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Top 10 Books on the origins of the Italian Renaissance[[File:Petrarch_by_Bargilla.jpg|thumbnail|150px|left|Petrarch 14th century poet and humanist.]]
[[File:Petrarch_by_Bargilla.jpg|thumbnail|150px|Petrarch 14th century poet and humanist.]]
2 This work takes a close look at the specific culture and society of renaissance Italy. The author asserts that the cultural changes that led to the Renaissance were as a result of a unique series of factors in Italy. They include a dynamic economy, popular participation in civic government and a society that was relatively secular in its outlook. These factors led to new ideas about humanity and its potential and led many to create a culture that was a marked departure from fatalistic medieval views and one that placed a greater emphasis on 'the individual and people’s ability to improve their circumstances'.<ref>Burke, Peter Burke, The Italian Renaissance, Culture and Society. (Princeton University Press: Princeton, 2014),p. 141.</ref>
This work takes a close look at the specific culture and society of renaissance Italy3. Guido Ruggiero. ''[https://www.amazon. com/gp/product/0521719380/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521719380&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=00c22d591db7cc392d2d35a37b1cbd1a The author asserts that the cultural changes that led to the Renaissance were as a result of a unique series of factors in Italy: A Social and Cultural History of the Rinascimento]'' (Cambridge University Press, 2015). They include a dynamic economyThis work is by Italian historian, popular participation in civic government Guido Ruggiero and a society he argues that there was relatively secular no legitimate source of authority in its outlookItaly and the Church was widely reviled as corrupt. These factors led This vacuum allowed people more freedom because they were not expected to conform to new ideas about humanity and its potential and led many any agreed upon cultural norms. People tried to create make their lives a culture that was a marked departure from fatalistic medieval views and one work of art, inspired by the examples of the Ancients. The main thesis of the book is that placed a greater emphasis on 'for the individual and people’s ability to improve their circumstances' <ref> Burke, Peterfirst time in centuries,The Italian Renaissancesociety, Culture between the 14th and Society. (Princeton University Press: Princeton16th century, 2014,pencouraged individualism and this directly led to the Renaissance. 141)</ref>"
3 Guido Ruggiero4. The Lauro Martines, ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JXRK2L2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B01JXRK2L2&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=42cc9be4b6e855ab94ea54e3cba2d155 Power and Imagination: City-States in Renaissance in Italy: A Social and Cultural History of the Rinascimento ]'' (Cambridge John Hopkins University Press, 2015Baltimore, 1988).
This works by an Italian historian. It <i>Power and Imagination</i> argues that there the unique culture of the Renaissance that fostered the great artistic achievements in world history was no legitimate source a result of authority the basic egalitarian nature of the city-states. The elites in Italy these city-states were not members of the nobility or traditional elite and that to legitimize their authority they sponsored great works of art. Another crucial factor was the Church was widely reviled as corruptflourishing 'civil culture in these city-states'. This meant that people did not have led to conform to any expected norms the development of the humanist class, who were often lawyers and civil leaders, who had a secular outlook and this led them to seek new forms popularised the ideas of lifeRome and Greece. They tried to make their lives [[File:Piero,_ritratto_di_sigismondo_malatesta.jpg|thumbnail|150px|left|image of Pietro Malatests- a work mercenary and ruler of artRimmini, inspired by the examples typical of the AncientsRenaissance elite. ]]5. Jacob Burckhardt, ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014044534X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=014044534X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=4b1fbdeab162a6526984d5dafaa1495c The main thesis Civilization of the book is that for the first time Renaissance in centuriesItaly]'' (Penguin Classics) Third Printing Edition, Italian society(Penguin Books Hamondsworth, between the 14th and 16th century, encouraged individualism and this directly led to the Renaissance2000).
4 Lauro Martines Power This remains a very influential work on the Italian Renaissance and Imagination: City-States especially the origins of the Renaissance. It was published in the 19th century by one of the most acclaimed historians of the century. Burckhardt believed that there were several interlinking causes of the Renaissance . He believed that the elite was willing to become the patrons of great artists because they believe that they could 'legitimize their rule'.<ref>Jacob Burckhardt, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy( John Hopkins University PressPenguin Classics) Third Printing Edition, (Penguin Books Hamondsworth, Baltimore2000), 1988p. 67)</ref> Many of the rulers of city-states, such as the Sforzas in Milan, were often tyrants or leaders of mercenary forces and they used art to persuade people they were the legitimate rulers. The Renaissance developed in a largely secular culture, because of the corruption of the church and this created an environment, where people could talk and create, relatively freely. Burckhardt also believed that the Italian preoccupation with arête or excellence, mean that people strove to great work of art and indeed ‘to turn their lives into art’.
This book also by an Italian historian argues that the unique culture of the Renaissance that fostered the great artistic achievements in world history was a result of the basic egalitarian nature of the city-states. The elites in these city-states were not members of the nobility or traditional elite and to legitimise their authority they sponsored great works of art. Another crucial factor was the flourishing 'civil culture in these city-states'<ref> Martines, Lauro Power and Imagination: Citydh-States in Renaissance Italy( John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1988), p. 189.<ad/ref>. This led to the development of the humanist class, who were often lawyers and civil leaders, who had a secular outlook and popularised the ideas of Rome and Greece.
5 Jacob Burckhardt, 6. M.J. Gill. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0582493374/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0582493374&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=d54cd5fcddd28680d1a80781d683ec2d The Italian Renaissance: The Civilization Origins of Intellectual and Artistic Change Before the Renaissance in Italy Reformation.]'' (Penguin Classics) Third Printing EditionRoutledge, (Penguin Books HamondsworthNew York and London, 20001990).
6 M7.JCharles G. GillNauert. The Italian Renaissance''[https: The Origins of Intellectual //www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521547814/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521547814&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=c9e531d0d4cdb7045bc88d90a220e0ad Humanism and Artistic Change Before the Reformation. Culture of Renaissance Europe (Routledge, New York and Approaches to European History)]''- Updated Edition (Cambridge University Press: London, 19902006).
78. Charles G. Nauert. Humanism and the Culture of Renaissance Europe (New Approaches to European History) RoutledgeStark, Rodney, <i> [https: London, 2001//www.This work is a comprehensive study of the Renaissance in Europeamazon. It identifies the humanist as being the decisive influence on the development of the cultural shift and a change in people’s attitudes to society and life. He traces humanism's emergence in the unique social and cultural conditions of fourteenthcom/gp/product/0812972333/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0812972333&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-century Italy and its gradual spread throughout the rest of Europe. 20&linkId=e8fa0a3624b9d12221575d7f992454a8 The humanists were a cultural elite, whose preoccupations with the classical world, led to a new way Victory of looking at the world. The Humanists believed that the world was not just a ‘vale of tears’ contrary Reason: How Christianity Led to the teachings of the Church. This led to peopleFreedom, to profound cultural changes and the belief that the world could be improved. The author shows howCapitalism, despite its elitist origins, humanism became a major force in the popular culture and fine arts in Italy and beyond.8 Stark, Rodney, The Victory of ReasonWestern Success] </i>, (New York, Random House, 2005).
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The Renaissance was one of the greatest flowerings of artistic works in history. Artists such as Michelangelo and Raphael, to mention just two. The reasons behind this cultural flowering are still much debated. The following list of books offer some theories on the reason for this period of artistic and cultural achievement.
1 . Gene Bruckner, ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520046951/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0520046951&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=38294e59d2ab480741ccd5dfbcfca3bc Renaissance Italy]''. (University of California Press: Stanford, 1983).
This work offers a survey of the Renaissance in Florence, which was one of the great artistic and cultural centres of the time. Bruckner argues that the Renaissance in Florence was a result of a new elite of merchants and lawyers and their fascination with Ancient Rome and Greece. The believed that the past was a golden age and in trying to revive the culture of Rome and Greece, they helped to initiate the Renaissance in Florence and also in Italy.
2. Peter Burke, ''[[Filehttps:Piero,_ritratto_di_sigismondo_malatesta//www.amazon.jpg|thumbnail|150px|image of Pietro Malatestscom/gp/product/0691162409/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0691162409&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c- a mercenary 20&linkId=2f52e84912fd606bb0cc99049d7f7d9e The Italian Renaissance, Culture and ruler of RimminiSociety]''. (Princeton University Press: Princeton, typical of the Renaissance elite2014).]]
This remains a very influential work on the Italian Renaissance and especially indicates that the origins of the Italian Renaissance. It was published rest in the 19th century by one specific civic needs of the most acclaimed historians of the centurycity-states. Burckhardt believed that there They needed administrators, who were several interlinking causes of the Renaissance. He believed that the elite was willing versed in Latin, and this indirectly led to become the patrons rise of great artists because they believe that they could 'legitimize their rule'.<ref>Jacob Burckhardtthe humanist, The Civilization who disseminated the ideas of the Renaissance in Italy (Penguin Classics) Third Printing Edition, (Penguin Books Hamondsworth, 2000), pClassical World. 67)</ref> Many The needs of the rulers of city-statesstate meant that a new culture needed to be developed. This was, such as the Sforzas in Milanturn, were often tyrants or leaders to lead to civic communities’ patronage of mercenary forces and they used art to persuade people they were the legitimate rulers. The Renaissance developed arts, in order to foster a largely secular new civic culture, because of that turned to the classical world rather than the corruption teachings of the church and this created an environment, where people could talk and create, relatively freely. Burckhardt also believed that the Italian preoccupation with arête or excellence, mean that people strove to great work of art and indeed ‘to turn their lives into art’Church.
This work indicates that the origins is a comprehensive study of the Italian Renaissance rest in Europe. It identifies the humanist as being the decisive influence on the specific civic needs development of the city-statescultural shift and a change in people’s attitudes to society and life. They needed administrators, who were versed He traces humanism's emergence in Latin, the unique social and cultural conditions of fourteenth-century Italy and this indirectly led to its gradual spread throughout the rise rest of Europe. The humanists were a cultural elite, whose preoccupations with the humanistclassical world, who disseminated the ideas led to a new way of looking at the Classical Worldworld. The needs of Humanists believed that the city-state meant that world was not just a new culture needed ‘vale of tears’ contrary to be developedthe teachings of the Church. This was, in turnled to people, to lead to civic communities’ patronage of profound cultural changes and the arts, in order to foster a new civic culture, belief that turned to the classical world rather than could be improved. The author shows how, despite its elitist origins, humanism became a major force in the teachings of the Churchpopular culture and fine arts in Italy and beyond.
The thesis of the book is that the merchants and the elite of the city-states were all bound in with the trade. Trade encouraged a more rational view of the world and this led to the 'secularization of the world-view of many', especially in the elite<ref>Stark, Rodney, The Victory of Reason, (New York, Random House, 2005), p.89</ref>. Increasingly people used reason to explain the world and this led to a release of creativity and the flowering of culture that became known as the Renaissance.
9. Reynolds, L. D. and Wilson, ''Nigel Scribes and Scholars: A guide to the transmission of Greek and Latin Literature '' (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1974).
This work is concerned with the transmission of Latin and Greek manuscripts, since the end of the Ancient World. This book presents the theory, which is shared by many, that the increasing availability of ancient manuscripts, especially from Byzantium, meant that the ideas of Rome and Greece became more widely known and these inspired people to take a new approach to life. Inspired by ideas of the Ancient World, people tried to emulate it and this led to the creation of a new culture that nurtured many great artists, thinkers and scientists.
10. John Aldington Symons. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YH9WF0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003YH9WF0&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=4077d1598b616af99bc6e3a3ff6a3fec Renaissance in Italy, 7 vol]''. (1875–86).
This once influential work is a good example of the traditional view of the origins of the Renaissance. Symonds, argues that it was a result of a move away from a religious view of the world and to a more rational world-view. This allowed artists to develop new ideas and new forms and encouraged the humanists to develop a new conception of society. This theory was once widely accepted and was possibly first proposed by Voltaire. Symonds book is useful because it will allow to understand how scholarship on the Renaissance has changed overtime.
[[Category:Booklists]]
[[Category:Renaissance History]]
[[Category:History Booklists]]
[[Category:Expert Booklists]]
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====Related DailyHistory.org Articles====
*[[Why did the Italian Renaissance End?]]
*[[What were the causes of the Northern Renaissance?]]
*[[What was the influence of Emperor Frederick II on the Italian Renaissance?]]
*[[How did the Bubonic Plague make the Italian Renaissance possible?]]
*[[What was the role of the Popes in the Renaissance?]]
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