Humanism was the study of ancient Roman and Greek literature. The roman empire ended roughly in 470 A.D. while ancient Greece ended approximately 30 B.C. Humanism was an important step into the Renaissance period which was roughly the 14th through the 17th century.
Martines explains that "Humanism was an education ideal"(192). A humanist education explored such things as poetry, science, philosophy, grammar, and natural science, or as we refer to them now "the Humanities". An education in this discipline relied heavily on the use of Latin and with that the application of grammar. Humanists were expected to write and discuss critically so as to practice the art of persuasion. Humanists wanted the ruling class to be more open minded and "modernize their outlook" from their medieval or dark age backgrounds (Martines, 195). Humanism was to help the student become more "worldly" and to emphasis the human potential for achievement.
Humanism was not "meant for the urban community at large, instead it looked to practical life in society and it was meant for those destined to hold leading social positions" (Martines, 192). Exclusively educating the privileged could not be avoided "because of [humanism's] necessary insistence upon long years of study" (Martines, 199). Being educated like this was as Martines describes a "preparation for life: a life of study and public service rather than mere money making" (199). The mindset was to instill knowledge unto the rulers of the time who would have the wealth and power to change their cities. Theoretically, leaders who studied humanism would then be advocates for the betterment of their cities.
Through these emphases and ideals the Renaissance scholar was born. Scholars "found an ideal which could be turned into a recipe for cultivated men of the world, a recipe for ruling classes" (Martines, 196). This recipe of higher life-long learning, rhetoric, and civic pride laid the foundation for the Italian Renaissance. Humanists brought education out of the dark ages by looking back upon the fore-fathers of their nation. The art world of the time steps out of it's predecessor's ideals and themes and grows substantially. Renaissance art will take more risks, look more natural, and have greater dimension all due to studying historic texts.
Very nice discussion. The emphasis on civic pride is important and the idea of "risk-taking" is original and convincing in terms of the relationship of art to humanism.
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