Renaissance

Salons of the Arts, Philosophy, and Literature

The main social networks of the Renaissance developed through the aristocratic courts of the era. The salons within these court and the discussions that took place between their mostly upper-class and educated members aimed at the promotion of greater knowledge and the exchange of contemporary and progressive ideas. Women soon managed to carve out a role for themselves within these salons, thus altering considerably the Middle Ages view of women as confined into the household. While Middle Ages women were commended for their chastity, purity, and dedication to the family, Renaissance women enjoyed greater educational and social opportunities and moved to the center of social life, often becoming the leaders in the salons, promoting debates and encouraging artists. In the most popular treatise on how to fit into the Renaissance social networks, The Book of the Courtier (1528) by Baldassarre Castiglione (1478–1529) went as far as to claim that the ideal court lady should not be too coy when hearing mischievous conversations. What Castiglione deems important for a female courtier is not feigning to be superficially austere but achieving an actual balance and self-control in her behavior. Castiglione's treatise recognized that women could have an important social role in the life of a Renaissance court and devoted the entire third book of his study to the portrait of the female courtier. The qualities that Castiglione thinks a courtier should possess are revealing of the social context in which he operated. An ideal courtier should be sociable and possess a strong classical education that would teach him/her how to engage in interesting conversations with others, yet retain a sense of restraint and self-discipline.

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