DELHI UNIVERSITY

KIRORIMAL COLLEGE
2023 -2024

CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION IN EARLY

MODERN EUROPE
(HSTORY MAJOR)
PRESENTATION
PRESENTED BY :-
DIVYESH MISHRA
DINGAM KAMEI
SAUMYA VERMA LET’S START ---
ADITI KRISHAN
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 RENAISSANCE
( FROM MEDIEVAL TO MODERN WORLD)
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND ORIGIN

ITALIAN CITY –STATES

POLITICAL SCENARIO ECONOMIC BOOST

HUMANISM
ART AND LITERATURE SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY

CONCLUSION
RENAISSANCE BEYOND ITALY OUTCOMES

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 INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
• After declining of Roman empire in europe
during 4th/5th century to the late 13th/14th
centuries. Whole europe and its people
witnessing the downfall in science , culture,
freedom expression, etc...
• People were bound to folllow the rituals and
practices of catholic church .
• The dominance of church were increased,
Politically ,Feudalism were practiced in large
scale through out Europe.
• All these conditions of europe made “the
middle age as the Dark age or Black age”
in the world history
• Some major factor that led the formation of
Renaissance – a) declining of feudalism ,b)
emergence of town and urban centers,
c)declining the power of church , d) growth
of trade across countries i.e- Arab world
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ORIGIN
• The transition period from the middle ages
to the modern age in Europe between 14th –
15th centuries is termed as Renaissance.
• The term Renaissance is derived from the
French word which means the Re- Birth (
re – awaking ) which represent, “the re birth
of rationality – rationality represent sense of
inquiry, approach of evidence , questioning”.
• It was a cultural movement , which began in
Italy that profoundly affected European
intellectual life in the early modern period.
• It also affected the area beyond Italy and
Europe in different way .
• Renaissance was basically based on the
pillar of Humanism and Realism. Its
influence was felt in art, architecture,
philosophy, literature , music, science ,
technology, politics, religion and other
aspects of intellectual inquiry.
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 ITALIAN CITY STATES
Italian city states professed a very high degree of
urban cultures. It was evinced both in the socio-
cultural and political world. The Italian
Renaissance was the result of prevailing cultures
in the cities. The northern and central parts of
Italy were the most urbanized.
Therefore, the Renaissance had its greater
influence here. This region had more towns and
cities and the city life was more complex and
sophisticated.

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 DIVISION OF CLASSES
 Three types of classes were divided in the society, namely: the uppermost
class also known as nobili, principali,or grandi, secondly, the middle group
known as mezzaini or populari, and the lowest class known as the poverior
poor.
 The upper most class, nobili, principali or grandi, they were the wealthiest
people who not only controlled polity of their area but also maintaines
strong grip on the very functioning of the government.
 This social group was educated, experienced and highly influential. The
second category, mezzaini or populari, were largely shopkeepers, guilds
workers, artists, scribes, functionaries, learned men, etc. These people
were organized in their own guilds.
 Although many of these people own land, their involvement in the
government administration was exceedingly restricted. The last category,
poveri or poor, were commoners who had limited material means.
 In Florence, one- third of this group was associated with the guild of
textile producers. But they largely worked as domestic help or labourers.

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 ECONOMIC BOOST
 Flourishing economy of these political entities was another
significant factor in the growth of the Renaissance. The culture of
trade and commerce which had already been quite flourishing in
Italy received a great spurt in this phase.
 The increase in production and its growing demand led to the influx
of hard currency or bullion to Italian cities, and created
opportunities for investments in various sectors.
 Florence was one such city which had an elaborate merchantile
activity which included a banking system also. Extensive trade and
inflow of bullion gave trade-oriented inclination to the people in
these cities.
 Thus, the concentration of wealth and merchantile attitude led
these cities to spend on various construction works, development
of arts, and support to talented people.

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 HUMANISM
 The idea of Humanism was central to the Renaissance. Since the renaissance
revived interests in Greek and Latin works, it was connected with Humanism.
Humanism comes from Latin humanitas.
 It was first employed by Cicero for such values which were imbibed from liberal
learning. Humanism laid emphasis on worldly affairs and enthused people to make
life better in this world.
 It emphasised on the abilities of human beings and how they could give a meaning
to their life without relying too much on divine beings. The Greek and Roman texts
were rediscovered. They were collected, organised, and reinterpreted keeping
men at the centre.
 It first emerged in Florence, and soon spread to other Italian city states. It was
inspired by Plato’s work ‘The Republic’, which held contrarian views from that of
the Middle Ages and was largely understood to be encapsulated in Scholasticism.
Humanism emphasised neo-platonism.
 Thus, questioning and reasoning were the central features of Humanistic ideas.
The Renaissance and the ideas of Humanism as they found manifestation in art
and literature can be divided in “three phases-the early phase or Trecento, the
middle phase or Quattrocento, and the high phase or Cinquecento”.

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 ART AND LITERATURE
 The Early Phase (Trecento) Literature The ideas of Humanism were expressed in various forms
of art and literature. Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) was the leading figure of this phase.
 He lived in Florence. He is indeed called the ‘father of humanism’. He was particularly
influenced by the ideas of Cicero.

 Petrarch’s works which are considered as famous Humanistic literature are his love songs
which He wrote for his beloved, Laura. Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375) was another famous
writer of this phase. He was also a resident of Florence. His early works were poems and love
stories which are largely related to his own experiences.

 Boccaccio’s most famous work is, ‘Decameron’ (1353). It is a collection of more than a
hundred stories. Giotto di Bondone (1276-1337) was the most distinguished painter of this
phase. He lived in Florence. He used the effect of light and shade in his works. His paintings
were extremely lively. His most famous paintings are frescoes which he made for the chapel of
Wardis and Peruzis Santa Cross in Florence and Arena chapel in Padua. Two paintings in the
Arena chapel are noteworthy. One is ‘The Meeting at the Golden Gate’, and the other is ‘The
Betrayal’.

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 DEVELOPMENT IN SCIENCE AND
PHILOSOPHY
By the 15th century, Italy had also emerged as an important centre of scientific discoveries.
However, most of the scientific attainments in Italy were the work of outsiders. Remarkable
achievements were made in astronomy.
● The heliocentric view of the solar system was established by Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543).
Copernicus argued that the Sun was at the centre of the universe, and all the planets revolve
around it. This principle was purely based on mathematical analysis. He expressed his views
in ‘On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres’.

● Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) perhaps provided the strongest evidence for a heliocentric view of
the world. He was a professor of Physics and Military Engineering at Padua University. He
used a high powered telescope to view the movement of celestial bodies. He saw the
movement of the moon. His studies ultimately led people to believe in the sun-centric solar
system as propounded by Copernicus.

● Galileo and Vinci worked on the concept of gravity, and came to the understanding that any
object, if allowed to fall, will take the shortest distance to reach the Earth. There were
important achievements in the field of knowing human anatomy also.

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 Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564) had come from Brussels. He is called the father of
modern human anatomy science.

 The others were Michael Servetus (1511-1554) and William Harvey (1578-1657).
Servetus discovered the circulation of blood in pulmonary veins. He explained his
findings in ‘Errors Concerning the Trinity’. William Harvey was a British personnel
who came and studied at Padua University. His achievement was knowing the
blood circulation.
 Apart from platonism and neo-platonism, there were three other philosophies
which gained ground during the Renaissance. They were Stoicism, Epicureanism,
and Scepticism.

 Lorenzo Valla was an ardent supporter of Epicureanism. According to him, worldly

pleasures are the ultimate source of happiness. To him, a life of austerity and
penance was useless. Leonardo da Vinci also Philosophised about inductive
methods. He also criticised wars and stated that killing anyone was a heinous
crime.

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 CONCLUSION
The Renaissance yielded several significant outcomes:

• Cultural Flourishing: The period witnessed a flourishing of arts, literature, and

philosophy. Iconic works by artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo
emerged, contributing to a rich cultural heritage.

• Humanism: A renewed focus on human potential and achievement led to the rise of
humanism. Scholars emphasized classical learning, encouraging critical thinking and
a broader understanding of the world.

• Scientific Advancements: The Renaissance laid the groundwork for the Scientific
Revolution. Thinkers like Copernicus and Galileo challenged traditional views, paving
the way for a more empirical approach to understanding the natural world.

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• Exploration and Trade: Advances in navigation technology spurred the Age
of Exploration. Explorers like Columbus and Magellan ventured into new
territories, expanding trade routes and cultural exchanges.
• Political Transformations: The Renaissance influenced political structures.
The idea of the "Renaissance Prince, " as described by Machiavelli, shaped
political philosophy. City-states in Italy experienced shifts in governance
and power structures.
• Conclusively , it spread through a combination of intellectual migration ,
economic interactions , tech innovations and patronage . Renassiance
became a pan- European cultural and intellectual movement which
redefined the course of European history .
• It encouraged a spirit of individualism , exploration leaving an enduring
legacy that continue to influence art , science and thought to this day .
Renaissance, as a transformative movement, marked a profound shift in
cultural, artistic, and intellectual spheres. It sparked a revival of classical
learning, fostering innovation and individualism. The era's legacy endures
in art, science, and humanism, shaping the course of history. The
Renaissance's emphasis on human potential and creativity laid the
groundwork for future advancements, leaving an indelible imprint on
civilization.

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