Jacob Burckhardt
Topic: Renaissance, Reformation and the Scientific Revolution · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 5 "Changing Cultural Traditions"
Meaning
Jacob Burckhardt (1818–97) was a Swiss historian from Basle. He was a student of Leopold von Ranke, who taught that history should be about states and politics, written from government files. Burckhardt was not satisfied with this view. He used literature, architecture and painting to study the past. In 1860 he made the term 'Renaissance' (rebirth) famous.
Example
In The Civilisation of the Renaissance in Italy (1860), Burckhardt described a new 'humanist' culture in Italian towns. Its core belief was that man, as an individual, could make his own decisions and develop his skills. He called this person 'modern', unlike 'medieval' man, who was controlled by the church.
Don't confuse with
- Leopold von Ranke: Burckhardt's teacher. He wrote history about states and politics from government files. Burckhardt turned to culture and art instead.
- Peter Burke: an English historian who later argued that Burckhardt exaggerated the idea of a sharp 'rebirth'.