El sauio Romano (The Wise Roman) 1490 - 1505

This printed leaf, made in Italy around 1500 by Schiavo di Bari, compiles a series of moralizing verses. It reflects a society grappling with urbanization, economic change, and shifting social norms, and we can see this through the text's concern with things like proper behavior and avoiding moral pitfalls. The verses offer advice on everything from avoiding excessive drinking to treating one's neighbors fairly. The very act of printing and disseminating these verses speaks to a desire to shape public behavior and instill certain values. The text targets a broad audience, reflecting the democratizing potential of print culture. It also reinforces existing social hierarchies through its pronouncements on appropriate behavior for different social roles. To understand this work better, we need to look at the history of printing in Italy, social and economic conditions of the time, and conduct a close reading of the text itself. Examining the historical context can help us understand the complex social dynamics that shaped the production and reception of this artwork.