The Italian Renaissance - Kenneth Bartlett

Written by Kenneth Bartlett
Read by Kenneth Bartlett
Format: M4B
Bitrate: Variable
Unabridged

The effects of the Italian Renaissance are still with us today, from the incomparable paintings of Leonardo da Vinci to the immortal writings of Petrarch and Machiavelli. But why was there such an artistic, cultural, and intellectual explosion in Italy at the start of the 14th century? Why did it occur in Italy? And why in certain Italian city-states such as Florence? Professor Bartlett probes these questions and more in 36 dynamic lectures. This is your opportunity to appreciate the results of the Italian Renaissance and gain an understanding of the underlying social, political, and economic forces that made such exceptional art and culture possible. At the heart of Renaissance Italy were the city-states, home to the money, intellect, and talent needed for the growth of Renaissance culture. You’ll look at the Republic of Florence, as well as other city-states that, thanks to geographical and historical circumstances, had much different political and social structures. This course contains a wealth of details that will give you a feel and appreciation for the Italian Renaissance - its contributions to history, the ways it was similar and dissimilar to our times, and how the people of the time, both famous and ordinary, experienced it. You’ll come away surprised by how much of our modern life was made possible by the Renaissance. Our concept of participatory government, our belief in the value of competition, our philosophy of the content and purpose of education, even our notions of love all have roots in the Renaissance period. Its loftiest ideals - the importance of the individual, the value of human dignity and potential, and the promotion of freedom - are ones we embrace as our own.

Lectures:
01 - The Study of the Italian Renaissance
02 - The Renaissance—Changing Interpretations
03 - Italy—The Cradle of the Renaissance
04 - The Age of Dante—Guelfs and Ghibellines
05 - Petrarch and the Foundations of Humanism
06 - The Recovery of Antiquity
07 - Florence—The Creation of the Republic
08 - Florence and Civic Humanism
09 - Florentine Culture and Society
10 - Renaissance Education
11 - The Medici Hegemony
12 - The Florence of Lorenzo de’Medici
13 - Venice—The Most Serene Republic
14 - Renaissance Venice
15 - The Signori—Renaissance Princes
16 - Urbino
17 - Castiglione and The Book of the Courtier
18 - Women in Renaissance Italy
19 - Neoplatonism
20 - Milan Under the Visconti
21 - Milan Under the Sforza
22 - The Eternal City—Rome
23 - The Rebuilding of Rome
24 - The Renaissance Papacy

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