The artistic and cultural movement of the Renaissance in Italy in the fourteenth century
Renaissance is an artistic and cultural movement that arises in Italy in the fourteenth century, and whose main characteristic is the rebirth of Greco -Roman antiquity. The Renaissance appears as an aristocratic movement, since it originates in commercial cities of the Mediterranean (Genoa, Milan, Venice …) driven by wealthy families of the bourgeoisie and the nobility, such as the Medici or the Sforza, which will then become patron. In Italy the Renaissance had its era of greatest apogee between 1490 and 1560, because, in addition, after the fall of Constantinople many Greek scholars emigrated to the country. During the 16th century the Renaissance current extended through Europe. In Spain, its fullness coincides with the reigns of Carlos V (1517-1556) and Felipe II (1556-1598). Although while with the first one it allowed the entry of a greater number of European trends (such as erasmism), due to the counter -reform, during the reign of Felipe II the entrance of these European currents was more limited, although the king did expanded theEl Escorial Library and attracted several intellectuals and artists.
The reign of Carlos I in Spain began in 1517, the year in which he inherited the crown of Aragon and that of Castile by his maternal grandparents. Later, in 1520, he was crowned emperor of the sacred Germanic Roman Empire. Throughout its reign, new intellectual and cultural movements such as humanism and erasmism arise.
Humanism was a cultural and intellectual movement that rooted in Spain at the end of the 15th century and was represented by two great Spanish intellectuals, Elio Antonio de Nebrija, author of the Castilian grammar (1492) and Cardinal Cisneros, founder of the University of Alcaláfrom Henares (1508). While erasmism, this being a humanistic current, was of a more religious character, and at the time it worked as a clearance of customs and moral environment of the time extending to political, social and cultural areas. The flamenco with Carlos I were faithful followers of this current, which extended rapidly among intellectuals.
In the last years of the reign of Carlos I, innovative ideas suffered a brake on the part of the Inquisition, an institution created in 1474 that consisted of an ecclesiastical court that monitored that everyone complied with religious norms. From that moment on, the Church began to mold and direct culture in all its aspects. Finally, the reign of Carlos I ends in 1556, when he retires to the monastery of Yuste and yields the crown of Spain to his son Felipe II and the empire to his brother Fernando I.
Felipe II’s reign was mainly marked by two circumstances. The first were the economic difficulties as a consequence of the great empire that inherited. The second, the Protestant reform initiated by Luther’s 95 thesis. Following the reform, after the Council of Trent (1545), Spain led a religious conservative movement. The Church, therefore, molded the Spanish culture and created the so -called prohibited book index (1559), a relationship of texts that were censored. It was forbidden to study abroad and any cultural, political or scientific novelty was persecuted. In addition, a mystical and ascetic movement arose from which a beautiful lyric was obtained, mainly cultivated by Fray Luis de León, San Juan de la Cruz and Santa Teresa de Jesús.
During these two reigns, the Spanish economy suffered fluctuations due to the wealth that came from America and the numerous wars. The privileges of the Mesta (Greeder Guild) stopped the development of agriculture, but did not prevent the development of commerce and industry. These last two sectors evolved thanks to the Bourgeoisie of Flanders and Italy, which settled in Spain to increase its capital.
At this time, society was still organized in estates and was subject to its regulations. The nobility did not work or pay taxes, that was done by the bourgeoisie and the plain people, mostly rural. On the other hand, the clergy had its own divisions. The high clergy enjoyed the privileges of the nobility, while the low clergy suffered the hardships of the people. The concept of honor and honor, traditional of the Castilian nobility as an inheritance of those who reconquered the Muslim territories, was accentuated. In addition, as a consequence of the presence of the Inquisition, the idea of blood purity was forged, thus dividing Christians between "old" and "new" (depending on whether their ancestors had been baptized in ancient or recent times).
Renaissance culture is characterized by a change in mentality in which theosyntrism is abandoned, life is stopped as a "valley of tears" and the earthly is valued more than the supernatural. From this different ideological currents arise, being the most prominent humanism. The main characteristics of humanism are anthropocentrism (man as a center and measure of all things), the return to Greco -Roman culture and classic models in art, and in the case of literature, the use of vernacular languages. Other currents of thought of the time include erasmism, which defends a true and intimate religious practice;Neoplatonism, which is based on the exaltation of earthly beauty as a reflection of divine beauty and stoicism, which promotes natural life based on balance against artificial life. From these ways of thinking the figure of the courtesan arises, a gentleman who is skilled both in arms and letters. This chivalrous ideal of a brave and refined man was reflected by Baltasar de Castiglione in his work El Corteano, translated into Spanish by Boscán.
Renaissance art is characterized by seeking harmony, perfection, balance and beauty. In architecture there is much importance to simplicity, proportion and creation of diaphanous and open spaces. In addition, classic elements such as columns or triangular frontons are used. In painting and sculpture, proportion and balance are also important and most works focus on the exaltation of the beauty of the human body (the nude is revived) and on idealism and serenity. Apart from portraits and religious works, one of the most recurring themes is classical mythology. This theme also appears frequently in Renaissance literature, which, like the other arts, seeks delight and beauty, and does so through bucolism (idealization of pastoral life), the beauty of women, sensuality …and through the use of literary topics such as Carpe Diem (enjoy youth and beauty) or Locus amoenus (idealized love).
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