How did Jacob Burckhardt use contemporary chronicles and tales in The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy?

In his seminal work, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy, Jacob Burckhardt utilized contemporary chronicles and tales as primary source material to analyze the daily life, political climate, and intellectual landscape of the Renaissance era.1

While these documents were already in print and readily available, they were frequently overlooked by other historians of his time. Burckhardt distinguished his approach by examining these texts through newly conceived questions, allowing him to move beyond traditional political narratives to explore cultural themes such as the development of individuality, the state as a work of art, and the modern sense of humor. By synthesizing these often-ignored accounts, he was able to construct a comprehensive analysis of the period's social and intellectual character, establishing a foundational model for the study of cultural history.1