Most people, if asked about the Italian Renaissance, would respond with something about Leonardo di Vinci or Michelangelo. But from where did these artists get their ideas and who hired them to create their masterpieces?
This class will introduce students to the art and literature of what is called the proto-Renaissance of the 14th and early 15th centuries. We will take a look at Dante’s Divine Comedy, Petrarch and the origins of the Italian sonnet and Boccaccio’s Decameron, the introduction of which is the only contemporary account of the Plague. The background for all of these accomplishments was the rise of the merchant class and the social and economic repercussions of the arrival of plague in 1347.
Be ready for a little homework so you can come prepared to discuss and ask questions. This Study Group led by Susan Nenadic is for those 50 and over and will meet Tuesdays, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m., March 12 - April 9.