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| Dirck Hals, "Haarlem Garden Party" (1620) |
In the context of Castiglione's famous book, The Courtier (Il Cortigiano, 1528), sprezzatura meant a kind of nonchalance, a kind of casualness and conviviality that characterized the social interactions of courtiers. But it went beyond manners. In this same book was advocated the ideal of the Renaissance man (or woman): someone who was widely educated and skilled, who could aptly bring into social settings their knowledge in a graceful, interesting way. Imagine a salon setting, some kind of soirée for the elite, in which high fashion and courtly manners were combined with intelligent conversation.
Sprezzatura was an ideal, to be sure, and one that could lead to a lot of bluffing and posing. But in any case it helps us understand how those in the Renaissance valued broad knowledge and ability, especially if this could be brought to bear, with wit or eloquence, in social settings where it could be appreciated.
How might sprezzatura be adapted in education today?
Sprezzatura in the classroom
Today's classrooms are not gatherings of cultured nobility, but sprezzatura can come into play as students practice appearing like they know something. That sounds like "fake knowledge," the sort of thing Plato derided long ago. But I beg to differ. I am asking students to rehearse their knowledge aloud, in short speeches, gradually adding in more substance (as they come to know the course content better), and at the same time growing in their ability to select and present relevant information concisely.
Speaking is performance, and performance can sharpen the mind and make us more present to the relevance of what we are saying -- especially when faced with a live (if small) audience before us. And as students observe, little by little, what methods seem to work best for presenting their ideas aloud to others, then the next time they attempt sprezzatura it will be better.
"Fake it till you make it" can be an empty enterprise. But with the right parameters, aiming for sprezzatura can help students not just remember what they are studying, but enjoy it as they perform their knowledge to one another through semi-formal speaking.
Image credit: "Dirck Hals. 1591-1658. Haarlem. Garden Party. vers 1620" by jean louis mazieres is licensed under CC BY 2.0
With the introduction of "sprezzatura" to my vocabulary, I feel like I've finally found a way to describe my attitude toward living life. It's like you said, presenting a front that you have a more complete understanding than you really do isn't as much a deception as it is a gateway to the deeper understanding you're seeking after. Another way of thinking about it is learning from the middle, or learning on the job. Acting as though you know more that you really do will get you to the places where you can access more complete and hands on information. It is definitely my favorite way to learn.
ReplyDeleteI really like the points you make about how "sprezzatura" in the classroom is a beneficial thing! Oftentimes in the education setting we try to look smarter than we are so that we can impress our classmates or professor, and try to not feel like the one who doesn't know whats going on. While this could create a culture of stress for many, it is a natural way that we push eachother to be better. Competition can be very constructive in that way, because we know deep down that we have more to learn and more to offer.
ReplyDeleteFake it til you make it is how all successful people come to be! Every ounce of greatness begins as a simple desire to be great, which leads to a person acting as if they have already achieved that thing. That is one of the great keys to success!