The period of 1350 to 1550 witnessed one of the most revolutionary movements in
history, the Italian Renaissance This progression developed a new culture that
signalled the transition between the Middle Ages and modernity. Although Italy was
not a unified country, but multiple states, the ‘concept of Italia’ did exist. Centralised
in Florence, this radical change developed several crucial elements in society from
politics and religion to humanism. Furthermore, this this movement displayed a
complexed relationship between ‘novelty and tradition’. Contemporaries wanted to
express this new ardour for modernity, but also consistently refer back to the ‘heroic
ideals of antiquity’. Therefore, the Italian Renaissance was a rebirth of civilisation.
This investigation will analyse a collection of art and literature in order to determine
whether they provide an imagery of the political, religious, humanistic and classical
elements of Florence within the chosen period. Furthermore, this study will primarily
focus on the stylistic and ideological features of art produced by a range of Italian
masters and then be subsequently supported by several pieces of contemporary
literature produced within the above period.