Italian Renaissance

By Peter Denley

Why do we talk of the Renaissance as a movement and as a period? What claims does it have to be different from the Middle Ages? Though much studied, the Renaissance in Italy - where it began - remains as fascinating as ever. This general introduction examines the phenomenon through the eyes of contemporaries as well as those of later historians. It looks at the humanists as a group, and studies their careers, their interests, the views that they advocated and the many respects in which they influenced cultural development. It introduces the artists of the period, their relationship with the humanists and the changes they brought about. The patrons of both groups are discussed, together with the view that the Renaissance has socio-economic as well as formal cultural explanations. Finally the book explores the spread of these ideas and fashions, through an educational programme and through international contacts.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0631174710
• ISBN13: 9780631174714
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Length: 192 Pages