Paste your essay in here.. Based on selected readings of the course this semester, it can be determined that a more narrow definition of the term “Renaissance” would be appropriate. Despite the emulation of antiquity being a steady commonality in Renaissance works, the examination of other themes reveal rifts in attitude that make it impossible for the term to apply to broader culture. By analyzing a group of texts through the lens of appearances versus reality, we can see how vastly different each author’s attitude is towards the nature of appearances, reality, and reputation. Similarly, trying to label Renaissance figures strictly elitist or strictly egalitarian would be impossible due not only to conflicting ideas within a group of works but at times to contradictory attitudes within one work.
While some authors claim that appearances match reality, others claim that there is a disconnect between the two. Further, there is disagreement as to whether this disconnect should be praised as cleverness, shunned as bad and immoral, or is simply a necessity. In “Panegyric to the City of Florence”, Leonardo Bruni begins his lavish praise of the city by stating, “Florence is of such a nature that a more distinguished or more splendid city cannot be found on the entire earth.” (Bruni, 135) To Bruni, the appearance and reality of Florence are one in the same. Not only is the city physically beautiful, clean, and geographically superior to other cities, but the people of the city are superior as well. Bruni states “Just as these citizens surpass all other men by a great deal in their natural genius, prudence, elegance, and magnificence, so the city of Florence has surpassed all other cities in its prudent site and its splendor, architecture, and cleanliness.” (Bruni, 136)The appearance of the city is beautiful and the people who make it up are just as exquisite. Bruni does acknowledge that in some cities, the outside appearance differs from interior appearance, but again reaffirms that the beauty of Florence is not just a surface impression. “But the beauty of Florence cannot be appreciated unless seen from the inside. Therefore, the sort of careful scrutiny that brings shame to other cities only serves to raise the esteem held for Florence, for behind the walls of the buildings of Florence there are no fewer ornaments and no less magnificence than there is outside; nor is any one street better decorated or more handsome than the other.” (Bruni, 140) For Bruni, the reputation, appearance, and reality of Florence are all consistent with each other.
Other authors reveal a disjuncture between appearance and reality that is painted in a negative light. Both Francesco Petrarch and Pico della Mirandola stress the need for man to search for the truth behind appearances. In “The Ascent of Mount Ventoux” Petrarch explains that the quick path up the mountain seems difficult and bad while the easier route seems more rewarding. He then argues that in reality, it is reversed. “What you have so often experienced today while climbing this mountain happens to you, you must know, and to many others who are making their way toward the blessed life. This is not easily understood by us men, because the motions of the body lie open, while those of the mind are invisible and hidden. The life we call blessed is located on a high peak. ‘A narrow way” they say, leads up to it. Many hilltops intervene, and we must proceed ‘virtue to virtue’ with exalted steps. On the highest summit is set the end of all, the goal toward which our pilgrimage is directed.” (Petrarch, 39)Though the better path seems obvious, the reality is that the ultimate reward can only be reached through a journey with more difficult exalted steps. Pico echoes this idea that appearance is an illusion in “Oration on the Dignity of Man”. By asserting that aspects of Christianity, Platonism, Neoplatonism, Aristotelianism, Hermeticism, and Cabala could be unified Pico suggests that though they all appear different, they intersect in a profound way. “If, by moral philosophy, the power of our passions shall have been restrained by proper controls so that they achieve harmonious accord; and if, by dialectic, our reason shall have progressed by an ordered advance, then, smitten by the frenzy of the Muses, we shall hear the heavenly harmony with the inward ears of the spirit.” (Pico, 231) Here Pico is suggesting that finding unity behind the different traditions rather than focusing on their differences leads one to the ultimate harmony. His citations, too, carry an allegorical meaning. When mentioning the advice of Pythagoras, he reminds the reader, “Then he will point out to us two things particularly to beware of: that we should not make water facing the sun or cut our nails while offering sacrifice.” (Pico, 235) A literal interpretation of this statement is utterly ridiculous as Pico is once again stressing the importance of finding the truth beneath the surface. Pico and Petrarch both argue that appearance is an illusion that man can overcome with careful contemplation.
While the disconnect between appearance and reality is looked down upon by Pico and Petrarch, other Renaissance authors view the ability to create this separation as cleverness. In Bocaccio’s “The Decameron” this cleverness is viewed very favorably. In the first story of the third day, Bocaccio tells of a young man named Masetto who feigns being deaf and mute in order to secure a job in a nunnery. By appearing deaf he is not only able to get the job, he also makes himself an ideal candidate as a sexual partner for the nuns as they believe he will not be able to tell of their indiscretions. In the end, “Masetto returned home old and rich and a father, without ever having to bear the expense of bringing up his children, for he had been smart enough to make good use of his youth.” (Bocaccio, 200) His ability to appear deaf is praised as cleverness and leads to him getting what he wants. Similarly, in “The Life of Michelangelo” by Giorgio Vasari, the author praises the artist for his ability to fool others. First, he attributes early successes of Michelangelo’s to his ability to emulate the work of other artists. “The skill with which he did this work won him a considerable reputation. Michelangelo also copied the works of other masters, with complete fidelity; he used to tinge his copies and make them appear black with age by various means, including the use of smoke, so that they could not be told apart from the originals.” (Vasari, 412) Michelangelo is also able to trick a Cardinal into thinking his own Cupid statue comes from antiquity. Rather than looking down on Michelangelo for fooling the Cardinal, it is instead the Cardinal who is shamed for thinking an ancient statue to be more valuable than Michelangelo’s. The artist’s ability to fool is once again praised in the story of the creation of the statue David. When an onlooker remarks that the nose is too thick, Michelangelo fakes chiseling the nose by dropping dust slowly without actually altering anything. In these instances a person’s success is determined by their ability to fool others, making the manipulation of appearances part of peoples’ virtue.
Just as no general consensus can be made as to Renaissance attitudes regarding appearances and reality, there is no unanimity amongst Renaissance writers with respect to elitism and egalitarianism. In some cases, evidence for both sides exists within one work, making a claim for either one exclusively a contradiction. Though evidence for elitism through the disdain of critics can be found in more than one work, there is not sufficient evidence for it to be deemed characteristic of the Renaissance as a whole.
In “How to Govern a State” Francis Petrarch often advocates that a ruler should seem like one of the people. At the same time, he acknowledges the superiority of the ruling class. Petrarch calls on Augustus for an example-“He left unmentioned the Tiber flowing within the city walls; and in fact grain and wine are not on a par, since the one is always necessary for life whereas the other is often harmful, but would not have been any the less attractive to the people, who love what is pleasurable more than what is necessary; but that good and wise prince did not give heed to what they enjoyed but to what benefited them.” (Petrarch, 537) Petrarch is pointing out that while the ruler is considered a father to the people, he is not one of the people. In this case, the ruler knows better than the people what is best for themselves.
A different work from the same author can be interpreted through the lens of egalitarianism. In “The Ascent of Mount Ventoux” Petrarch suggests all men are capable of reaching their spiritual peak despite their earthly desires. He reflects, “Silently I thought over how greatly mortal men lack counsel who, neglecting the noblest part of themselves in empty parading, look without for what can be found within. I admired the nobility of the mind, had it not voluntarily degenerated and strayed from the primordial state of its origin, converting into disgrace what God had given to be its honor.” (Petrarch, 45) Rather than suggesting only a certain group can attain this heightened spirituality, Petrarch deems all mortal men capable.
Evidence exists for both egalitarianism and elitism in Leon Battista Alberti’s “On Painting and Sculpture”. He first establishes the difficulty of new methods of painting and that they make for better art than ever before. He states, “As we can easily judge from the works of former ages, this matter probably remained completely unknown to our ancestors because of its obscurity and difficulty.” (Alberti, 225) He then goes on to explain that the methods necessary to create great painting and sculpture can only be understood by those who are educated-“To intelligent minds that are well disposed to painting, those things are simple and splendid, however presented, which are disagreeable to gross intellects little disposed to these noble arts, even if expounded by the most eloquent writers.” (Alberti, 225) Alberti then reaffirms the superiority of the painter by pointing out that they do not fall under the category of “craftsman” because they are always held in higher honor and esteem. Though these examples would lead us to believe Alberti is an elitist, traces of egalitarianism can be found in this same work. He later states, “The number of painters and sculptors was enormous in those days, when princes and people, and learned and unlearned alike delighted in painting…The excellent custom was especially observed among the Greeks that free-born and liberally educated young people were also taught the art of painting together with letters, geometry and music.” (Alberti, 228) Though Alberti establishes the necessity of an intelligent mind to comprehend then-modern day painting techniques, he also reminisces on a time where all people could enjoy taking part in painting.
Examining different works from Renaissance authors leads to the determination that a narrow, emulation of antiquity-based definition of Renaissance is appropriate. Attitudes regarding the nature of appearances and reality are so vastly varied it would be impossible to deem any one indicative of Renaissance culture as a whole. While Leonardo Bruni found that the reputation, appearance, and reality of Florence were all consistent with one another, Petrarch and Pico spoke of the disconnect between appearances and reality. For Pico and Petrarch, this break was considered very negative. Still others, like Bocaccio and Vasari believed the ability to distort appearances and reality should be praised as cleverness. Just as the attitudes surrounding appearances and reality vary from author to author, so too do attitudes concerning elitism and egalitarianism. Not only can traces of both be found within one work (Alberti’s “On Painting and Sculpture”), the same author can express contradictory viewpoints across two different works, as with Petrarch’s “The Ascent of Mount Ventoux” and “How to Govern a State”. The analysis of all of these works with regards to appearances and reality and egalitarianism versus elitism reveals an impossibility in using the term “Renaissance” to apply to broader culture.