The artistic accomplishments of the Italian Renaissance have solidified Italy as a pillar in the art history timeline. The most famous artists in history such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael produced some of the most impressive works in painting, sculpture and architecture known in Western Europe.
These works of art frame the Renaissance as a period of superior intellectual and artistic achievement centered in the flourishing cultural centers of Rome, Milan and Florence.
While this perception may have been a reality for the royal courts and princes, the vast majority of the Italian population suffered from constant warfare, sieges and pillaging.
Double Edged Patronage
A crucial concept to understanding the Italian Renaissance was the patronage system. Artists relied on the sponsorship of wealthy princes and families who provided their salaries and living quarters.
With this system, one can be thankful for wealthy patrons who spent large sums to finance the paintings, sculptures and architectural designs of the Renaissance. However, these same patrons were unrelenting imperialists who wreaked havoc across the Italian peninsula leading to continuous violence throughout the Renaissance. In fact, it can be argued that war was the central concern of these splintered monarchs.
While palaces designed by Raphael and decorated with paintings by Leonardo were exceptional luxuries, this extravagance can only exist through revenue generated by imperial conquests: and Italy was a hotbed of raging violence.
Bottleneck of Bloodshed
Both the geographical formation of the Italian peninsula combined with the political structure of Italy lead to unique levels of imperial destruction.
Where England and France had single monarchies, Italy held a collection of scattered monarchs crammed into a small geographical continent. These independent Dukedoms battled each other throughout the Renaissance in a merry- go- round of conquering and re-conquering. This fractured structure led to higher levels of warfare in relation to the continents of England and France.
Under this imperial pressure, military technology developed just as rapidly as artistic discovery. Innovations in gunpowder, artillery and professional soldiers were products of this environment that were driving higher levels of destruction.
So while artistic development was reaching exciting highs among the elite courts, the majority of the population lived in a world under constant threat of invasion.
Artist and Patron
Working under the patronage system, Leonardo da Vinci materializes this balancing act between artistic achievement and imperialist desire.
In 1482, Leonardo was hired by the Sforza dynasty who rose to power through military dominance. Ludovico Sforza was the leader of the family whose military prowess secured the throne for several generations.
Searching for sponsorship, Leonardo was well aware of Ludovico's military interest and appealed to the prince by offering services beyond simply artistic creation. Utilizing his talent for drawing, Leonardo designed advanced military technology that would have piqued the interest of Ludovico.
These sketches of a rotating blade attached to a horse and a mobile tank show the results of Leonardo's creative instinct applied to weaponry.
Another image depicts the trajectory of artillery blasts. This drawing exemplifies Leonardo's draughtsmanship and his ability to blend military technology with artistic ability. These drawings reflect the conflicting nature of the Italian Renaissance. Specifically, how artistic achievement has defined the period, when in reality life was shaped by imperial impulse.
Caught in this unfortunate circumstance of patronage, Leonardo felt obliged to offer these military ideas. However, unlike the princes and monarchs who nurtured this brutal environment, Leonardo was well aware of the ominous future military technology held for humanity.
A drawing from his notebook depicts a chaotic scene with tiny naked humans struggling to control a massive cannon. This drawing captures an interesting question regarding the balance between military technology and the human race: are we in control of weapons or are weapons in control of us?
The multitude of these tiny humans straining themselves to maneuver this mass of artillery reflects this precarious question. A question that defined the realities of Renaissance Italy and one that still holds true today.
The Renaissance is lauded for its artistic production, yet its warfare realities and the patrons who fostered it rarely receive attention. While these princes and wealthy dynasties may always be remembered for their artistic patronage, Leonardo was well aware of the destruction these people inflicted when he wrote, “Men fight wars and destroy everything around them. The earth should open and swallow them up. He who does not value life does not deserve it.”
Toby that’s very interesting! I feel that it is very difficult for people to stay focused during this time. But as you mentioned it is important to have some historical perspective! People from the past have had to deal with much harsher circumstances
This challenges the pervasive myth that great art cannot be produced in troubled times. Only the other day, I was complaining about the restrictive effect of the pandemic and the widespread political unrest as being an obstacle to creativity--there are poets and painters and such who admit to being unable to get anything accomplished of late. Yet wars raged during the Italian Renaissance and that fact wasn't an obstacle to great artists, architects, etc.