The Renaissance
The Renaissance (14th-17th century) is an era that brought the Middle Ages (5th-14th century) to an end. The simplest form to explain what the Middle Ages and the Renaissance are is to say the Middle Ages was a dark age, where there was not much development in any areas. On the contrary, it seems that the old knowledge and wisdom of older times were lost, or worse, persecuted.
The Renaissance, as the name said, is the re-birth of old knowledge and wisdom. But what was the real cause for the start of the Renaissance that ended almost 1000 years of the Middle age? The fall of the Byzantine Empire could have impulsed the Renaissance since the Byzantine Empire had saved classical knowledge during the Middle Ages. After the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople, many intellectuals and artists from the Byzantine Empire escaped to Europe. These intellectuals and artists reached places with political and economic stability. Florence was one of the cities with the best conditions for these talents to share their knowledge.
How could the Renaissance produce so many great artists?
We have heard for sure the name of many great artists from the Renaissance. Here are some of them: Leonardo da Vince, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Filippo Brunelleschi, Donatello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Fra Angelico, Fra Filippo Lippi, Masaccio, Paolo Uccello. Besides the fact that they are artists from the Renaissance, they all either were from Florence or lived a long time in Florence. This is quite incredible fact since these artists are worldwide famous and recognized as very talented.
There are many reasons why Florence was the home of many famous artists. The byzantine intellectuals and artists that escaped from the Ottoman Turks went partly to Italy and stayed there. Italy was experiencing a flourishing economy, and Florence was one of the major centers. Moreover, their rich families there supported the artists and commissioned works from them. One of the famous families that were responsible for the support of the artists was the Medici family. Another reason seems to be the humanist tradition in Florence, which valued knowledge in different areas.
After considering many facts, e.g. the Crusades, the fall of Constantinople, and the formation of big cities in Italy, the main reason seems to be the flourishing of the economy caused by trading goods. To trade goods you need a civilized system where trust is important. Accumulation of richness would lead to the growth of the middle class and the upper class. Once a civilization starts to accumulate wealth, it is known that it starts to become more interested in others topics like arts, science, and exploration. These changes would lead mostly to great developments in the culture of this civilization.
The main reasons
Therefore, the main reasons why Florence was so important during the Renaissance and had such a great influence, and was home to many great artists, are:
- Economic and political stability in Italy. Italy was flourishing, and trading was a common activity. There was not only an exchange of goods but of knowledge and culture.
- Rich families supported the artists. One of the most powerful and rich families during the Renaissance was the Medici family. The Medicis were known to support great artists in Florence and other cities.
- The knowledge of the Byzantine Empire could be, at least partially, saved in Europe. Intellectuals from this empire flew to Europe after the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople. They could have a living there and teach what they knew.
Sources:
- Book “The Renaissance: A Short History” by Paul Johnson
- Book “The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy” by Jaco Burckhardt
- Picture from Pixabay (www.pixabay.com)
Juan Carlos Peñafiel Suárez
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