The Renaissance is a period in history that is associated with the transition of the overall changing mindsets and attitudes of the middle ages to that of contemporary society. Concepts such as humanism and secularism flourished in this period, acting as catalysts toward modernization. Though the overall significance of the Renaissance is often a topic of debate, it can be observed that there are prominent differences in the mindsets and beliefs of society in the medieval period when compared with the Renaissance period. Through the primary examples of media during the Renaissance, such as The Prince, The Birth of Venus, The Flagellation of Christ, and David, differences between the medieval and Renaissance eras can be observed.
To begin, The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli, is a political treatise published in 1532 1 that outlines the qualities a sovereign should possess. Addressed to the rulers of Italian city-states, Machiavelli offers guidelines for seizing power, keeping power, and governing effectively. The principal argument in the treatise is that the qualities of a good ‘prince’ should not solely pertain to religiousness or piety but that rulers should be cunning and pursue the politically expedient. He states that though a ruler must maintain the image of being pious and humble to god, they also must commit evils when necessary, in order to govern well. “Never has a prince lacked legitimate reasons to break faith”, Machiavelli affirms that in the realm of politics, a good ruler must work outside of traditional religious values to govern. Contrarily, this differs from the concept of a ‘good ruler’ in the medieval period, as medieval Kings and other nobility were measured by their worship of the Christian faith. ‘The divine right to rule’ is a pre-modern political concept stating that Kings were appointed by God to rule their lands. In medieval and pre-modern times this idea legitimized the rule of sovereigns for centuries. Though this idea did not significantly change in the Renaissance, Machiavelli adds more substance to the concept of good leadership than what the ‘divine right to rule’ offers. A ruler is not simply considered worthy by the judgment of God but also by his ability to govern and attain power.
This introduces the foundations of secularism, a belief in the division of church and state. Though Machiavelli does not advocate for secularism, his ideas of the effectiveness of non-traditional Christian qualities in a ruler certainly do correlate with the concept. Additionally, in the medieval period, the idea that rulers should bypass Christian values for political gain would be denounced as sinful. Machiavelli contradicts this notion, for example when he asserts that though the Bible states that honesty is imperative, this quality is not effective when governing. “If all men were good, this precept would not be good; but since men are evil and will not keep their word with you, you shouldn’t keep yours to them,” Machiavelli suggests that 4 a ruler must directly stray from the Christian principle of keeping promises, in order to maintain power. According to Machiavelli, a good ruler cannot constantly govern within the confines of religious values and therefore must stray from them in order to maintain power.
In conclusion, The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli iterates the idea that a good ruler is not simply judged by their piety to god, as in the medieval era, but by their ability to acquire and maintain power. Through Machiavelli’s work, it is evident that the concept of good leadership changes greatly from medieval times to the Renaissance onward.
Secondly, The Birth of Venus, a painting by Sandro Botticelli created in the estimated 15th century, depicts the naked Roman goddess of love and beauty, Venus, rising out of an oyster. This painting is a conceptualization of the original myth of Venus’s birth and marks the emergence of an interest in Roman and Greek mythology in the Renaissance. In the Medieval 5 Period, there is no interest in classical mythology, as anything that contradicted the Bible was seen as blasphemous by the Catholic church. Pre-Christian beliefs were quickly dismissed and in turn, this resulted in the neglect of Roman and Greek mythology during the medieval period. 6
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The reinstatement of mythology in popular culture during the Renaissance is a testament to the changing values and mindsets. An interest in beauty and human achievement begins to rise through art, which prior to the Renaissance, was solely used for the purpose of conveying religious doctrine and ideals. Since Botticelli’s painting does not depict a Christian scene, it can be resolved that his painting was not for the church but for the purpose of expressing beauty and human achievement, making the painting a clear example of humanism. Furthermore, the depiction of Venus naked was a choice not typically made by artists in the medieval period. The concept of modesty was perpetuated by biblical doctrine and women were painted in a conservative fashion as a result. To reference again humanism, the appreciation of human achievement allowed Botticelli to disregard certain religious values in regard to art, in order to showcase his ability and the beauty of how he conceived mythology on canvas.
To summarize, The Birth of Venus, by Sandro Botticelli is a painting that depicts not only a scene from Roman mythology but also the changing mindsets and attitudes during the Renaissance. These changes can be contrasted with the views on art in the medieval period and can be attributed to the rise of the concept of humanism during the Renaissance. Next, The Flagellation, by Piero Della Francesca is a painting created in the 1450s and illustrates a scene from the new testament when Jesus Christ is being whipped by Romans. 7 Though Christ’s whipping takes place in the background of the piece and in the forefront are three unknown men, seemingly in a discussion. There are many conspiracies as to who the three men in the painting are, with theorists claiming the men to be from the likes of the Byzantine Emperor John VIII Palaiologos and two versions of the Ottoman Sultan Murad II to depict the fall of a Christian nation, or Oddantanio da Montefeltro, an Italian nobleman with his two advisors (all three of whom were killed in a conspiracy and allegedly martyrized by Francesca). Despite the unknown nature of the three figures at the forefront of the painting, the chosen perspective of Francesca’s piece is interesting in the context of the Renaissance. In Medieval artwork, paintings usually only depicted religion and had holy figures (eg. Jesus Christ) as the center focus. The prominence of religion in medieval society made it unquestionable that a revered figure such as Christ would be in the background of a painting. However, in The Flagellation, Francesca has Christ being whipped taking place behind the three men. The painting does not depict a disregard for religion, but rather shifting ideals on its representation in art. As previously stated, medieval art pieces would be focused heavily on religion, while Renaissance art takes a different form and acknowledges other aspects of life. In the painting, a large golden statue and Greek-style architecture are finely detailed. Even in a painting depicting a Christian scene, the Renaissance fascination with the classical world is evident. This is a prime of humanism in the period, as the focus is not only on religion but also on human achievement.
To conclude, The Flagellation, by Piero Della Francesca is a Renaissance painting in which significant conclusions concerning the difference in the place of religion in art during the medieval and Renaissance periods can be made. Francesca’s painting offers a glance at the transition from medieval to modern artistry.
Finally, the marble statue, of David, by Michelangelo was created between 1501 and 1504 for the Cathedral of Florence. The statue depicts the naked biblical figure of David, who is meant to represent liberty and freedom. The detailing of David’s features is fine and intricate, the 9 17-foot sculpture has been a marvel of its time and in the modern era. The subject of the statue is religious in nature, but the statue can be seen as evidence of humanism. During the Renaissance, though artists were commissioned by the church, their ability and talent were celebrated. Their names were associated with their work and their art was observable to the public. The statue of David was placed outside in the Piazza Della Signoria for 400 years and could be admired at a close distance. To contrast with medieval times, artists were not given credit for their artwork 10 and were not to be revered for their talents. Artists' main purpose was to work for the church by creating religious art. Their work was not typically easily accessible for commoners (the exception would be in churches) and their art would have never been paraded around, like David. This difference shows the prominence of humanism through the celebration of human achievement and the lack thereof in medieval society.
In conclusion, the Renaissance is marked as a transition period between medieval and modern times. This is shown through the evident changing mindsets and beliefs in the era, as well as the significant differences that can be drawn between medieval and Renaissance society. The Prince, The Birth of Venus, and The Flagellation of Christ, and David are primary examples of the shift in European society towards modernization during the Renaissance.
Bibliography
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- 'David (marble Statue).' Khan Academy. Accessed February 25, 2019. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/high-ren-florence-rome/michelangelo/v/michelangelo-david-marble-1501-04-galleria-dell-accademia-florence
- 'Divine Right of Kings | Political Doctrine.' Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed February 25, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/topic/divine-right-of-kings.
- Machiavelli, Niccolò. 'XVII.' In The Prince. 1940.
- 'Michelangelo | Biography, Facts, & Accomplishments.' Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed February 25, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michelangelo.
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- 'The Prince | Treatise by Machiavelli.' Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed February 25, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Prince.
- 'Sandro Botticelli | Italian Painter.' Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed February 25, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sandro-Botticelli#ref108208.
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