RENAISSANCE HISTORIOGRAPHY: Jacob Burckhardt HSTEU401 #1

Jakob Burckhardt, Swiss art historian (Professor at Zurich, Basel)

19th C setting of Swiss cantons, self-governing city states

studies in Berlin with first art historian: Franz Kugler

assists in editing Kugler's Handbuch fur Kunstsgeschicte

1847-48 trip to Italy: idea of book on cultural history of

Renaissance using art as guide to understanding of the culture

kulturgeschichte: history of culture as a whole by grasping

"spirit" of the age = zeitgeist; also geistesgeschicte

kultur: sum total of way of life, includes politics, warfare

exploration, society, emotions (not just high culture)

Burckhardt's Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy, 1860

considers the Renaissance as the "mother and source of modern man"

Pt I State as a work of art = state as conscious creation; sees

origin of modern politics in Renaissance Italy, individual

acts on his own, power goes to those who seize it by force;

theme of "illegitimacy" of power (= not hereditary)

Pt II Development of the Individual -- "Renaissance man"

medieval society as corporate, identity from groups:

Ren beg of man's awareness of himself, apart from group;

self-creation, self-definition of individuals of talent, genius

Pt III Revival of Antiquity: sees humanists as secular individualists,
attracted to classics out of non-Christian motives

Pt IV Discovery of the World and of Man: exploration,

discovery, expansion of Europe through self-assertion

Pt VI Religion and Morality stress on "pagan" influences

Burckhardt's Periodization: based on art historical styles:

Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque

Renaissance: distinctive artistic style emerges in Italy,
beginning in 14th C (Giotto), developing in 15th (Botticelli, Leonardo)
reaching culmination in 16th C (Michelangelo, Raphael)
"Revolt of medievalists" against Burckhardt's view (early 20th C)
origin of modern state is in medieval monarchies, not Italian
city states (which became princely states by 16th C.)
modern state develops during Middle Ages in two directions:

absolutism: France – King claims power by divine right

constitutional monarchy: England limitation of powers of govt.

expansion of Europe begins 12th C. with Crusades & commerce:

peak of European economic activity is 13th not 15th C.

Humanism as defining element of Renaissance culture: Kristeller mid-20th C

Renaissance as revival of Greek and Latin learning, in original;

texts available throughout the MA often translated from

Arabic, now available directly translated from Latin & Greek

Manuscript hunting as distinctive activity of Italian Humanists:

14th C. many classical manuscripts discovered in monastery libraries

Modern historical view of Renaissance:

1. Burckhardt's stress on "modernity" underestimates continuity with Middle

Ages, especially in social history: peasantry not part of Renaissance

2. Humanism: recovery legacy of classical antiquity begins in Middle Ages

but accelerates, becomes central cultural project in 14-15th C.

3. Distinctive character of the Italian Renaissance experience:

Italy occupies a particular place in revival of antiquity, especially in
art, archaeology & uncovering of ancient statues, ruins, as well as texts