Chapter 1
The Florentine spark that ignited a revolution
Chapter 2
The fierce rivalry of the ultimate polymaths
Chapter 3
Princes, popes, and the business of art
Chapter 4
The chemistry and math behind the masterpieces
YOUR GOAL
Master of The Italian recipe for a cultural rebirth
Ch 1 · The Florentine spark that ignited a revolution
andy Florence Baptistery Competition of 1401
Two bronze doors, / Rivals colliding, / Rebirth igniting!
andy Masaccio applied Filippo Brunelleschi's 1415 vanishing point system in his 1427 fresco, The Holy Trinity, changing painting forever.
Fun Fact
Florentine coins: The gold florin, minted in Florence starting in 1252, became the dominant trade currency of Europe, fueling the wealth that paid for the Renaissance.
Glossary
humanism (noun)
An outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine matters. This intellectual movement blossomed in fifteenth-century Florence, inspiring masterworks by artists like Michelangelo and Botticelli.
An outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine matters. This intellectual movement blossomed in fifteenth-century Florence, inspiring masterworks by artists like Michelangelo and Botticelli.
Quiz
Which wealthy banking family ruled Florence and funded major Renaissance artists like Michelangelo and Botticelli?
Quiz
How many years did Lorenzo Ghiberti spend crafting his first set of bronze doors for the Florence Baptistery?
Quiz
What brick-laying pattern did Filippo Brunelleschi use on the Florence Cathedral dome to prevent the bricks from falling inward?
Quiz
In what year did Filippo Brunelleschi complete the massive brick dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence?
Quiz
What mathematical technique did painter Masaccio use in his famous 1427 fresco 'The Holy Trinity' to create 3D depth?
Quiz
Who was the first major political leader of the Medici family to rule Florence starting in 1434?
Quiz
Which artist won the famous 1401 competition to design the bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery?