The Social World of the Florentine Humanists, 1390-1460

Download or read book The Social World of the Florentine Humanists, 1390-1460 written by Lauro Martines and published by University of Toronto Press. This book was released on 2011-12-15 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lauro Martines' exhaustive search of manuscript material in the state archives of Florence is the basis for a fascinating portrayal of representative humanists of the period. The Social World of the Florentine Humanists explores the wealth, family tradition, civic prominence, and intellectual achievements of these individuals while assessing the attitudes of other Florentines towards them. Martines demonstrates that humanists tended to be wealthy educated men from important families, challenging long-held assumptions about the status of humanisits in that society. First published in 1963, this groundbreaking study provides a detailed picture of the social structure of Florence in the Quattrocento. Martines's work influenced a generation of scholars and illuminated a complex and multifaceted world.