Social Status

My whole life I have seen the struggle between social classes. I am lucky to be apart from all of it, which is one of the pros of being an artist. Since I am considered to be an artistic genius, I was no longer regarded as an artisan, but more of a hero or a celebrity.  

There are currently three estates that make up the social classes. The first estate was the clergy, second is the nobility, and the third consists of peasants and inhabitants. Peasants, or the Third Estate, dominated the population of towns and cities. Their lives are relatively difficult because their livelihood depends on the upper class to employ them. When times are rough, the nobility and clergy remain unscathed while the peasants suffer and starve.

It may seem like the nobility did not care for the common people, but in actuality, most of them did. Thanks to Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier, nobles remained chivalrous and honorable people. The nobles are also the patrons of artists who provide workshops and money to have an artist paint for them and because of this, I have great respect for the noble class.

Clothes are another aspect of social life. It is said that if one dresses well, even though they do not have money, they will be accepted in a wealthy social class. Clothes were a public was of displaying wealth and rank. The church frowns on this by claiming that wearing great clothes was a sign of being materialistic but that did not stop artisans from producing better clothing.

Sources: http://www.mrdowling.com/704-social.html
http://www.realarmorofgod.com/renaissance-era.html
Spielvogel

The Renaissance

The Artistic Renaissance and humanism are all part of a great time period known as the Italian Renaissance. During the Renaissance, all parts of Italy are going though a time of great prosperity. Humanism, was the growing movement that spurred on the Renaissance to be what it is today.

Towards the beginning, Italy had expanded its trade and built new industries giving great wealth to the Italians. The Medici family took charge of the banking and brought Florence to the peak of its prosperity.

As time progressed, nobles began to lost income but remained loyal to their original purpose. A man, named Baldassare Castiglione wrote The Book of the Courtier and gave an example of the ideal nobleman. The peasants and common, on the other hand, saw a declination of serfdom and an increase in death rates. Another peculiar act was introduced too. People began to import slaves from Africa. I never had a care for it, but it seemed to be a big deal to everyone else. I might have been too focused on my works.

Anyways, Italy was divided into five major states that are still existent to this day. They consist of the duchy of Milan and the republic of Venice, the republic of Florence, the Papal States, and the Kingdom of Naples. One of these Papal states include the city in which I was born, Urbino. Urbino gained recognition under the rule of Fedrigo da Mentefeltro. He is considered a hero from where I am from because of his contributions and dedication to the state. Under his rule, Urbino became an artistic center for the Renaissance.

Sources: Spielvogel & http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0850178.html

Humanism

The potential of man led to a new way of thinking known as Humanism. It was based on old Greco-Roman literary works. This spurred a growth of new studies, such as poetry and history, were called the humanities. Everyday I would hear news of another philosopher debating their idea with another. It was a cultural phenomenon and it influenced many painters of my time, including myself. 

The first humanist was, I believe, Francesco Petrarca. He studied old classical works to explain how the Middle Ages were a time of darkness and confusion. He believed that humans can learn more about how to make the world a better place by studying the works of old writers. After Petrarca, philosophy and humanism began to spread throughout Europe. I unfortunately was not alive during Petrarca's time, but I can still see how his work influenced life today. 

Education was changed because of humanism too. By teaching humanistic ideas in the schools of Italy, it attracted many foreign students. The core of education was based on the "liberal studies." These liberal studies included philosophy, rhetoric, letters, poetry, astronomy, mathematics, and music.

This new-found interest in human knowledge led to the people doubting the practices of the Church.Humanists read old biblical texts in their original Hebrew and Greek translations to get an accurate reading of them all. Religious uncertainty began to take place and continued on to this day. I predict that in a few years, the Church will be challenged and eventually lose power, but I am nobody to be making these conclusions. I am only a humble man who was made to serve God.

Sources: Spielvogel & http://www.all-about-renaissance-faires.com/renaissance_info/renaissance_and_humanism.htm 

School of Athens

 School of Athens by Raphael Sanzio

courtesy of: http://paulthompson.us/

The Artistic Renaissance

The era in which I lived in, was a period known as the "Artistic Renaissance." It marked a new beginning for art as artists began to focus on a realistic imitation of nature. The point of any painter's work was to capture the scene as what it would look in real life. Painters of my time consider a man named Giotto as the person who started this movement. After Giotto, people began to use his style and it eventually caught on with the rest of society. We eventually developed perspective and a geometric system of measurement of space and light. One of the firsts to utilize perspective was Uccello and Donatello. From the year 1480 to the day I am in now, is considered the High Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and I dominated this era. Our works proved our artistic genius and why we were considered the best.

Italy also saw a growth of economy. New buildings were made based on a new type of architecture that was made during this time. An example of a gifted architect is Filippo Brunelleschi. He created new building techniques and was one of the first to create a dome. He also built the Church of San Lorenzo which was completely different from the architectural designs and the Middle Ages..

One thing that influenced our work was the commissions for our projects. The wealthy upper class decided what we painted and sculpted. Paintings were regarded as possessions for the rich. They were used for political purposes, social, and religious reasons.

Sources: Spielvogel

Raphel Sanzio

My name is Raphael Sanzio da Urbino. I need to make this quick as I am very busy with my work. I have begun to develop a cough because of my busy work ethic, but that will not stop me from completing what I have started. I was born on the sixth of April in the year 1483 in the city of Urbino. My father worked as a painter for the duke. My mother on the other hand, died when I was only eight years old. My father also passed when I was eleven. I had become an orphan and my uncle Bartolomeu, a priest, took care of me from then on. I continued to help maintain my father's workshop and I began to work under Pietro Perugino. I completed my training when i was about 18 years old and began to work for myself. One of my first works was the Baronci altarpiece which is now found in the church of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino. It was commissioned by Evangelista da Pian di Meleto who was a friend of my fathers. After I finished the altarpiece, I stayed in the area to complete more works such as the Mond Crucifixion and the Wedding of the Virgin. This made me popular and I was rushed with offers all throughout Urbino.

I had a lot of work, but I wanted more. That is why I traveled throughout northern Italy receiving different offers to work. I particularly enjoyed working in Florence. In Florence, I saw the works of a man name Leonardo Da Vinci. His paintings were complex and amazing. As a result, I began to practice this new kind of art style. I still had to make a name for myself, so I incorporated emotions such as calmness and tranquility to my paintings. During this high point in my career, I met a man named Michelangelo. Although I had no problem with this man, I felt like he had some kind of grudge against me. He would say that I was part of different conspiracies to bring my credibility down but that did not stop me from working. Later on, I was invited to Rome by Pope Julius II. Under the Pope, I completed one of my best works. This was when I started to make the so-called, "Raphael Rooms." My first addition to theses rooms was the Stanza della Segnatura, followed by The School of Athens, the Parnassus, and Disputa. At this time, it was evident that I had surpassed most of all the painters in Italy, including my old master. Michelangelo was angered by the fact the success of my School of Athens saying that I had copied his masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel. However, all I did was incorporate different influences and my own style to continue perfecting my style of art.

Now, I am starting to feel sickly but I must continue to finish my last masterpiece. I also took on a pupil named Giulio Romano to help me finish it. It is called the Transfiguration and I expect it to be one of the greatest pieces of art ever painted.

Sources: Wikipedia & Spielvogel