In our History of Performance class, we discussed the Renaissance Gentleman and his ability to bring the written word to life in a charming, amiable, and engaging format. Although this man has long been considered a historical element of the Renaissance period, I deem he may still be found, alive and well, performing in current day society. His name is Dario Magnifico, the butcher of Panzano. Please watch the following video as an introduction to our current day Renaissance Man. Please watch beginning at 2:20 and ending at 6:27.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKeBpGlJ5dw
"Like every sign, every "thing" requires an interpreter to say what the "something else" is. Dario performs as the interpreter in illustrating his "things" (his work, his meat, his speech) are not merely items of nourishment, a career, or words, rather sacred elements of tradition which are living testaments to the key virtues of life; family, love, and passion.
I will provide a clip which demonstrates Dario's ability to perform the work of Dante. However, it is important to note, Dario is considered a Renaissance Man not only for his ability to perform the written word, but he also illustrates his state in his everyday life performance. Dario is a man of passion. He performs his passion for life, work, and tradition daily through his use of speech, gestures, and volume. Dario displays his enthusiasm for his subject knowledge not only in his ability to perform Dante's work but also in his food and daily performance. His enthusiasm for butchery draws unusually large crowds, not only for his meat products, but for the passionate, performative element he embodies in his shop. The following clip provides an example of Dario, the oral performer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sddUM-J0ZEQ
"The art of living well' has been described as a fundamental aspect of the Renaissance human experience. Dario, the modern day Renaissance Gentleman, has mastered this art and ability to express it.
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Great example! I love that you linked to videos. That's something that a writer can do in a blog that you can't do in a traditional essay. I plan to use this essay as an example in class.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about the way the ideal Renaissance man (or woman) is supposed to integrate the arts into their work. I think you've hit on something very important -- the emphasis was not merely on competence but on passion. One was supposed to have not a narrow focus that leads to intense solitary study, but a passion that drives one's quest for mastery and leads to pubic sharing of whatever wisdom one has gained.