Quote:
Originally Posted by Huck
Petrarca was inspired by Cola de Rienzo, knew him personally (? at least by private letter exchange).
Cola de Rienzo tried to reestablish "Rome" and somehow the old Rome with some of the older "triumphal habits" (all on the background, that the popes were in Avignon). This happened short before the plague 1448 - 1450 and it went bad for Rienzo.
Rienzo is clearly the political background for "I Trionfi" of Petrarca. You surely find material in the web to this person.
Kewl- so this was the source for the Classical revival period, then?
### The Italian political interest to get the papacy back to Italy was surely given before.
In the global European development the French king hadn't been of great importance in France itself for a long time. This changed in the course of 12th/13th century. The weak state of the German Empire after Fredrick II (died 1250) and the following Interregnum and German kings, which were dependent from their Kurfürsten shifted the European focus to the French development. Philipp (1270 - 1314) reached a climax of French power and in the course of this development the papacy went to Avignon - leaving Italian hopes and interests behind.
But all 3 sons of Philipp died soon as kings, and also soon the difficulties of the English-French wars brought the French height of 13th century down ...
... and there was general an European population decrease cause of some years of hunger (early 14th century), some decades later followed by a dramatic population decrease by the black death. It's said, that this general bad population development with many local plagues beside the big one of 1348-50 recovered as late as ca. 1450.
Inside this general "bad development" we can focus on Petrarca and his attempt to awake his home country to old splendour ... and how he naturally can't change very much. But Petrarca is remembered as a light in the darkness in the time, when matters turned to some favor in the development 1440-1450 (naturally the later years were better for Italy, but it seems, that some optimism returned with 1441 ... wars stopped between Milan/Venice, and the Naples question was decided (1442) and Eugen found diplomatic victories against his adversaries. The prospects started to look better, although the wars returned for some years. ###
Quote:
Originally Posted by Huck
It's a question, to which degree the old Roman customs were known ...
knowledge of ancient history any time before the 20th century was questionable at best, and quite full of wishful thinking. Factors that didn't fit preconceptions were ignored and some times even archaeological evidence was altered.
(and, yeah, it still happens now, but perhaps t a lesser extent, or at least not as obviously)
### Well, as already said, in Trionfi questions of the time one should observe Biondi ... why is it necessary, that he writes his text? It would be nice to read it in translated form.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Huck
The especially for Tarot interest important feature is the use of "allegories" in the triumphal marches, but not each festivity in the focussed time used this feature.
There's the main area of my interest for this topic- where did these allegories come from, I'd like to know.
**** Alain de Lille, Roman de la Roses ... the love for allegories developed. None of the allegoric concepts in Tarot was really new. ... and the development of allegories didn't stop and developed further after Tarot found its form.
So there are many single problems with each of the motifs. And each was variated, repeated over and over again - and somehow it still goes on.
Modern equivalents might be the marks of enterprizes ...
, although this seems to be more a heraldic matter. The statue of freedom for America somehow meets the character of an allegory. Actually the function of the allegories were to honour a sponsor ... and the money for the contributing artist. And to some part it meant the education of the mind of the common people, expressing philosophic ideas in a pictorial manner, "advertising" the superior spirit of those people, who had money and influence at their time.
Actually are behind these "highstanding allegories" trivial and practical interest. Just as shop owner needs some interesting decoration to attract customers.
****
Quote:
Originally Posted by Huck
Generally the celebrations didn't stop to present only the "Trionfo"-model, generally the motivation wished to have a great show and best not only one demonstration, but as many as possible, as long there was enough money to pay for it. So there were jousts, animal fights, literary shows, theatre AND a triumphal march just for one event. And this event could take 2 weeks or - especially in the case of bride journeys - even monthes.
Theatre and finally also opera developed from this interest in amusement and public show, often combined with carnival. The "first opera" actually was a "carnival show".
Hm? Details, please?
**** Details? You have to study the events, as far they are available. For instance the marriage of Lucrezia Borgia with Alfonso d'Este. It took a few weeks, many smaller and greater events at many locations, finishing with a series of theatre shows, for which Ferrara was famous at this time. The description luckily has survived with many details.
It was discussed last winter here and SOMEWHERE is the link ... perhaps Google or the Aeclectic search helps. I don't have it in the moment.
****