Reading | Go out of the Italian center and discover the diverse appearance of the European Renaissance

"Renaissance (2nd Edition)"

[English] Peter Berke

Zhang Hong translation

Peking University Press published in July 2022

The Renaissance has always been immortal in the history of human culture. Outstanding men during this period, from Michelangelo and Da Vinci, to Dan Ding and Mengtian, they all created the amazing works. How does this "cultural miracle" rise and how to die? In this book, the cultural historian Peter Berke strongly challenged the traditional viewpoints of Buckerhart and others, that is, the Renaissance mainly occurred in Italy, consciously occurred, and it was completely broken with the so -called "Dark Middle Ages". On the contrary, he emphasized the "continuation" of the medieval tradition, and emphasized the creative adaptation process of classical forms and values ​​in new culture and social background in other regions of Italy and other regions of Europe.

>> Selected reading in the text:

The myth of the Renaissance

Dutch historian John Herjinha wrote: "As soon as he heard the word" Renaissance ", the dreamer who was obsessed with the beauty of the past, he was in front of him." In more accurate, in his mind, flashing With Potcheli's "Birth of Venus", Michelangelo's "David", Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", all these gathers into a golden age that carries creativity and culture Scroll.

The image of the Renaissance can be traced back to the French historian Reller Mishle in the middle of the 19th century. Opposition), poet Robert Bronin, and novelist George Eliot (these two views are more ambiguous), and the most important thing is Swiss scholar Jacob Buckerhart. In his masterpiece "The Culture of the Renaissance of the Italian Renaissance", Buckerhart set the tone to this period with two concepts: "individualism" and "modernity". "In the Middle Ages," Bakhart believes, "Human consciousness ... is still shrouded in the common screen, half a dream and half awake ... people's consciousness of self, one member of the race, ethnic, family, or community - — Just use some general categories to categorize yourself. "However, during the Italian Renaissance," this curtain was the first to melt ... people became spiritual individuals and confirmed themselves. " Renaissance means modernity. Bakhart claims in the book that Italy is "the eldest son of modern European sons". The 14th -century poet Francisco Peterrack was "one of the first real modern people." The great rejuvenation of art and thought began in Italy, and then these new concepts and new art forms spread to other parts of Europe.

The concept of Renaissance is a myth. Of course, "myth" is a ambiguous term. I deliberately use it here, involving two different meanings. When talking about various "myths", professional historians usually refer to them that they have clearly discovered that there are errors or at least misleading. Taking Bakhart's description of the Renaissance as an example, historians opposed the dramatic control of the Renaissance with the Renaissance with the Middle Ages, Italy and other European countries. They believe that these controls are exaggerated, ignoring many innovative actions in the Middle Ages, the traditional concepts of traditional concepts until the 16th century or even later, and the interests of Italy's painting and music in other countries (especially Needland).

The second meaning of "myth" is literary. A myth is a symbolic story that tells some of the more legendary characters. It is a meaning of meaning, especially a story that tells the past, providing explanation or reasonable proof of the existence of some things. Bakhart's Renaissance is also a myth in this sense. The characters in his story, whether it is hero -like Leon Battista Alberti and Michelangelo, or the villain -like Bolgia family, is quite legendary. This type of story provides an interpretation of the modern world on the one hand, and on the other hand provides them with defense. It is a symbolic story, because it describes the changes in culture with the metaphor of awakening and rebirth. These metaphors are not simply decorative, but the fundamental elements of Buckerhart used to interpret the Renaissance.

These metaphors were not new in the era of Buckerhart. Since the middle of the 14th century, more and more scholars, writers, and artists in Italy and other regions have begun to use Fuxing Image to describe their feelings of living in a new era. After experiencing their so -called "dark era" In the era of light, a era of regeneration, innovation, regression, rewarding, rebirth, or awakening again.

This kind of metaphor is used during the period of 1300-1600 years we are concerned about. If there is any unique features, they are used in academic or artistic movements. For example, in the 1930s, Leonaldo Broei described Petrack, a "such an elegant and genius, so that he could recognize the simple and elegant style that had been lost and made it made it made it. Return to Guangming. " Ilasmo told Lio X. Due to the recovery of knowledge and piety, "our time ... there is hope to become a golden age"; while Jorcho Vasari revolves around the concept of art revival, and the painter will take the painter to the painter. The sculptor and the architect arranged into his "The Biography of the Art Garden" in an orderly manner, and divided into three major stages, starting with the Green era, with Da Vinci, Raphael, especially Vasari's own teachers. Michelangelo is the peak.

Like all self -image, the self -image of scholars and artists during the Renaissance was both inspiring and misleading.Like the generations of their father -in -law, these Renaissance people have repeatedly criticized the "Middle Ages", but what they inherited from this era are far more than they realize.Once they overestimate their distance between them and the just -passed Middle Ages, they underestimate their distance between themselves and farther away.The more distant past is exactly the classical era they admire.In a sense, the self -rebirth they described is a myth, a misleading expression about the past, a dream, the satisfaction of wishes, and the repeat or reproduction of ancient myths.

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Author: [English] Peter Berke

Edit: Yuan Yuanlu

Editor in charge: Zhu Zilong

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