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→How did the Plague change the Culture in Italy?
Initially, the Black Death led to a fascination with death among many Italians. The loss of life and suffering led many to become obsessed with death.<ref> Herlihy, D., ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0674076133/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0674076133&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=ed19d965a5f4e3c1389be15f87195a5d The Black Death and the Transformation of the West]'' (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1997) p. 116</ref> The Dance of Death was a popular motif in art and architecture at this time. The general mood was one of pessimism, and indeed many expected that the world would end sooner or later. Alongside this fear of death and the general mood of pessimism, there was a desire to experience the pleasures of life and seize any happiness on offer. This contradictory impact of the Black Death on the culture of the time can be seen in the writings of two of the greatest figures in European literature, Petrarch and Boccaccio.<ref>Benedictow, 2004, p. 173 </ref> These two writers at times wrote in despair about the human condition yet they also wrote about the joys of life and the beauties of nature.
This sense that life was fleeting and that every happiness should be seized led many Italians to seek solace in art and literature, and this was one of the factors in the development of the Renaissance. Many of the elite were eager to enjoy life's pleasures, which led them to patronize artists. It also resulted in a shift in the themes of artists.<ref> Pullan, 1973, p. 173 </ref> Religious topics remained popular, however, there was also a fascination with secular themes, especially from the classical world. The new interest in secular subjects can be seen in a comparison between Giotto and Botticelli. Giotto painted almost exclusively religious paintings. While Giotto Botticelli painted secular and religious themes, he is best known for his secular works as in masterpieces such as Primavera.<ref>Hayden B. J. Maginnis, ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0271020911/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0271020911&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=390ba05b8bf7168c013a8c5bf3d77d84 Painting in the Age of Giotto: A Historical Reevaluation]''(Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1997), p. 78 </ref>
==Did the Plague increase Social Mobility?==