The impact of humanism

"Taking Jacob Burckhardt's famous work, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy, as its starting point, this book explores the continuing relevance of Burckhardt's seminal study to our understanding of the Renaissance, and subjects it to the criticism of subsequent generations of scholars. Particular concerns are the 'revival of antiquity' and the 'discovery of the individual' which Burckhardt saw as two of the definitive features of Renaissance culture. These are explored through a reassessment of the role of humanism, with case studies in music (Josquin Desprez), moral philosophy (Valla, Castiglione, Erasmus, More) and political thought (Machiavelli)." "This book is the first in a series of three specifically designed for the Open University course, The Renaissance in Europe: A Cultural Enquiry. The series is designed to appeal both to the general reader and to those studying undergraduate arts courses in the period."--BOOK JACKET.