THE 5 MOST OUTSTANDING RENAISSANCE CUSTOMS - HISTORY - 2025

Knowing the customs of the Renaissance allows us to get an idea about life in the 15th and 16th centuries and to know the manners of the people, the way they dressed, their marriage traditions, types of houses in which they lived…

The Renaissance arises in the rich and large cities located in central Italy from 1400, later spreading throughout Europe.

Florence in the Renaissance

This change of thought was driven by the bourgeois of Florence, who longed to recover the knowledge and traditions of the classical era (Greece and Rome).

Hence it follows that the term rebirth means to be born again or to establish anew.

Major Renaissance customs

The wealthy citizens of Florence and other Italian and European cities were interested in the lifestyle of antiquity. This led them to establish various customs.

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Excessive displays of affection in public were frowned upon by society. They used very specific gestures to greet each other.

Some of these forms of courtesy included the right handshake and pat on the shoulder for the gentlemen and bowing in front of the ladies in curtsy.

Among the women, the greeting consisted of a kiss gesture directed to each cheek without coming into contact with the skin.

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As seen in art, a renewed interest in human anatomy arises that was also reflected in clothing.

The aim of the Renaissance to dress (in the case of men) was to highlight masculinity. To achieve this they used wide sleeves in almost all their types of suits giving a muscular appearance to their wearer.

The women wore dresses marked at the waist and necklines for the bust. They used to outline their eyebrows, they used various headdresses, hairstyles and even dyed their hair.

3- Marriage traditions

Marriages were chosen or authorized by the parents of the contracting parties. Tradition dictated that they be chosen from among members of the same community or social class.

Authority in the home was carried by the male figure. The woman had to take care of the housework and always under submission. It was considered that she had fulfilled her mission in life if she managed to give birth to a male child.

It was not common or well seen for a man to remain single. Even if he was widowed, he would then have to choose another woman to marry.

4- Their homes

In cities like Florence people lived in houses with two or three levels. These were located in narrow streets.

The house represented the social value of its occupants, which led them to make it bigger and better, and to keep it for generations.

The constant in these houses was the presence of a central patio that allowed lighting and served as a space for holding parties.

As for cleaning, organic waste was thrown out the windows onto the streets, not without first announcing the action, always aware of the preeminence of manners.

5- Study of the classics

In the Renaissance, instruction in the knowledge of classical life becomes paramount for both wealthy families and individuals from lower strata.

The first began to acquire books in Latin. They held meetings to discuss Plato's ideals and they studied Greek. They even came to consider in some intellectual circles that Tuscan should no longer be spoken.

For the latter, the study of the classical world served as a platform to ascend socially, since in this way they could be used by the great lords to work in various areas, especially those linked to the arts.

References

1. Hauser, A. (1968) The Social History of Art. London: Routledge & Kegan.
2. Gombrich, E. (2000). Brief history of the world. Barcelona: Peninsula Editions.
3. Bajtin, M (2003). Popular culture in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Madrid: Editorial Alliance. Retrieved on: October 4, 2017 from: academia.edu
4. Jones, A. (2000). Renaissance Clothing and the Materials of Memory. Cambridge: University Press. Retrieved: October 4, 2017 from: books.google.es
5. Gombrich, E. (2007). The History of Art. New York: Phaidon