Renaissance villa: leisure practices and cultural consumption

Abstract

Purpose of the article – to determine and justify the specifics of leisure practices on a villa in the age of Renaissance. The methodology is based on the complex using of the method of analysis, synthesis, and generalization that allows characterizing villa as multifunctional; also were used historical and retrospective methods that provided disclosure of leisure practices on the villa regarding historical context. Scientific Novelties. Leisure practices of humanists are implemented on the suburban residence – villa. The ideal model of Renaissance leisure – the "educated" leisure, based not on the social or geographical, but on the spiritual unity; the leisure full of love, music, singing, banquets, high poetry, contemplation of nature beauty, philosophical disputations and talks; the leisure that provides life "without sadness and monotony". "Educated" leisure on villa was the precondition of "academies" development and formation of culture as social and meaningful phenomena. Conclusions. Humanists focused their attention on the intellectual aspect of "otium" (unemployment) full of contemplation of true and scientific works that enriched the inner world of man, strengthened his fortitude and by its content were "work at leisure" (in otio meo negotia). The defense of contemplative life dedicated to private leisure and full of scientific works was accompanied by the justification of expediency of active public position for the benefit of society. The "lazy leisure" of the uneducated majority was opposed to such leisure. Simultaneously, villa became regarded not only as space for relaxing and scientific relaxation but also as the style of life-based on rules directed to achieving of spiritual and moral self-improvement.