Petrarch
Title
Petrarch
Description
Known as the “Father of Humanism,” Francisco Petrarch (1304-1374) was one of the most influential facilitators in the revitalization of classical antiquity prior to the Renaissance, thus sparking an interest that—as the exhibit will show—endured throughout Early Modern Europe.
Born in Arezzo, Italy, Petrarch initially pursued legal studies at the behest of his father. However, he soon abandoned this path in favor of religious studies. Through this, he became thoroughly interested in classical texts deemed “lost” to the ages, searching monasteries across Europe for them. Having read an increasing amount of classical literature, he began to praise the values of Ancient Greece and Rome in his writings, glorifying their societies as civilized and refined. He lauded Aristotle’s approach to self-actualization, as well as the emphasis Plato placed on virtue. Simultaneously, he gained acclaim for his poetry (Whitfield).
The works of Petrarch and his translations of classical texts served as inspiration for future scholars and precipitated a veneration for the classics, laying the foundations for the Renaissance (discussed in week one of HIST 139).
Born in Arezzo, Italy, Petrarch initially pursued legal studies at the behest of his father. However, he soon abandoned this path in favor of religious studies. Through this, he became thoroughly interested in classical texts deemed “lost” to the ages, searching monasteries across Europe for them. Having read an increasing amount of classical literature, he began to praise the values of Ancient Greece and Rome in his writings, glorifying their societies as civilized and refined. He lauded Aristotle’s approach to self-actualization, as well as the emphasis Plato placed on virtue. Simultaneously, he gained acclaim for his poetry (Whitfield).
The works of Petrarch and his translations of classical texts served as inspiration for future scholars and precipitated a veneration for the classics, laying the foundations for the Renaissance (discussed in week one of HIST 139).
Source
Altichiero. Portrait of Francesco Petrarca. C. 1370-80. In Wikimedia. July 7, 2007. Accessed November 18, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Altichiero,_ritratto_di_Francesco_Petrarca.jpg.
Whitfield, John Humphreys. "Petrarch." Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed November 18, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Petrarch.
Whitfield, John Humphreys. "Petrarch." Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed November 18, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Petrarch.
Date
1304-1374
Contributor
Moses Jehng
Rights
Public Domain
Citation
“Petrarch,” HIST 139 - Early Modern Europe, accessed April 25, 2026, https://earlymoderneurope.hist.sites.carleton.edu/items/show/298.