Overall, you clearly have a strong grasp of the ideas. One important point that many groups did not mention, however, was the flexibility that the strong Florentine economy provided.
The best reports are the ones that use evidence to support their arguments. The Brucker book is more difficult than Thornton's to use direct evidence from the text, but you can still use examples from the text or from our class discussions to make your arguments stronger.
Also, it was not required for this assignment, but considering the similarities and differences between Florentine and Athenian culture (and other topics) is a great idea and will definitely help you in studying for the midterm!!
They idolized and drew a lot of influence from antiquity, like Rome and Athens. These cultures influenced anything from governmental structure to city planning, art and architecture. They used this ideals to move away from the medieval lifestyle (Byzantine). Good point.
In terms of domestic changes, the accumulation of wealth was important because it provided funding, first and foremost, to areas like art. It also gave room for people to pursue their intellectual curiosity that had benefitted Athens. Great comparison. Thinking in this way is excellent preparation for the midterm. Even people from modest backgrounds had the chance to gain recognition and a source of stability through use of their talent, like Brunelleschi the architect, and Donatello the sculptor. Excellent examples.
Another contributing factor for cultural innovation was the discussion-based, guild-controlled republic. Like Athens, people were able to openly discuss politics and current events. Humanism and rational thought were greatly valued as a society, leading to SSR. Because there was no single dominating group among the guilds, people were more likely to share ideas and speak candidly. These assemblies demonstrated the integration of the rich and poor so that hierarchical factors and elitism did not play into political or social life. This also allowed for social mobility and a level of equality and communication unattainable in other Renaissance cities of the time. Overall, this is wonderful. Great comparison of Florence to Athens. Next time, try to use evidence from the text to support your points but great exercise.
One factor in why Florentine society was so receptive to change and innovation was a sense of social mobility. Great point, as your next point is the role of discussion and SSR, you could elaborate more on the social mobility, such as giving examples of artists. Because of its "atmosphere of free communication" Florence was "perhaps the most flexible of any major Itlian city" (215). This atmosphere led to lengthy discussion in town halls in which both "wealthy bankers and poor artisans sat together as equals. (217) Great use of evidence. This communcation was a form of sustained, self-conscious reflection and tolerated creativity and a variety of ideas as no one group was allowed to dominate.
During some of this discussion, artists performed sustained self-conscious reflection about art, particularly the Byzantine styles of the Middle Ages. The artists realized they wanted to move away from the lack of realism and two demonsionality and instead "fused together [. . .] the Graeco-Roman-Christian tradition" to create a more realistic and humanistic form of art (214). The "stimulating intellectual environment" of Florence attracted young and talented artists, which eventually led to a more artistic and enlightened society. Very good points and great use of evidence. More developed arguments for some of your points would make this perfect.
Florence during the Renaissance was particularly innovative and open to creativity and change. This is due to multiple factors, one of which being the way in which the arts were funded. In most European cities at the time artists were funded by the church. However, in Florence, much of the art was commissioned by wealthy patrons, which allowed for more atristic freedom. Good. An example of this artistic freedom is the bronze David by Donatello, which portrayed a nude man outside of any religious context. Great example, although David was a religious figure and therefore not outside of any religious context. Great thinking, though. Other artists such as Masaccio brought realism and perspective into the world of art, which was unfavorable to the church, which favored a more unrealistic, other-worldly aesthetic. Good.
Another reason for this innovation is the open and tolerant culture in Florence. This open-mindedness is exemplified by the signoria, a meeting in whichboth the wealthy and the poor would sit down together as equals and discuss important social issues. Florence was able to facilitate "communication between intellectuals, merchants, and statesmen, and which provided a unique forum for the spread of new ideas and opinions" (237). Very good. You could directly mention SSR here.
During the Crusades, a set of Roman Laws was found. The Florentines, using these laws to help structure their own laws, created a political system which was based on a vernacular tradition of communication between various individuals in the city. Brucker writes, "The open and candid discussions about the problems of cathedral construction (in which bankers, lawyers, friars, and craftsmen participated) also cut across social and professional barriers." (p 217) This communication, or "sustained self-concious reflection", allowed, in one way, for the artists to begin to socialize with the Patrons that would finance their work. Good, but was this really because of the Roman laws?
This idea of the more wealthy citizens paying for artists' work allowed for more artistic freedom on the part of the artists. This almost "freedom of expression" allowed for the artists to not only differ from the previously popular Byzantine art tradition, but also to begin looking back to classical Roman and Greek art. How did the role of the wealthy citizens allow for artistic freedom? You are right, the role of the patron was very important, but elaborate more on this point.
These ideas of patrons sponsoring artists and of increased artistic freedom caused Florence to become a very attractive location for future artists and scholars. In addition, the very successful economy of Florence contributed to the ability of the Patrons to support the artistic community. Good points, but elaborate more and use evidence from the book.
Florence was creative and so receptive to change and innovation because of the switch from art being commissioned by the church to art being commissioned by patrons. This allowed the artists a little more freedom because they weren't having to keep their artwork completely religiously based and church-appropriate. Good.
These artists who were being commissioned were also coming from humble backgrounds. They didn't have a large family name to protect, and this allowed them to take more risks with their artwork.
The increased wealth from the merchants allowed the patrons to spend more money on the artwork and to commission more artists. This in turn kept the economy booming. This also moved artwork from only being in churches to being infiltrated into the culture and the patron's homes. It made artwork more personal and appreciated. Great, the role of patrons is very important.
The guild system allowed for innovation in art by allowing the patrons and the atrists to talk as equals. The artists were included in the guild system and had their own guilds. Through this guild system the community was saying they saw art as a profession and that everyone was equal and their opinions and decisions deserved to be heard. Good points. Next time, use evidence and examples to support your ideas.
The foundation that allowed for Florentine creativity and innovation during the Renaissance period was based on the economic stability that came with the rising merchant class and growth of the woolen cloth industry. Very good. A flourishing economy allowed for the system of patronage, which was intregral to the new artistic movement that took place. All art at this time was commissioned by wealthy patrons or the church; thus the works produced were a reflection of the style and values of the commissioner. Excellent. An example? The broad and flexible political system that accompanied this economy allowed for greater communication between different levels of society, especially the wealthy mercantile class and the lower class of artisans. The art then expressed not only the concerns of the patrons but also those brought up by the artists themselves in these forums.
At this time there was also a renewed interest in classical antiquity. These artists sought to emulate Greek and Roman tradition that had previously been lost in the medieval age. Very good points, but try to include examples or evidence from the text to support your arguments.
Florentine society was able to be receptive to change and innovation due to the interaction between classical and vernacular tradition. Having formed their government from the Roman Republic, the Signoria admitted men from all classes and economic status allowing the open and candid discussions from the various viewpoints. Good. You could mention SSR directly here. From this came the desire for perspective and realism under the influence of classical antiquity not just in art but also in politics and architecture. At this point they were able to stem away from the church and focus on secular ideas and humanism in various creative outlets such as art and literature. True, but keep in mind that religion remained an important theme. The open and tolerant culture also came from the restriction of one tradition or professional caste becoming more powerful than the others.
The economic stability allowed for patrons of the arts. The meetings in the Signoria allowed discussion between the wealthy and those who they may hire for various projects essentially keeping the artisans in work. The community of artisans (you could say artists. Artisans refers more to crafts, such as furniture.) is then enlarged and able to form their own guilds in turn gaining public respect. Use evidence from the text on this point. All of this was a rather large result of sustained, self-conscious reflection. Good.
Classroom Report: Brucker writes: "Perhaps no problem of historical analysis is so challenging and provocative, and so beset with pitfalls, as the attempt to explain the relationship between social and cultural phenomena...Why was Florentine society so creative, so receptive to change and innovation?
Florentine society can be credited as creative, innovative and receptive to change due to the variety of cultures, the frequent communcation and the broad base of political participation.
People from all over were attracted to the Florentine lifestyle. Florence was "realitvely open and tolerent" to other cultures. In Florence, "no single tradition or professional caste becamse so powerful that it could dominate others." (Great use of evidence but in the future include page numbers. They can be especially helpful when you are studying!) The variety of cultures allowed the city to be mroe receptive of change in traditions and artistic styles. Very good.
Communcation in Florence was a unqiue trait of the city. Many different peoples of varying cultures, regions, and lifestyles would meet and discuss in in a "open and candid"(SSR) discussion to current traditions and styles in pursit of bettering the city through innovation. Very important point.
The broad base of political participation allowed more citizens to be represented in a flexible and motivational environment. This insipired more citizens to take an active responsibility in the city of Florence. Elaborate on this point. Does "responsibility" mean that they wanted to create more humanistic art, for example? The political atmosphere is definitely important, but elaborate on your assertions.
Why was Florentine society so creative, so receptive to change and innovation?
Florentine society was receptive to creativity and innovation because it was a "stimulating intellectual environment." Because of the fear of corruption and inequality Florence instituted such practices of discussion within guilds, subsidizing, and supporting artists. The fact that the Florentines had a complex society because of social mobility allowed for a revolutionary drive to succeed. Is there direct evidence for this "drive to succeed"? All members of the artistocracy were active "artists" and scholars. All? There was easy communication between those of different social statuses through their neighborhoods and the communal nature of discussion. Theologians were left out of the signoria to create a more secular environment. Since "no single tradition was....so powerful" all ideas were equal and the church rule was restricted so citizens could think freely and were encouraged to. These forums "may have stimulated interest in classical antiquity" and since citizens were allowed to think for themselves creativity and new ideas flourished. This environment is a good point. However, there were many other important points, including the role of patrons, the fliexibility provided by a strong economy, and the fact that Florentines were looking back to classical culture, for example.
Florentine society was exceptionally receptive to change and inovation. One of the main reasons that this was able to occur was because of the strong economy in the society. Florence had a strong middle and upper class. This means that these people had time and resources to not only to contemplate new ideas but also to act on them. Even if the people did not themselves produce art, many of the wealthy famililies such as the Medicis were patrons to artists. This provided the opportunity for art to become a real profitable profession. Good. Use evidence from the text.
Another reason that cultural advancement was able to take place was the fact that the government was not oppressive. The government did not take an antagonistic view to new ideas.A good example of this would be Brunelleschi's David. This was the first free standing nude statue since Roman times, not to mention being one of a biblical figure. This marks an important shift in society. People were not in fear of the papal regulations and could produce art for the sake of art. Good, but elaborate on the government system that allowed for this advancement.
Florentine society was more receptive to change and innovation partly because the university system was so weak. You need to elaborate on this statement, because this is not one of the main points. Also, the city attracted talented artists from other places because it was much more appreciative of art. Most native Florentine artists came from modest backgrounds - without a reputation to uphold they were free to experiment with new artistic styles (the Renaissance). During this period, there was a noticeable shift from art being defined as a craft to it being more of a progressive/creative undertaking. Good. Florence's size, wealth, and appreciation of details enabled its creative success and the ability to innovate. The rediscovery of classical Antiquity and the vernacular tradition spurred progress towards a more modern society. You have some good points, but rather than introducing and concluding each point within one sentence, provide some connection between your ideas and use evidence to back up your points.
The growth of culture in Florence was enabled by a circular relationship between artists, patrons and citizens. Good. The artisans often came from humble beginnings and it was Florence's flexible social structure that allowed them to become known still to this day. Their creativity was supported by the wealthy patrons who developed an interest in the modern interpretations of biblical art. ...or other themes. The artisans gained new artistic license when working for personal clients in comparison to when they were confined to artistry for the church.
The Renaissance goal of reinvention and renewed interest in the Roman classics were based in "a long tradition of technological skill and innovation" (213). Although there was a focus on education, it was often manifested in the crafts through apprenticeship and less in the form of university study, which Florence was never well-known for. Good.
Florence attracted international attention for its " social structure, perhaps the most flexible of any major Italian city" (215). The strong merchant population served as a strong base for this society. Their wealth was generated from international trade, especially from the wool industry. Without this access to capital, Florentine artists would not have had the relationship to wealthy patrons and thus the ability to express themselves creatively. Good reference to the economy. This is a very important point.
Though the idea is not necessarily the most popular and optimistic of explanations, it is not out of line to say that much of the reason that Florentines were receptive to change and innovation was economic. True. Don't think that this is not popular or optimistic, though, because it is very important. Cultural pluralism made for increased efficiency in trade and quality of products, and a centralized town council where all factions could sit down and "talk turkey" created an environment where business could florish. Even the commission of art--most specifically, art where the patron himself was put into the piece--worked to increase exposure for that patron, which in turn bettered his business prospects. True, but was business prospects the only reason for sponsoring art? From there developed a moral and cultural standard for civil discourse, where "wealthy bankers and poor artisans sat togther as equals." This encouraged free thought and intellectual discourse allowing the Florentine guilds to be so receptive to change. Good. You could mention SSR directly here.