The Renaissance: rich city-states, new ideas and new ways of painting

Grade 7 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Money, patrons and the arts (cards A to D; summaries in our words). Card A, the Medici Bank: Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici founded it in Florence in 1397. In its prime it was the largest and most respected bank in Europe, with branches in nine cities: Rome, Venice, Milan, Pisa, Geneva, Lyon, Avignon, London and Bruges. Cosimo de' Medici led it from the 1430s, and it was closed in 1494. Card B: Cosimo patronized scholars and artists, and he forwarded money to the sculptor Donatello to buy marble. Lorenzo de' Medici, a later head of the family, patronized artists and poets. Card C, the Mona Lisa: in October 1503 Agostino Vespucci wrote a note in the margin of a book saying Leonardo was working on a portrait of Lisa del Giocondo. The Louvre dates the painting to 1503 to 1506, though Leonardo may have kept working on it until 1516 or 1517. He never gave it to the Giocondo family. Vasari's account was published in 1550, 31 years after Leonardo died in 1519. Card D, Leonardo's notebooks: they hold studies of anatomy, astronomy, engineering, optics and moving water. His drawing Vitruvian Man, about 1490, studies the proportions of the human body in a circle and a square, based on the writings of the Roman architect Vitruvius.

2. 1.

   Card A: the Medici Bank was founded in 1397 and closed in 1494. How many years did it last, Ari asks?

   • 97 years
   • 103 years
   • 2,891 years, the dates combined
   • 97 branches
3. 2.

   Card C: Vespucci wrote in 1503 and Vasari's account appeared in 1550. How many years apart, and which is nearer the painting's start, Bo asks?

   • 31 years; Vasari's account is nearer
   • 47 years; Vespucci's note is nearer
   • 47 years; Vasari's account is nearer
   • 53 years; Vespucci's note is nearer
4. 3.

   Why is Vespucci's note stronger evidence for 1503 than Vasari's account, Esme asks?

   • It was written in 1503, while Vasari wrote 47 years later
   • It is longer and more detailed than Vasari's book
   • It was printed, while Vasari's book was just handwritten
   • It was written by an artist, while Vasari was a historian
5. 4.

   Cosimo paid for Donatello's marble (card B). How might the patron and the sculptor each view the work, Jun asks?

   • The sculptor would pay for the marble, since sculptors need materials
   • The patron may weigh cost and reputation; the sculptor, craft and freedom
   • Neither would care about the work, since it was done for money
   • Both would care about exactly the same things, since they share a project
6. 5.

   Which chain do cards A and B best support, Luz asks?

   • Donatello's marble founded the bank in nine cities
   • The bank's closing in 1494 caused Cosimo's patronage
   • Patronage of artists made the bank rich, and the bank then opened in 1397
   • A rich bank gave the Medici wealth, some spent on scholars and artists
7. 6.

   The bank closed in 1494. What might that mean for art that depended on one family's money, Milo asks?

   • Art would grow, since closing a bank frees money for artists
   • Support tied to one family's money could end with the money
   • Nothing would change, since art does not need money
   • Patrons across Europe would stop at once in 1494
8. 7.

   A student says, "The Mona Lisa was painted for Francesco del Giocondo and given to his family." Which reply is best, Pia asks?

   • Supported: Vespucci's note names the Giocondo family, so they owned it
   • Not supported: card C says Leonardo never gave it to the Giocondo family
   • Supported: Vasari says the family asked for the portrait, so the family got it
   • Not supported: nobody asked Leonardo to paint it
9. 8.

   Card C: the Louvre dates the Mona Lisa to 1503 to 1506, but Leonardo may have worked on it until 1517. How long is each span, Ren asks?

   • 3 years by the Louvre's dating, up to 14 years if he kept working to 1517
   • 13 years by the Louvre's dating, up to 14 years if he kept working to 1517
   • 14 years by the Louvre's dating, up to 3 years if he kept working to 1517
   • 3 years by the Louvre's dating, up to 11 years if he kept working to 1517
10. 9.

    Card D says Vitruvian Man is based on the writings of the Roman architect Vitruvius. What does that show, Tala asks?

    • Vitruvius lived in Leonardo's time and posed for the drawing
    • The drawing is a portrait of a rich merchant of Florence
    • Leonardo copied the drawing line for line from an older picture
    • Artists like Leonardo drew on ancient Roman writings
11. 10.

    A student says, "Leonardo was just a painter." Which reply is best, Zee asks?

    • Not supported: card D shows studies in science and engineering as well as art
    • Not supported: he did not paint anything
    • Supported: the Mona Lisa is his famous work, so painting was his sole work
    • Supported: the Medici paid for painters, so he was paid to paint