile

The piano nobile is the main floor of a Renaissance building. In a typical palazzo, it is the first floor above ground level and contains the main reception rooms. The piano nobile is usually indicated outside by larger windows. Rooms on the piano nobile would have better views and avoid the dampness and odors of the street level. They also have higher ceilings and are more elegantly decorated.

popolo minuto/popolo grasso

The popolo minuto were people of the lower class that usually belonged to the Arti Minori or the Minor Guilds. These were people like butchers, bakers, etc. The popolo grasso were wealthy people but didn't have the status as of an aristocrat. The popolo grasso were allowed to take part in politics while the popolo minuto could not.

printing press

The printing press was introduced around 1460 and this led to mass production of literary texts and artworks. Venice was the primary location for producing works with the printing press and considered to have a monopoly on it. Prior to the printing press, there were few copies of each text and so the primary way of getting them was by trading or borrowing and to see the artwork, most were one of a kind so you had to visit where they were. However, the printing press allowed for speedy reproductions of artwork and texts, which also helped expand education across Italy and allowed for more people to read more books in their own vernacular, and to get a hold of ancient texts that few people had.

vernacular

The vernacular is the Italian language as it was spoken out loud. Because most literature before this time was written in Latin, it was only read by the most educated and privileged. The Renaissance trend of writing poetry and other works in the vernacular gave civilians the ability to consume poetry, novellas, and religious texts and popularized reading, therefore raising the literacy rate. Dante was the first to write poetry in the vernacular with his Divine Comedy.

Bardi Chapel in Santa Croce

The------ is part of the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence. It was painted by Giotto in 1325-28 for the wealthy Bardi family and is dedicated to St. Francis. The fresco depicts the life of St. Francis and is notable for Giotto's attention to human expression. The fresco also signifies the power of the Bardi family and their desire to maintain a good relationship with the Church.

Ognissanti Madonna

The-------, or Madonna Enthroned, was painted by Giotto in 1310 for the Florence Church of Ognissanti. Before Giotto, paintings tended to lack depth but this painting conveys the early forms of perspective and 3D figures. Mary and baby Jesus are sitting on a throne in the center of the painting surrounded by angels and saints with gilded halos.

Confraternities

These were religious based social groups. One of the main reasons for the groups existance is to sponsor works of art and other charity for the church. They were more closely linked with medevial times and are seen as a possible precursor to guilds.

The Babylonian Captivity (1309-1378)

This Biblical image recalls the time when the Israelites, in exile from their homeland, were forced to live in servitude in Babylon. Because the papacy had left Italy and all seven Avignon popes were French, the term implies that the church is being held prisoner by foreigners, in a foreign land. The expression also criticizes the morality of the Avignon papacy by equating it with the decadent ancient city of Babylon. Petrarch heavily criticized the Avignonese papal court.

ora et labora

This saying essentially translates to "pray and work". It represents what monastic life was like during the Renaissance. As a monk you would spend most of your day praying and working with others to try and spread happiness and faith. You typically would have lived alone and were devoted to God so every day you would "ora et labora"

monte delle doti

This was a public fund created by the government of Florence to provide dowries for women. A family could make a deposit in the fund when their daughter was 5, and the deposit would grow over time. The family could then use this money to pay for the girl's dowry. However, if the daughter died before marriage, the family could not get the money back. This fund was made to help families arrange marriages for their daughters.

Brancacci Chapel

Through a combination of technical mastery and raw emotional power, Masaccio together with painter Masolino da Panicale painted the fresco cycle in the Branacci Chapel of the Santa Maria del Carmine Church. The setting is a rusticated stone exterior of a medieval building where a line of cripples begging stands before it, and the eerie figure of Saint Peter looms over them and as the saint passes, the cripples become healed one by one. The painting reveals how the lives of men change forever in a single instant.

universities

Universities educated the professional class of lawyers, doctors, clergymen, and teachers. Universities produced vast quanities of original learning. The loose organization of the universitites made it possible for professors to produce original research in law, medicine, philosophy, and the humanities. Italian Renaissance universities influenced science by providing intellectual resources and communities to expedite the development and spread of scientific knowledge.

Virgil

Virgil is regarded as the greatest Roman poet. He is most known for his legendary work called the Aeneid in which he discusses the founding of Rome and defines the Roman mission which is to civilize the world under divine guidance.

marriage rituals

Wedding celebrations could go on for several days, involving a succession of parades, processions, spectacles, performances, games, and meals. Wedding poems, called epithalamia, are full of references to the purpose of marriage: to perpetuate the civic and political institutions that maintain a stable society. The humanist writers of the wedding poems generally shared the "family values" expressed by Leon Battista Alberti and others who extolled the civic virtues of marriage. The ritual actions of the father handing the daughter to the husband, and of the husband taking the woman into his house, were the essence of the ceremony. Like the many gifts exchanged before and after the ceremony, the bride herself was an object handed from one owner to another.

The Decameron

Written by Giovanni Boccacio, this collection of tales is regarded as a masterpiece of classical Italian prose. In this story, ten young people are escaping plague-stricken Florence and are telling stories in the nearby countryside. Each day, they tell stories and the day ends with a canzone (song). Some of these canzones represent Boccacio's finest poetry. His prose influenced many Renaissance writers and his tales have been borrowed for centuries.

"To Cicero"

Written during the time of his Familiar Letters from 1325 to 1366, Petrarch questions the ancient Roman philosopher and statesman Cicero about his affairs with the Roman state. Petrarch chastises him that he should have taken up the contemplative life instead of the active life, but praises him for his rhetoric, oratorial abilities, and philosophy. He also tells him that if he were to know of the present state of his Roman Republic, he would cry.

tempera

a method of painting where pigments are mixed with typically egg yolk and water to help it bind; used for fine painting, mainly on wood panels, from late 1100's to 1400's when artists switched to oil paints

civic humanism

a movement during the Renaissance to study and emulate the ancient writers, artists, architects, and thinkers. Humanism inspired a heavier focus on education, and contributed to the rising interest in literacy, forward thinking, and realistic art. The first humanists were scholars and notaries, and were usually proficient in Latin.

classicism

a movement in the Renaissance that centered around looking back at classical antiquity and its culture and using it as an influence on literature and art. The movement influenced poets such as Dante who references many characters from classical myth, and his Inferno shadows format and content of Virgil's Aeneid, combining his knowledge of mythology and epic poetry with Christianity. Classicism also had a large influence on art as sculptors and painters alike focussed on human proportions and creating realistic and lifelike figures like the Greeks and Romans had, and sculptors starting depicting nude figures modeled off surviving ancient statues.

Dante Alighieri

a poet who lived from 1265-1321 in Florence (and later in other nearby cities after being exiled), and is regarded as one of the "tre corone" (three crowns [of Italian literature]) for his influence in establishing the Italian vernacular. The poet, often depicted in Red, is well known for works such as his Convivio, De Monarchia, De Vulgari Eloquentia, and Divina Commedia. His works were greatly influenced by the classics, and often include political themes such as the greediness of Florence and corruption of the Catholic church, as well as explorations of the true nature of love. Dante was a White Guelf, and was charged with treason and exiled from his home city.

condottiero

bands of mercenary soldiers bound by a contract, or condotta, to their employers; roamed the countryside and participated in battles between communes [more specifically, the condottiero was the genral/commander of these mercenary forces. some famous condottieri of the Quattrocento were the English soldier, John (Giovanni) Hawkwood, and the Italian Niccolo` da Tolentino (see their painted equestrian monuments in the Duomo of Florence by clicking on the link to the left. Most of the 'signori' of the northern realms like Sigismondo Malatesta (Rimini), Francesco Sforza (Milan), Francesco Gonzaga (Mantova), and Ercole d'Este (Ferrara) etc. ~MD]

florin

gold coin first minted in 1252; became the standard currency for international commercial and financial markets throughout Europe and the Mediterranean by the end of the 1200's

Liberal arts

the main curriculum for children in Renaissance time. The goal of this type of education was to create individuals that were well rounded and prepare for debates in many different fields. Also in this time period, the liberal arts focus was on humanist features.

Cosimo "il Vecchio" de'Medici

the second in the modern Medici line, but he was likely the most important. He was posthumously named 'father of the city,' and he was recognized as the defacto leader of the city. As a merchant banker, he generated most of his wealth from being the papal curia or popes banker. At one point he was exiled from Florence, but he returned a year later stronger and more powerful than ever. He was considered the man who took Giovani de Bicci's small fortune and used it to transform the Medici into Europe's most powerful family.