Renaissance ideal[edit]

Many notable polymaths lived during the Renaissance period, a cultural movement that
spanned roughly the 14th through to the 17th century and that began in Italy in the late
Middle Ages and later spread to the rest of Europe. These polymaths had a rounded
approach to education that reflected the ideals of the humanists of the time.
A gentleman or courtier of that era was expected to speak several languages, play
a musical instrument, write poetry, and so on, thus fulfilling the Renaissance ideal. The
idea of a universal education was essential to achieving polymath ability, hence the
word university was used to describe a seat of learning. At this time universities did not
specialize in specific areas but rather trained students in a broad array
of science, philosophy, and theology. This universal education gave them a grounding from
which they could continue into apprenticeship toward becoming a Master of a specific
field. During the Renaissance, Baldassare Castiglione, in his guide The Book of the
Courtier, described how an ideal courtier should have polymathic traits.[8]
Castiglione's guide stressed the kind of attitude that should accompany the many talents
of a polymath, an attitude he called sprezzatura. A courtier should have a detached, cool,
nonchalant attitude, and speak well, sing, recite poetry, have proper bearing, be athletic,
know the humanities and classics, paint and draw and possess many other skills, always
without showy or boastful behavior, in short, with sprezzatura. The many talents of the
polymath should appear to others to be performed without effort, in an unstrained way,
almost without thought. In some ways, the gentlemanly requirements of Castiglione recall
the Chinese sage,Confucius, who far earlier depicted the courtly behavior, piety and
obligations of service required of a gentleman. The easy facility in difficult tasks also
resembles the effortlessness inculcated by Zen, such as in archery where no conscious
attention, but pure spontaneity, produces better and more noble skill. For Castiglione, the
attitude of apparent effortlessness should accompany great skill in many separate fields.
In word or deed the courtier should "avoid affectation ... (and) ... practice ... a
certain sprezzatura ... conceal all art and make whatever is done or said appear to be
without effort and almost without any thought about it".[8][9]
This Renaissance ideal differed slightly from the polymath in that it involved more than just
intellectual advancement. Historically (roughly 14501600) it represented a person who
endeavored to "develop his capacities as fully as possible" (Britannica, "Renaissance Man")
both mentally and physically.