What were the social conditions that encouraged the development of the flowering of the Renaissance in fifteenth century Florence?

Answer 1

1. Financial Prosperity. After the Black Death, the population decreased so drastically that the income per person in Italy increased, allowing expenditure on art and literature.

Besides, the emergence of weathy merchant banking families such as the Medici who value arts very much had powerful influence upon the development of Renaissance ideas.

2. The active patronage in Florence, especially by the Medici. Their direct participation in the artist' forecourt made it a distinct characteristics of Early Renaissance Art.

3. The switch from the church as the major patron of art into private patron (the Medici family)

4. The use of arts as visual statement for the patron's wealth or political power. Throughout the Dark Age, art was used for religous purpose but now, it has financial and political purpose, which elevated the status of visual art and the artists.

5. The emergence of Humanism and Neo-platonistic thoughts, led by wealthy class (the Medici). Unline the Byzantine art, individual expression were valued and thus artiist were encouraged to express themselves in an origninal way.