雅各布·布克哈特与意大利文艺复兴——对《意大利文艺复兴时期的文化》的再思考

Jacob Burckhardt and the Italian Renaissance——The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy Revisited

雅各布·布克哈特是现代西方文化史学的奠基者之一,他的《意大利文艺复兴时期的文化》被公认为诠释文艺复兴的经典著作。但长期以来,该书在国内学界却一直被严重误读。我们只有将布克哈特置于其生活的时代,并通过对当时史学潮流及布克哈特独特史学观念的剖析方能重新解读这部经典著作。

Jacob Burckhardt is one of the founders of cultural history in the West,and his The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy is generally regarded as the classical interpretation of the Renaissance.But for a long time there has been much misreading of this book.Firstly,this paper puts Burckhardt in his time and tries to reread his masterpiece against the historiographical trend,as well as Burckhardt＇s distinctive notion of the historical studies.Secondly,this paper analyzes the formation of Burckhardt＇s conception of the Renaissance and the criticism made by scholars.Then by absorbing the recent Renaissance scholarship,this paper re-evaluates the merits and shortcomings of this classical book.Finally this paper points out that the Renaissance should be understood as a cultural movement of a creative acceptation of the classical culture rather than a period,and illustrates the lasting influences of the Renaissance on the cultural and social evolution of modern Europe.