ITAL 240 Italy and the Renaissance
In this course, students will explore a range of cultural texts representative of the period of intellectual and artistic flourishing in Italy, referred to as the Renaissance. In the aftermath of the plague and under the patronage of secular and sacred forms of power, scholars and artists in Italy began to explore the liberty and beauty of the human spirit with the goal of perfecting all aspects of the human condition. Participants in the course will read and critically analyze a selection of the work of these artists and scholars to fully appreciate the cultural legacy of the Italian Renaissance and to discern the period's profound impact on the rest of the world. These readings include those by humanists (Petrarch, Boccaccio, Pico della Mirandola, Lorenzo Valla, and Moderata Fonte), architects (Leon Battista Alberti) scientist/artists (Leonardo da Vinci), political theorists (NiccolÚ Machiavelli and Tommaso Campanella), artists/historians (Giorgio Vasari), and poets (Veronica Franco). Students will be encouraged to pursue their specific interests within the context of the course. Course taught in English. Pending approval for Explorations of Literature.