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1350–1550 What new ideas were associated with the Renaissance? 53

The last artist included in Vasari’s book is Vasari universities, which at the time focused on theology
himself, for Renaissance thinkers did not exclude and philosophy or on theoretical training for lawyers
themselves when they searched for models of talent and physicians. Humanists poured out treatises,
and achievement. Vasari begins his discussion of his often in the form of letters, on the structure and
own works modestly, saying that these might “not lay goals of education and the training of rulers and
claim to excellence and perfection” when compared leaders. (See “AP® Thinking Like a Historian: Humanist
with those of other artists, but he then goes on for Learning,” page 54.)
more than thirty pages, clearly feeling he has achieved Humanists put their ideas into practice. Begin-
some level of excellence. ning in the early fifteenth century, they opened
Leon Battista Alberti (1404–1472) had simi- schools and academies in Italian cities and courts in
lar views of his own achievements. He had much which pupils began with Latin grammar and rhet-
to be proud of: he wrote novels, plays, legal trea- oric, went on to study Roman history and political
tises, a study of the family, and the first scientific philosophy, and then learned Greek in order to study
analysis of perspective; he designed churches, pal- Greek literature and philosophy. Gradually, human-
aces, and fortifications effective against cannon; he ist education became the basis for intermediate and
Uncorrected proofs have been used in this sample.
invented codes for sending messages secretly and a advanced education for well-to-do urban boys and
Copyright © Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers.
machine that could cipher and decipher them. In men. Humanist schools were established in Florence,
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers.
his autobiography — written late in his life, and in Venice, and other Italian cities, and by the early six-
the third person, so that he calls himself “he” instead teenth century across the Alps in Germany, France,
of “I” — Alberti described his personal qualities and and England.
accomplishments, noting that he excelled in many Humanists disagreed about education for
sports and “was devoted to the knowledge of the women. Many saw the value of exposing women to
most strange and difficult things. . . learned music classical models of moral behavior and reasoning,
without teachers . . . then turned to physics and the but they also wondered whether a program of study
mathematical arts. . . . When his favorite dog died he that emphasized eloquence and action was proper
2
wrote a funeral oration for him.” His achievements for women, whose sphere was generally understood
in many fields did make Alberti a “Renaissance to be private and domestic. In his book on the
man,” as we use the term, though it may be hard to family, Alberti stressed that a wife’s role should be
believe his assertion later in the autobiography that restricted to the orderliness of the household, food
preparation and the serving of meals, the education
“ambition was alien to him.” For review purposes only. Not for redistribution.
Biographies and autobiographies presented indi- of children, and the supervision of servants. (Alberti
viduals that humanist authors thought were worthy never married, so he never put his ideas into prac-
models, but sometimes people needed more direct tice in his own household.) Women themselves were
instruction. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato, bolder in their claims about the value of the new
whom humanists greatly admired, taught that the best learning. Although humanist academies were not
way to learn something was to think about its perfect, open to women, a few women did become edu-
ideal form. If you wanted to learn about justice, for cated in the classics, and they wrote and published
example, you should imagine what ideal justice would poetry, fiction, and essays in Latin and vernacular
be, rather than look at actual examples of justice in the languages.
world around you, for these would never be perfect. No book on education had broader influence than
Following Plato’s ideas, Renaissance authors specu- Baldassare Castiglione’s The Courtier (1528). This trea-
lated about perfect examples of many things. Alberti tise sought to train, discipline, and fashion the young
wrote about the ideal country house, which was to be man into the courtly ideal, the gentleman. According
useful, convenient, and elegant. The English human- to Castiglione (kahs-teel-YOH-nay), himself a court-
ist Thomas More described a perfect society, which he ier serving several different rulers, the educated man
called Utopia. should have a broad background in many academic
subjects and should train his spiritual and physical fac-
Education ulties as well as his intellect. Castiglione envisioned a
man who could compose a sonnet, wrestle, sing a song
Humanists thought that their recommended course while accompanying himself on an instrument, ride
of study in the classics would provide essential skills expertly, solve difficult mathematical problems, and,
for future politicians, diplomats, lawyers, mili- above all, speak and write eloquently. Castiglione also
tary leaders, and businessmen, as well as writers discussed the perfect court lady, who, like the courtier,
and artists. It would provide a much broader and was to be well educated and able to paint, dance, and
more practical type of training than that offered at play a musical instrument. Physical beauty, delicacy,

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