The Courtier

SS8 Renaissance: THE COURTIER by Baldassare Castiglione

You may work in partners or work on your own.

Introduction: In his most famous work, “The Courtier,” Baldassare Castiglione writes about the “Renaissance Man,” a well-rounded man educated in a number of areas, someone we might refer to today as a “jack-of-all –trades.” Castiglione was a Coutier himself, that is, a noble who spent much of his time in a Duke’s court (in Urbino, in Italy), with other nobles discussing humanist ideas. This book is written as a conversation between courtiers about what a courtier should be like.

As you read these excerpts from “The Courtier,” paraphrase important sentence or circle anything you don’t understand.

Make notes on what a Renaissance man was like.

What does this tell us about Humanism?

What does this tell you about the Worldview of the Renaissance?

“ I would have him accomplished in letters, at least in those studies which are called the humanities, and able to speak and understand not only the Latin language but also Greek. Let him know the poets, and the orators and the historians. Let him be proficient in writing, verse, and prose, especially in this vulgar tongue of ours; for besides the enjoyment he will find in it, he will never lack agreeable entertainment with the ladies, who are usually fond of such things...”

“My lords, you must know that I am not content with the Courtier unless he is also a musician, and besides being able to understand and read notes, he must be able to play different instruments. For music is the best relaxation or medicine for the troubled spirit and most becoming and praiseworthy in time of leisure and especially in the courts, where besides the relief from boredom that music gives us, many things are done to please the ladies, whose tender and gentle spirit is easily affected by harmony and filled with sweetness. Thus, it is no surprise, that in ancient and modern times, musicians have always been favoured and have found refreshing spiritual food in music...”

“Women are imperfect creatures, and consequently have less dignity than men, and that they are not capable of the virtues that men are capable of. . . . Very learned men have written that, since nature always intends and plans to make things most perfect, she would constantly bring forth men if she could; and that when a woman is born, it is a defect or mistake of nature, and contrary to what she would wish to do: . . . Thus, a woman can be said to be a creature produced by chance and accident. Nevertheless, since these defects in women are the fault of nature that made them so, we ought not on that account to despise them, or fail to show them the respect which is their due. But to esteem them to be more than what they are seems a manifest error to me...”

“I wish to discuss another matter, which I think very important and therefore think our Courtier should not overlook: and this is to know how to draw and to know the art, of painting.

Do not be surprised that I want this an art, which today seems to be that of an artisan and not for a gentleman; I remember having read that the ancients, especially in Greece, had the boys of noble birth study painting in school as an honourable and necessary thing and it was recognized as the first of the liberal arts, while at the same time by public edict forbidden to slaves. Among the Romans, too, it was held in the highest honour...

And truly one who does not honour this art this unreasonable to me, for this universal fabric that we see—with heaven so richly adorned with shining stars and in the middle earth circled by seas, varied with mountains, valleys and rivers and decorated with so many different trees, beautiful flowers and grasses—may be said to be a great and noble picture, composed by the hand of nature and of God; and whoever is able to imitate it, seems to me to deserve great praise: not can it be imitated without the knowledge of many things, as he who tries well knows...”