EARLY RENAISSANCE HUMANISM IN ROME
Papacy in Rome v. Conciliarism
1309-1377 Papacy in Avignon
Great Schism (1378-1417)
first two Popes (Roman and French) then three;
efforts to solve Schism lead to:
Conciliar Movement: alternative theory of Church govt;
highest authority in Church is a council of bishops,
not Pope;
against Papal claims of supreme authority
Martin V (Oddone Colonna, Roman noble)
elected by Council of Constance (1414-1417),
1420 enters city of Rome: beginning of Renaissance
in Rome
Power struggle between Papacy and Conciliarism:
15th C Popes
begin propaganda campaign against conciliar theory as
heresy
reflected in various artistic works of mid-15th century
in Rome
1460 Pope Pius II condemns conciliarism as a heresy in the papal decree
Execrabilis
Roman Humanism (Curial Humanism)
affirm Papal primacy / restoration of Roman Church
stress on doctrine of Primacy of St. Peter (Primatus Petri vs. conciliarism)
Matthew 16:17-19: “You
are Peter [Petrus]; upon n this rock [petram] I will
build my Church and the Gates of Hell will not prevail against it. I will give
to you the keys to the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be
bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Distinctive aspects of
Roman humanism
Flavio Biondo: Roma
instaurata (1444-46):
correct identification and classification
of the city’s ancient buildings
epigraphy: study of inscriptions carved
on rock monuments
Archeological treatment of early Christian Rome (paleo-Christian era)
Rome
as site of early Christian martyrs; restoration of city in Christian theme
Dual apostolate: Roman and Christian themes overlap and fuse
papal assertion
of link between Roman Empire’s historical mandate &
Church’s divine mandate;
Popes as Christian Caesars restoring
Rome
Biblical and Patristic exegesis (interpretation
of Scripture)
recurring
parallels between Old Testament and New Testament events
Moses prefigures Christ and becomes
a typus Papae (type of Pope)
Jerusalem prefigures Rome. Rome is New
Jerusalem
Solomon’s
Temple prefigures St. Peter’s basilica
Early Renaissance Art (1420-1500)
High Renaissance Art (1500-1520)
Late Renaissance Art (Mannerism) (1520-1600)
Transition from medieval to early Renaissance in art
1) Theological / spiritual viewpoint gives way to
realist / humanist viewpoint
Man occupies center stage / Classical forms recuperated
Use of running narratives with attention to background details
2)
Mathematics & rediscovery of linear perspective
Leon Battista Alberti, Della pittura
[On painting](1436)
“vision makes a triangle, and from
this it is clear that a
very distant quantity
seems no larger than a point”
3) Changing Status of the Artist:
from artisan, mechanic to artist
Mechanical Arts vs. Liberal Arts:
artist should be educated in the
new studia humanitatis [classical curriculum] and in
study
of science and mathematics
Study of classical architecture and statuary; recovery of texts such as Vitruvius’ De architectura
The application of mathematics to art and the discovery of single point perspective
–Leon Battista. Alberti—1436 Della pittura (On Painting): “vision makes a triangle, and from this it is clear that a very distant quantity seems no larger than a point."
Rome 250—Slide list for Early Renaissance in Rome
1)
Masolini da
Panicale, Central Altarpiece for Santa Maria Maggiore
commissioned by Pope Martin V; on one side the Assumption
of the Virgin,
on other side miraculous founding of the church
from summer snow storm (1425)
2)
Fra’ Angelico:
Chapel of Nicholas V (1448-49): Chapel dedicated to the
lives of Sts. Stephen and Lawrence, early deacons
and martyrs of the Church:
Frescoes: St. Stephen appointed deacon by
St. Peter, paired with
St. Lawrence appointed deacon by Pope Sixtus II (Petrine succession)
3)
Melozzo
da Forli’Pope Sixtus IV nominates Platina Vatican Librarian (1476-77).
Figures of four papal nephews along with kneeling librarian; important depiction
of
Renaissance papal nepotism (favoring one’s nephews)
4) Sistine Chapel, (1475-1482), architect Baccio Pontelli,
commissioned by Sixtus IV; cycle of wall
paintings begins 1480's
one side: scenes from life of Moses; other side: scenes from life of Christ
5) Sandro Botticelli, Punishment of Korah (O.T.) (1480-82), in Sistine Chapel
6)
Pietro Perugino,
Christ Consigns the Keys to St. Peter (N.T.)(1480-1482),
in
Sistine Chapel. Subtext of anti-conciliar agenda.
7) Donato Bramante, New St. Peter’s
Cathedral. Coin showing Bramante’s
original design. Work begun in 1506 under papacy
of Julius II.