Early Renaissance man regained the independence of individual personality, but by the fear of God into the evolution away from God, from the backwash toward the loss. Late Renaissance reflection and adjustments is com...Early Renaissance man regained the independence of individual personality, but by the fear of God into the evolution away from God, from the backwash toward the loss. Late Renaissance reflection and adjustments is comforting one, rational constraints original desire, divinity give directions to humanity, which is the most profound meaning of humanism. For human freedom and liberation, post-humanism made a valuable exploration, by absorbing humanistic ingredients of the ancient Greek - Roman and Hebrew - Christian culture, tried to avoid walking single dimension of cultural evolution orientation.展开更多
Since ancient times, man has been concerned to create an artificial structure similar to itself. This concern has remained constant attention and creative thinkers most profound since antiquity until today, it is of g...Since ancient times, man has been concerned to create an artificial structure similar to itself. This concern has remained constant attention and creative thinkers most profound since antiquity until today, it is of greatest interest. This article aims to highlight the most significant moments of the evolution from mechanical creatures mythical or real, from antiquity to the present humanoid robots. There are thus shown the most significant variants humanoid imagined or realized since Talos, described in Greek mythology, continuing with mechanical machines during late Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and then the Renaissance of the post-renaissance, then they are shown the main achievements of the industrialization period from the nineteenth to the early part of the twentieth century, then to the most important made in the last decades of the twentieth century and early twenty-first century. The work is important to stimulate concerns academic theorists and practice but also in the industrial practice specializing in robotics and more generally in mechatronics. It also opens the prospect of defining the concept of an artificial humanoid useful both for human prosthesis with certain disabilities, and a humanoid robot performance.展开更多
The relationship between humanism and religion has always been difficult, since the Renaissance. If we look at the Humanist Associations active today in the world, we find that the relationship has become almost a dec...The relationship between humanism and religion has always been difficult, since the Renaissance. If we look at the Humanist Associations active today in the world, we find that the relationship has become almost a declared war. Religion appears to be the greatest enemy of humanism, i.e., of the humanity. Authentic humanism seems to be exclusively secular and atheistic： you can do good only if there is no God. In this contribution I look at some programmatic documents of Humanist Associations to understand the reasons for this contrast, in the background of secularization. The result is that some criticisms of religion -- its potential for violence and obscurantism -- are historically and theoretically justifiable but partial. Indeed, they show a poor and narrow vision of religion that leads to a narrow view of the human experience. A more complex vision of man requires a more complex vision of religion. A complex vision of man includes the most ＂irrational＂ and enigmatic aspects of our being, as love, death, pain, desire, imagination and even freedom and creativity. On this basis we can appropriately understand the historical and existential role of religion. Otherwise, if God is the one painted by humanists, God would not be good, let alone a good humanist.展开更多
Giovanni Antonio Bazzi （1477-1549）, also known as I1 Sodoma, was a Milanese painter who developed his mature style in Siena during the early Cinquecento. Between 1505 and 1510, under the tutelage of the Chigi and Pe...Giovanni Antonio Bazzi （1477-1549）, also known as I1 Sodoma, was a Milanese painter who developed his mature style in Siena during the early Cinquecento. Between 1505 and 1510, under the tutelage of the Chigi and Petrucci families, Bazzi depicted mythological paintings focusing on the personifications of love both terrestrial and celestial. This paper looks at two such works. In one, there hangs on a sycamore tree a classical cartello with the Latin inscription Celestes, meaning celestial or heavenly, providing the title for the painting Amore Celeste （Celestial Love, Figure 3）. A woman, as the personification of love, stands in front of two altars. She ignites one urn with fire and at the same time pours water over another burning fire. In the second work, a tondo with the theme of Terrestrial Love and Celestial Love, Bazzi considered the mischievousness of Venus＇ children Eros and Anteros （Figure 12）. These paintings are mythological and poetical delights with complex symbolism, here analyzed in terms of their iconography in relation to classical influences and Renaissance Neoplatonic love or furor divinus. The paradoxical quest of Renaissance Neoplatonic love was to fuse pagan love with Christian love. For the humanists of the time （Bembo, Colonna, Poliziano, Ficino and Pico） this moral dilemma was a philosophical puzzle, but for artists （Botticelli, Nicoletto da Modena, Pinturicchio and Bazzi） the theme was a pictorial challenge.展开更多
Among the numerous themes on the suppers cited in the Bible, the Last Supper of Christ with His twelve apostles is the most poignant and rewarding for Christianity. Florentine Renaissance depictions of the theme are n...Among the numerous themes on the suppers cited in the Bible, the Last Supper of Christ with His twelve apostles is the most poignant and rewarding for Christianity. Florentine Renaissance depictions of the theme are numerous and varied, traditionally represented as a predella （step） panel and as an altarpiece in dining halls or sacristies of churches and convents. Vasari＇s Last Supper for the Refectory ofLe Murate （The Walled） in Florence is an unusual depiction of Christ＇s thanksgiving. This imposing religious structure was painted for a poor Benedictine nunnery＇s cenacolo （refectory） in Florence. Vasari completed two drawings for the commission in 1546. The drawings and painting reveal how Vasari drew upon the work of his predecessors to create an innovative expression of thanksgiving, betrayal, and departure. This large masterpiece was severely damaged, almost irreparably, by several mishaps and floods in 1583 and 1718 and, more recently, by the major Florentine alluvione （flood） of 1966. In commemoration of the 50th year anniversary of this last catastrophic event, Vasari＇s Le Mutate Last Supper was carefully and magically restored by a group of masterful technicians, artists, and scientists. Their collaboration and support from the private sector demonstrate the successful bond among art, technology, science, and patronage.展开更多
文摘Early Renaissance man regained the independence of individual personality, but by the fear of God into the evolution away from God, from the backwash toward the loss. Late Renaissance reflection and adjustments is comforting one, rational constraints original desire, divinity give directions to humanity, which is the most profound meaning of humanism. For human freedom and liberation, post-humanism made a valuable exploration, by absorbing humanistic ingredients of the ancient Greek - Roman and Hebrew - Christian culture, tried to avoid walking single dimension of cultural evolution orientation.
文摘Since ancient times, man has been concerned to create an artificial structure similar to itself. This concern has remained constant attention and creative thinkers most profound since antiquity until today, it is of greatest interest. This article aims to highlight the most significant moments of the evolution from mechanical creatures mythical or real, from antiquity to the present humanoid robots. There are thus shown the most significant variants humanoid imagined or realized since Talos, described in Greek mythology, continuing with mechanical machines during late Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and then the Renaissance of the post-renaissance, then they are shown the main achievements of the industrialization period from the nineteenth to the early part of the twentieth century, then to the most important made in the last decades of the twentieth century and early twenty-first century. The work is important to stimulate concerns academic theorists and practice but also in the industrial practice specializing in robotics and more generally in mechatronics. It also opens the prospect of defining the concept of an artificial humanoid useful both for human prosthesis with certain disabilities, and a humanoid robot performance.
文摘The relationship between humanism and religion has always been difficult, since the Renaissance. If we look at the Humanist Associations active today in the world, we find that the relationship has become almost a declared war. Religion appears to be the greatest enemy of humanism, i.e., of the humanity. Authentic humanism seems to be exclusively secular and atheistic： you can do good only if there is no God. In this contribution I look at some programmatic documents of Humanist Associations to understand the reasons for this contrast, in the background of secularization. The result is that some criticisms of religion -- its potential for violence and obscurantism -- are historically and theoretically justifiable but partial. Indeed, they show a poor and narrow vision of religion that leads to a narrow view of the human experience. A more complex vision of man requires a more complex vision of religion. A complex vision of man includes the most ＂irrational＂ and enigmatic aspects of our being, as love, death, pain, desire, imagination and even freedom and creativity. On this basis we can appropriately understand the historical and existential role of religion. Otherwise, if God is the one painted by humanists, God would not be good, let alone a good humanist.
文摘Giovanni Antonio Bazzi （1477-1549）, also known as I1 Sodoma, was a Milanese painter who developed his mature style in Siena during the early Cinquecento. Between 1505 and 1510, under the tutelage of the Chigi and Petrucci families, Bazzi depicted mythological paintings focusing on the personifications of love both terrestrial and celestial. This paper looks at two such works. In one, there hangs on a sycamore tree a classical cartello with the Latin inscription Celestes, meaning celestial or heavenly, providing the title for the painting Amore Celeste （Celestial Love, Figure 3）. A woman, as the personification of love, stands in front of two altars. She ignites one urn with fire and at the same time pours water over another burning fire. In the second work, a tondo with the theme of Terrestrial Love and Celestial Love, Bazzi considered the mischievousness of Venus＇ children Eros and Anteros （Figure 12）. These paintings are mythological and poetical delights with complex symbolism, here analyzed in terms of their iconography in relation to classical influences and Renaissance Neoplatonic love or furor divinus. The paradoxical quest of Renaissance Neoplatonic love was to fuse pagan love with Christian love. For the humanists of the time （Bembo, Colonna, Poliziano, Ficino and Pico） this moral dilemma was a philosophical puzzle, but for artists （Botticelli, Nicoletto da Modena, Pinturicchio and Bazzi） the theme was a pictorial challenge.
文摘Among the numerous themes on the suppers cited in the Bible, the Last Supper of Christ with His twelve apostles is the most poignant and rewarding for Christianity. Florentine Renaissance depictions of the theme are numerous and varied, traditionally represented as a predella （step） panel and as an altarpiece in dining halls or sacristies of churches and convents. Vasari＇s Last Supper for the Refectory ofLe Murate （The Walled） in Florence is an unusual depiction of Christ＇s thanksgiving. This imposing religious structure was painted for a poor Benedictine nunnery＇s cenacolo （refectory） in Florence. Vasari completed two drawings for the commission in 1546. The drawings and painting reveal how Vasari drew upon the work of his predecessors to create an innovative expression of thanksgiving, betrayal, and departure. This large masterpiece was severely damaged, almost irreparably, by several mishaps and floods in 1583 and 1718 and, more recently, by the major Florentine alluvione （flood） of 1966. In commemoration of the 50th year anniversary of this last catastrophic event, Vasari＇s Le Mutate Last Supper was carefully and magically restored by a group of masterful technicians, artists, and scientists. Their collaboration and support from the private sector demonstrate the successful bond among art, technology, science, and patronage.
