RENAISSANCE: A PRIMARY SOURCES APPROACH

• Van Eyck, Jan. The Arnolfini portrait. (1434)

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MORE, THOMAS. UTOPIA (1516)

Regarding the value of things

Gold and silver, of which money is made, are treated… that no one values them more highly than their true nature deserves. Who does not see that they are far inferior to iron in usefulness since without iron mortals cannot live any more than without fire and water?

CASTIGLIONE, BALDASSARE. THE COURTIER.

Men of the Renaissance?

Let the man we are seeking be very bold, stern, and always among the first, where the enemy are to be seen; and in every other place, gentle, modest, reserved, above all things avoiding ostentation [showiness] and that impudent [bold] self-praise by which men ever excite hatred and disgust in all who hear them… I would have him more than passably accomplished in letters, at least in those studies that are called the humanities, and conversant not only with the Latin language but for Greek, for the sake of the many different things that have been admirably written therein. Let him be well versed in the poets, and not less in the orators and historians, and also proficient in writing verse and pose.

Women of the Renaissance?

I am amazed by the opinion of some men who claim that they do not want their daughters, wives, or kinswomen to be educated because of their mores [morals] would be ruined as a result… Here you can clearly see that not all opinions of men are based on reason and that these men are wrong

Christine de Pizan, The Book of the city of ladies, 1405

PETRUS PAULUS VERGERIUS, THE NEW EDUCATION (C. 1400)

About education

Education is worthy of a free man; we attain and practice virtue and wisdom; we develop those highest gifts of body and of mind which ennoble men. Only virtue is more important than education. It is, then, of the highest importance that even from infancy education, should constantly be kept alive in growing minds. We cannot deny that there is still a horde-as I must call them-of people who, denounce learning and the Arts as a danger to the State and hateful in themselves. In reality the very opposite is the truth. To a man of virtuous instincts knowledge is a help and an adornment.