---
title: Renaissance Art
author: Mark Cartwright
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Renaissance_Art/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---

# Renaissance Art

_Authored by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/)_

The art of the Renaissance period in [Europe](https://www.worldhistory.org/europe/) (1400-1600 CE) includes some of the most recognisable and best-loved paintings and sculptures in the world. Masters were often skilled in both painting and [sculpture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Sculpture/), and by studying the art of antiquity and adding their theoretical knowledge of mathematical perspective and new painting techniques, they produced truly unique works of art. Realism, detail, drama, and subtle layers of meaning became features of religious and secular art. Now, artists finally broke free from their old craftworker status and achieved a new position as vital contributors to the [culture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/culture/) and prestige of the societies in which they lived.

Defining features of Renaissance art include:

- an interest in capturing the essential elements of classical art, particularly the form and proportions of the human body.
- an interest in the history of contemporary art and forging a continuous path of development.
- a blending of pagan and religious iconography but with humanity as its focus.
- a tendency towards monumentality and dramatic postures.
- an interest in creating an emotional response from the viewer.
- the development of precise mathematical perspective.
- an interest in hyperrealistic and detailed portraits, scenes, and landscapes.
- an interest in the use of bright colours, shade, and capturing the effects of light.
- the development in use of oil paints and fine prints.
- the use of subtle shapes and everyday objects to give extra meaning.
- an increase in the prestige of artists as superior craftworkers who combined intellectual studies with practical skills.

### Medieval Origins

It used to be thought that Renaissance art sprang out of nowhere in a miraculous rebirth of ideas and talent but investigation by modern historians has revealed that many elements of Renaissance art were being experimented with in the 14th century CE. Artists like [Giotto](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giotto/) (d. 1337 CE) were keen to make their paintings more realistic and so they used foreshortening to give a sense of depth to a scene. Giotto's use of foreshortening, light and shadows, emotion, and dynamic choice of scenes can be best seen in his religious frescos in the Scrovegni Chapel, Padua (c. 1315 CE). These techniques, and the artist's success at making characters come alive, would be hugely influential on later artists. For this reason, Giotto is often referred to as the 'first Renaissance painter' even if he lived before the Renaissance proper.

[ ![Kiss of Judas by Giotto](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/12690.jpg?v=1744497784) Kiss of Judas by Giotto Giotto (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/12690/kiss-of-judas-by-giotto/ "Kiss of Judas by Giotto")Wealthy patrons were the driving force behind Renaissance art in a period when the vast majority of artistic works were made on commission. Churches were the usual beneficiaries of this system in the first part of the Renaissance. Painted panels for altarpieces and frescos were the most common form of artistic decoration, often showing the *sacra conversazione*, that is the Virgin and Child surrounded by saints and well-wishers. Monumental altarpieces several metres high were often elaborately framed to mimic contemporary developments in [architecture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/architecture/). The most famous altarpiece of all is the 1432 CE [Ghent Altarpiece](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ghent_Altarpiece/) by [Jan van Eyck](https://www.worldhistory.org/Jan_van_Eyck/) (c. 1390-1441 CE). Early Renaissance subjects, then, are very similar to those popular through the Middle Ages.

Private patrons such as Popes, Holy [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) Emperors, kings, and dukes all saw the benefit of beautifying their [cities](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) and palaces, but they were also very interested in gaining a reputation for piety and a knowledge of the arts and history. Once a patron found an artist they liked, they often employed them long-term as their official court artist, setting them all kinds of tasks from portraits to livery design. Patrons were paying and so they often made specific requests on the details of a piece of art. Further, although an artist could use their skills and imagination, they did have to remain within the bounds of convention in that figures in their work had to be recognised for who they were. It was, for example, no good making a [fresco](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Fresco/) of a saint's life if nobody recognised who that saint was. For this reason, the evolution in art was relatively slow, but as some artists gained great fame, so they could develop new ideas in art and make it distinct from what had gone before.

### The Classical Revival

A defining feature of the Renaissance period was the re-interest in the ancient world of [Greece](https://www.worldhistory.org/greece/) and [Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rome/). As part of what we now call [Renaissance humanism](https://www.worldhistory.org/Renaissance_Humanism/), classical [literature](https://www.worldhistory.org/literature/), architecture, and art were all consulted to extract ideas that could be transformed for the contemporary world. Lorenzo de Medici (1449-1492 CE), head of the great Florentine family, was a notable patron, and his collection of ancient artworks was a point of study for many artists. Young artists, training in the workshops of established masters, also had access to ancient art there or at least reproduction drawings.

[ ![The Birth of Venus by Botticelli](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/711.jpg?v=1751821819) The Birth of Venus by Botticelli Sandro Botticelli (CC BY-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/711/the-birth-of-venus-by-botticelli/ "The Birth of Venus by Botticelli")Artists directly imitated classical artworks or parts of them within their own works. In 1496 CE, for example, [Michelangelo](https://www.worldhistory.org/Michelangelo/) (1475-1564 CE) sculpted the *Sleeping Cupid* (now lost) which he purposely aged to make it appear an authentic ancient work. Another recreation of antiquity, this time an entirely imaginary one, is *The School of [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/)* fresco by [Raphael](https://www.worldhistory.org/Raphael/) (1483-1520 CE). Completed in 1511 CE and located in the Vatican, this fresco shows all the major thinkers from the ancient world. Common images from classical [mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/mythology/) were especially popular. These were again reimagined and, in some cases, they have even overtaken ancient art in our minds when we think of certain subjects. *The Birth of [Venus](https://www.worldhistory.org/venus/)* (c. 1484 CE, Uffizi Gallery, Florence) by [Sandro Botticelli](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sandro_Botticelli/) (1445-1510 CE), is a case in point. Finally, the depiction of ancient architecture and ruins was a particular favourite of many Renaissance artists to give background atmosphere to both their mythological and religious works.

### The Increased Status of Artists

Another new development was the interest in reconstructing the history of art and cataloguing who exactly were the great artists and why. The most famous scholar to compile such a history was Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574 CE) in his *The Lives of the Most Excellent Italian Architects, Painters, and Sculptors* (1550 CE, revised 1568 CE). The history is a monumental record of Renaissance artists, their works, and the anecdotal stories associated with them, and so Vasari is considered one of the pioneers of art history. Artists also benefited from having specific biographies written about their lives and works, even when they were still alive such as the 1553 CE *Life of Michelangelo*, written by Ascanio Condivi (1525-1574 CE). Artists also wrote texts on techniques for the benefit of others, the earliest being the *Commentaries* by [Lorenzo Ghiberti](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lorenzo_Ghiberti/) (1378-1455 CE), written about 1450 CE. As the *Commentaries* includes details of Ghiberti's own life and works, it is also the first autobiography by a European artist.

[ ![David by Michelangelo](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/7451.jpg?v=1773050914) David by Michelangelo Joe Hunt (CC BY) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/7451/david-by-michelangelo/ "David by Michelangelo")This interest in Renaissance artists, their private lives, and how they came to create masterpieces reflects the elevated status they now enjoyed. Artists were still seen as craftsmen like cobblers and carpenters, and they were compelled to join a [trade](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/trade/) guild. This began to change during the Renaissance. Artists were obviously different from other artisans because they could acquire widespread fame for their works and create a sense of civic pride from their fellow citizens. However, it was the intellectual endeavours of painters like [Leonardo da Vinci](https://www.worldhistory.org/Leonardo_da_Vinci/) (1452-1519 CE) and [Albrecht Dürer](https://www.worldhistory.org/Albrecht_Durer/) (1471-1528 CE) that finally elevated painters to the status of 'artists', a term previously restricted to those who studied the traditional liberal arts such as Latin and rhetoric. Artists took a keen interest in studying the history of art, what was going on in the art world elsewhere, wrote treatises on their craft, and made experiments in mathematical perspective. All of these things elevated art to a [science](https://www.worldhistory.org/science/).

Another defining feature of Renaissance artists, especially those belonging to the High Renaissance (1490-1527 CE) is their extraordinary ability in a variety of [media](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/media/). Figures like Michelangelo and Leonardo were as accomplished painters as they were sculptors, and both, like many other masters, turned their hand to architecture, too. Such successful masters ran large workshops and these were training grounds for the next generation of artists.

A greater confidence in their skills, knowledge, and contribution to culture in general can be seen in the increasing number of artists who painted self-portraits. Another symptom was the frequent signing of artworks, sometimes in very prominent parts of the picture (even if the assistants in a master's workshop frequently finished off works).

[![](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/100x100/12907.jpg?v=1744370355-1739980262)![](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/100x100/12908.jpg?v=1748500756)![](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/100x100/12909.jpg?v=1771007722)![](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/100x100/12906.jpg?v=1748500760)![](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/100x100/12911.jpg?v=1744370465)![](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/100x100/12862.jpg?v=1747526291)](https://www.worldhistory.org/collection/120/a-gallery-of-50-renaissance-paintings/)Image Gallery#### [A Gallery of 50 Renaissance Paintings](https://www.worldhistory.org/collection/120/a-gallery-of-50-renaissance-paintings/)

In this gallery, we present 50 of the most important Renaissance paintings created by the greatest artists from Jan van Eyck (c. 1390-1441) to Tintoretto... ### Painting & New Techniques

Renaissance painters were versatile and often experimented but, generally, as the Renaissance wore one, they used the fresco technique for walls, tempera for panels, and oil for panels or canvas. Fresco - painting on a wet plaster background - and tempera - using pigments mixed with egg yolk - were both techniques employed long before the Renaissance period. Experiments were, however, made using oil paints (pigments mixed with linseed or walnut oil) which gave richer colours, a wider range of tones, and more depth than traditional colours. Oils permitted more details to be shown in the painting and allowed brush strokes to become a visual effect. By the end of the 15th century CE, then, most major artists were using oils when working at an easel, not tempera. The disadvantage of oils was that they quickly deteriorated if used on walls instead of true fresco.

There were different painting styles and techniques depending on location. For example, the *colore* (or *colorito*) technique was prevalent in Venice (where contrasting colours were used to effect and define a harmonious composition) while *disegno* was preferred in Florence (where line drawing of form took precedence). Other techniques perfected by Renaissance artists include *chiaroscuro* (the contrasting use of light and shade) and *sfumato* (the transition of lighter into darker colours).

The painting's subject was another opportunity for experimentation. Painting figures with dramatic poses became a Renaissance fashion, best seen in [Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1607/michelangelos-sistine-chapel-ceiling/) in Rome (1512 CE). A tremendous sense of movement is created by the artist's use of *contrapposto*, that is the asymmetry between the upper and lower body of the figures, a technique used by Leonardo and many others. Another idea was to create shapes in a scene, especially triangles. The aim of this was to create a harmonious composition and give extra depth, as can be seen in Leonardo's *Last Supper* mural in Milan's Santa Maria delle Grazie (c. 1498 CE) or the *Galatea* by Raphael (c. 1513 CE, Villa Farnesina, Rome).

[ ![God Creating the Sun, Moon & Planets, Sistine Chapel](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/12753.jpg?v=1771616716) God Creating the Sun, Moon & Planets, Sistine Chapel Michelangelo (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/12753/god-creating-the-sun-moon--planets-sistine-chapel/ "God Creating the Sun, Moon & Planets, Sistine Chapel")Artists strove for an ever-greater sense of reality in their paintings, and this could be done by reproducing the perspective one would expect to see in a three-dimensional view. [Andrea Mantegna](https://www.worldhistory.org/Andrea_Mantegna/) (c. 1431-1506 CE) used techniques of foreshortening just as Giotto had done. See his *The Agony in the Garden* (c. 1460 CE, National Gallery, London). Mantegna was also keen on painting his scenes as if one were looking at them from below, another trick which gave his work depth. Sometimes depth was achieved in the middle ground of the painting while figures dominated the foreground, bringing them closer to the viewer. It was a technique innovated by [Pietro Perugino](https://www.worldhistory.org/Pietro_Perugino/) (c. 1450-1523 CE) and can be best seen in the *Marriage of the Virgin* (c. 1504 CE, Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan) by Raphael, once a pupil of Perugino.

Meanwhile, painters like [Piero della Francesca](https://www.worldhistory.org/Piero_della_Francesca/) (c. 1420-1492 CE) went further and used precise mathematical principles of perspective, as can be seen in his *Flagellation of Christ*, (c. 1455 CE, National Gallery of Marche, Urbino). Some critics felt that some artists went too far in their use of perspective and so the original sense of their painting was lost; [Paolo Uccello](https://www.worldhistory.org/Paolo_Uccello/) (1397-1475 CE) was a particular victim of this claim. Uccello's *The Hunt* (c. 1460 CE, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford) is certainly an audacious painting with its panoramic view of a symmetrical forest receding into an ever-darker background while the foreground is dominated by the hunters and their hounds, all converging towards a distant central point.

[ ![Ecstasy of Saint Francis by Giovanni Bellini](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/12834.jpg?v=1760841549) Ecstasy of Saint Francis by Giovanni Bellini Google Cultural Institute (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/12834/ecstasy-of-saint-francis-by-giovanni-bellini/ "Ecstasy of Saint Francis by Giovanni Bellini")Another step towards a greater reality was to ensure the scene had a single light source which provides matching areas of shadow in all elements of the painting. See, for example, the 1480 CE *Ecstasy of Saint Francis* (Frick Collection, New York) by [Giovanni Bellini](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giovanni_Bellini/) (c. 1430-1516 CE). Artists even began to play tricks on the viewer such as the mirror in Jan van Eyck's *The Arnolfini Wedding* portrait (1434 CE, National Gallery, London) which shows reflections of figures who must be standing next to the viewer. All of these techniques had the additional advantage of creating a 'wow factor' from viewers not used to seeing such innovations.

Renaissance painters wanted to add another level of meaning to their work than just the visual first impression. Mythological scenes were often packed with symbolism, meant to sort out the well-educated viewer from the less so. [Titian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Titian/) (c. 1487-1576 CE) even described his mythological paintings as a form of poetry, what he called *poesia*, such was the density of classical references within them. See, for example, his *[Bacchus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Bacchus/) and [Ariadne](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ariadne/)* (c. 1523 CE, National Gallery, London).

[ ![Mona Lisa](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/12640.jpg?v=1749372425-1739980083) Mona Lisa Centre for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/12640/mona-lisa/ "Mona Lisa")Portraiture was yet another area where Renaissance artists excelled. The most famous example is Leonardo's *Mona Lisa* (c. 1506 CE, Louvre, [Paris](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/paris/)), which shows an unidentified woman. Leonardo has not only painted a likeness but also captured the mood of the sitter. Contours, perspective, and gradations in colour are all combined to give the image life. Further, the casual posture and three-quarter view of the lady are another hint at movement. This painting was hugely influential on portraits thereafter. Another development was the use of everyday objects in portraits to hint at the sitter's character, beliefs, and interests. The Netherlandish painters were particular masters at realistic portraits, and their ideas spread to [Italy](https://www.worldhistory.org/italy/) where they can be seen in the work of, for example, Piero della Francesca, notably his painting of Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino (c. 1470 CE, Uffizi, Florence).

### Sculpture & Breaking the Classical Mould

While many religious subjects remained popular in sculpture like the Pietà - the [Virgin Mary](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mary,_Mother_of_Jesus/) mourning over the body of [Jesus Christ](https://www.worldhistory.org/Jesus_Christ/) - conventional iconography soon gave way to more innovative treatments. [Donatello](https://www.worldhistory.org/Donatello/) (c. 1386-1466 CE), for example, experimented with sacrificing technique and finish to capture the emotion of a figure, a strategy best seen in his wooden *Mary Magdalene* (c. 1446 CE, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Florence).

[ ![Mary Magdalene by Donatello](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/12620.png?v=1772098748) Mary Magdalene by Donatello Sailko (CC BY-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/12620/mary-magdalene-by-donatello/ "Mary Magdalene by Donatello")The classical revival saw sculptors create their own versions of ancient figures in wood, stone, and [bronze](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/bronze/). Most famous of all is Michelangelo's *David* (1504 CE, Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence). Representing the biblical king who, in his youth, famously killed the [giant](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giants/) Goliath, the marble figure is much larger than life-size, around 5.20 metres (17 feet) tall. It reminds of colossal statues of [Hercules](https://www.worldhistory.org/hercules/) from antiquity, but the tension of the figure and his thoroughly determined face are Renaissance inventions.

Donatello produced his version of David in bronze (1420s or 1440s CE, Bargello, Florence) and this work was another dramatic departure from ancient sculpture. The posture creates a sensuous figure that could not have been produced in antiquity. Both Michelangelo's and Donatello's David remind of the close link between art and function during the Renaissance. David appeared on the official seal of Florence, and as the slayer of Goliath, it was a timely reminder of the Florentines' struggles against the rival [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) of Milan.

[ ![Miracle of the Mule by Donatello](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/12619.jpg?v=1749372431) Miracle of the Mule by Donatello Sailko (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/12619/miracle-of-the-mule-by-donatello/ "Miracle of the Mule by Donatello")A related art to sculpture was engraving. Donatello was again involved here, producing superb low relief bronze panels for the baptistery of Sienna and several Florentine churches. The technique of carving a scene with a shallow depth yet still achieving a sense of perspective was known as 'flattened relief' or *rilievo schiacciat*o. A very different technique was to create [metal](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/metal/) panels with figures so high in relief they are almost in the round. The most famous example of this technique is Lorenzo Ghiberti's 'Gates of Paradise', the doors for Florence's Baptistery of San Giovanni (completed in 1452 CE). The gilded panels attached to the doors show biblical scenes and even a bust of Ghiberti himself.

From 1420 CE, prints made from woodcuts were popular, but it was the development of engraving [copper](https://www.worldhistory.org/copper/) plates from the 1470s CE that really saw prints become a true art form. Copper plates gave a much greater precision and detail. Mantegna and Dürer were two notable experts at this, and their engravings became highly collectible. The most successful printer was Marcantonio Raimondi (1480-1534 CE), and his prints of fine art helped spread ideas to northern Europe and vice-versa.

[ ![Miracle of St. Mark by Tintoretto](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/12827.jpg?v=1746907445) Miracle of St. Mark by Tintoretto Didier Descouens (CC BY-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/12827/miracle-of-st-mark-by-tintoretto/ "Miracle of St. Mark by Tintoretto")### The Legacy of Renaissance Art

Collecting art became a hobby of the wealthy, but as the middle classes became richer, so, too, they could acquire art, albeit not quite so great. Workshops like the ones run by Ghiberti began not exactly to mass-produce art but to at least employ standardised elements taken from an existing catalogue. In short, art was no longer restricted to the wealthy, and for those still unable to afford originals, they could always buy prints. Prints also spread artists' reputations far and wide. Thanks to the expansion of the art market, masters were now free to produce art as they thought it should be, not as a patron thought.

Renaissance art was continuously evolving. Mannerism, for example, is a vague term which initially referred to the oddly different art which came after the High Renaissance. Mannerism then acquired a more positive meaning - stylishness, ambiguity of message, contrast, and generally playing with the techniques and standardisations earlier Renaissance artists had set. See, for example, the 1548 CE *Miracle of Saint [Mark](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Mark/) Rescuing a Slave* by [Tintoretto](https://www.worldhistory.org/Tintoretto/) (c. 1518-1594 CE, Academia, Venice). From Mannerism would come the next major style in European art, the highly decorative Baroque, which took the rich colours, fine details, and energetic poses of Renaissance art to a new extreme of overwhelming drama and decoration.

#### Editorial Review

This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).

## Bibliography

- [Campbell, Gordon. *The Oxford Illustrated History of the Renaissance.* Oxford University Press, 2019.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/019871615X/)
- [Hale, J.R. (ed). *The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of the Italian Renaissance.* Thames & Hudson, 2020.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/B01K0SPLDW/)
- [Nash, Susie. *Northern Renaissance Art.* Oxford University Press, 2009.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0192842692/)
- [Paoletti, John T. & Radke, Gary M. *Art in Renaissance Italy.* Pearson, 2011.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0205010474/)
- [Rundle, David. *The Hutchinson Encyclopedia of the Renaissance.* Hodder Arnold, 2000.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1859863329/)
- [Woods, Kim W. *Making Renaissance Art.* Yale University Press, 2007.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/030012189X/)
- [Wyatt, Michael. *The Cambridge Companion to the Italian Renaissance.* Cambridge University Press, 2014.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0521699460/)

## About the Author

Mark is WHE’s Publishing Director and has an MA in Political Philosophy (University of York). He is a full-time researcher, writer, historian and editor. Special interests include art, architecture and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share.

## Timeline

- **1376 CE - 1455 CE**: Life of the Italian Renaissance artist [Lorenzo Ghiberti](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lorenzo_Ghiberti/).
- **1377 CE - 1446 CE**: Life of the Italian Renaissance architect and sculptor [Filippo Brunelleschi](https://www.worldhistory.org/Filippo_Brunelleschi/).
- **c. 1390 CE - 1441 CE**: The life of the Netherlandish Renaissance artist [Jan van Eyck](https://www.worldhistory.org/Jan_van_Eyck/).
- **1397 CE - 1475 CE**: Life of the Italian Renaissance artist [Paolo Uccello](https://www.worldhistory.org/Paolo_Uccello/).
- **c. 1415 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Donatello](https://www.worldhistory.org/Donatello/) completes his [sculpture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Sculpture/) of Saint George for the Orsanmichele in Florence.
- **1420 CE - 1450 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Donatello](https://www.worldhistory.org/Donatello/) sculpts his [bronze](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/bronze/) David in Florence.
- **c. 1420 CE - 1492 CE**: Life of the Italian Renaissance artist [Piero della Francesca](https://www.worldhistory.org/Piero_della_Francesca/).
- **1425 CE - 1452 CE**: The Italian Renaissance sculptor [Lorenzo Ghiberti](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lorenzo_Ghiberti/) works on his second set of doors, the 'Gates of Paradise', for the Baptistery of Florence's Cathedral.
- **c. 1430 CE - 1516 CE**: Life of the Italian Renaissance artist [Giovanni Bellini](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giovanni_Bellini/).
- **1432 CE**: The [Ghent Altarpiece](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ghent_Altarpiece/) is completed by the Netherlandish Renaissance artists [Jan van Eyck](https://www.worldhistory.org/Jan_van_Eyck/) and Hubert van Eyck.
- **1435 CE**: The Italian Renaissance architect [Leon Battista Alberti](https://www.worldhistory.org/Leon_Battista_Alberti/) writes his treatise De pictura (On Painting).
- **1436 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Paolo Uccello](https://www.worldhistory.org/Paolo_Uccello/) completes his equestrian [fresco](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Fresco/) of Sir John Hawkwood.
- **1446 CE - 1453 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Donatello](https://www.worldhistory.org/Donatello/) creates his [bronze](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/bronze/) panels for the high altar of the Basilica Sant’ Antonio in Padua.
- **c. 1450 CE**: The Italian Renaissance sculptor [Lorenzo Ghiberti](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lorenzo_Ghiberti/) writes his Commentaries, a mix of art history and autobiography.
- **c. 1450 CE - 1523 CE**: Life of the Italian Renaissance artist [Pietro Perugino](https://www.worldhistory.org/Pietro_Perugino/).
- **1452 CE - 1465 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Piero della Francesca](https://www.worldhistory.org/Piero_della_Francesca/) produces his cycle of frescoes on the Legend of the True Cross for the San Francesco church, Arezzo.
- **c. 1453 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Donatello](https://www.worldhistory.org/Donatello/) completes his equestrian statue of Erasmo da Narni, the Gattamelata (‘honeycat’) in Padua.
- **c. 1455 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Piero della Francesca](https://www.worldhistory.org/Piero_della_Francesca/) produces his painted panel the Flagellation of Christ.
- **c. 1456 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Donatello](https://www.worldhistory.org/Donatello/) sculpts his wooden statue of a penitent Mary Magdalene.
- **1464 CE**: The Italian Renaissance architect [Leon Battista Alberti](https://www.worldhistory.org/Leon_Battista_Alberti/) writes his treatise on [sculpture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Sculpture/).
- **c. 1465 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Piero della Francesca](https://www.worldhistory.org/Piero_della_Francesca/) produces his [fresco](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Fresco/) the Resurrection of Christ.
- **1465 CE - 1474 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Andrea Mantegna](https://www.worldhistory.org/Andrea_Mantegna/) works on his [fresco](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Fresco/) cycles in the Palazzo Ducale of Mantua.
- **c. 1470 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Piero della Francesca](https://www.worldhistory.org/Piero_della_Francesca/) produces his portrait of the Duke of Urbino, Federico da Montefeltro.
- **1471 CE - 1528 CE**: Life of the German Renaissance artist [Albrecht Dürer](https://www.worldhistory.org/Albrecht_Durer/).
- **c. 1474 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Piero della Francesca](https://www.worldhistory.org/Piero_della_Francesca/) writes his treatise On Perspective in Painting.
- **1475 CE - 1564 CE**: Life of the Italian Renaissance artist [Michelangelo](https://www.worldhistory.org/Michelangelo/).
- **c. 1480 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Giovanni Bellini](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giovanni_Bellini/) completes his Ecstasy of Saint Francis painting.
- **1480 CE - 1484 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Sandro Botticelli](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sandro_Botticelli/) produces his painting the Birth of [Venus](https://www.worldhistory.org/venus/).
- **c. 1482 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Sandro Botticelli](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sandro_Botticelli/) produces his Primavera painting.
- **c. 1487 CE - 1576 CE**: Life of the Italian Renaissance artist [Titian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Titian/).
- **1490 CE - 1492 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Sandro Botticelli](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sandro_Botticelli/) produces his Lamentation over the Dead Christ painting.
- **c. 1492 CE**: [Leonardo da Vinci](https://www.worldhistory.org/Leonardo_da_Vinci/) completes his 'Vitruvian Man' sketch.
- **1497 CE - 1500 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Michelangelo](https://www.worldhistory.org/Michelangelo/) works on his masterpiece the Pieta.
- **c. 1497 CE - 1543 CE**: Life of the German Renaissance painter [Hans Holbein the Younger](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hans_Holbein_the_Younger/).
- **c. 1498 CE**: [Leonardo da Vinci](https://www.worldhistory.org/Leonardo_da_Vinci/) completes his [wall](https://www.worldhistory.org/wall/) mural 'The Last Supper' in Milan's Sante Maria delle Grazie.
- **c. 1500 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Sandro Botticelli](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sandro_Botticelli/) produces his Mystic Nativity painting.
- **c. 1500 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Giovanni Bellini](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giovanni_Bellini/) completes his portrait of Doge Leonardo Loredan.
- **c. 1503 CE - c. 1506 CE**: [Leonardo da Vinci](https://www.worldhistory.org/Leonardo_da_Vinci/) completes his painting the 'Mona Lisa'.
- **1504 CE**: The German Renaissance artist [Albrecht Dürer](https://www.worldhistory.org/Albrecht_Durer/) creates his Adam and Eve print.
- **1504 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Michelangelo](https://www.worldhistory.org/Michelangelo/) completes his masterpiece the statue of David.
- **c. 1504 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Raphael](https://www.worldhistory.org/Raphael/) completes his The Marriage of the Virgin.
- **c. 1505 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Giovanni Bellini](https://www.worldhistory.org/Giovanni_Bellini/) completes his altarpiece for the San Zaccaria church in Venice.
- **1507 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Raphael](https://www.worldhistory.org/Raphael/) completes his painting The Entombment of Christ (aka The Deposition).
- **1508 CE - 1512 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Michelangelo](https://www.worldhistory.org/Michelangelo/) works on his painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling in [Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rome/).
- **1511 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Raphael](https://www.worldhistory.org/Raphael/) completes his frescoes in the Stanze della Segnatura of the Vatican which include The School of [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/).
- **c. 1518 CE - 1594 CE**: Life of the Italian Renaissance painter [Tintoretto](https://www.worldhistory.org/Tintoretto/) (Jacopo Robusti).
- **c. 1520 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Michelangelo](https://www.worldhistory.org/Michelangelo/) completes his masterpiece statue of [Moses](https://www.worldhistory.org/Moses/) for the [tomb](https://www.worldhistory.org/tomb/) of Pope [Julius](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Julius/) II.
- **c. 1525 CE**: The German Renaissance painter [Hans Holbein the Younger](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hans_Holbein_the_Younger/) creates his 41-print series the Dance of [Death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/).
- **1536 CE**: The German Renaissance painter [Hans Holbein the Younger](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hans_Holbein_the_Younger/) becomes the court painter of [Henry VIII of England](https://www.worldhistory.org/Henry_VIII_of_England/).
- **1545 CE - 1554 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Benvenuto Cellini](https://www.worldhistory.org/Benvenuto_Cellini/) works on his [bronze](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/bronze/) [sculpture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Sculpture/) of [Perseus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Perseus/) and [Medusa](https://www.worldhistory.org/Medusa/).
- **1548 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Tintoretto](https://www.worldhistory.org/Tintoretto/) produces his celebrated Miracle of Saint [Mark](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Mark/) Rescuing a Slave painting.
- **1564 CE - 1481 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Tintoretto](https://www.worldhistory.org/Tintoretto/) works on his cycle of paintings for Venice’s Scuola Grande di San Rocco.
- **c. 1570 CE**: The Italian Renaissance artist [Tintoretto](https://www.worldhistory.org/Tintoretto/) porduces his Saint George and the Dragon painting.

## Questions & Answers

### What defines Renaissance art?
Renaissance art may be defined by the interest of artists and sculptors in the art of classical antiquity and the use of mathematical perspective. Renaissance art is realistic, detailed, dramtic, and often contains different layers of meaning.


### What are some examples of Renaissance art?
The most famous examples of Renaissance art include Michelangelo's statue of David and his Sistine Chapel ceiling in Rome. Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' portrait and Raphael's 'School of Athens' in the Vatican are two of the most famous Renaissance paintings. 

### How is Renaissance art different from Baroque art?
Renaissance art is different from Baroque art as works of the latter are more richly coloured and detailed. Baroque art is much more dramatic and decorative compared to Renaissance art which was closer in tradition to the art of antiquity but with more attention to perspective, realism, and different levels of meaning.  


## External Links

- [Famous Renaissance Artists of the Italian and Northern Renaissance](https://mymodernmet.com/renaissance-artists/)
- [20 Famous Renaissance Paintings Every Art Lover Should Know](https://mymodernmet.com/famous-renaissance-paintings/)
- [Anatomy in the Renaissance | Essay | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History](https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/anat/hd_anat.htm)

## Cite This Work

### APA
Cartwright, M. (2020, November 10). Renaissance Art. *World History Encyclopedia*. [https://www.worldhistory.org/Renaissance\_Art/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Renaissance_Art/)
### Chicago
Cartwright, Mark. "Renaissance Art." *World History Encyclopedia*, November 10, 2020. [https://www.worldhistory.org/Renaissance\_Art/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Renaissance_Art/).
### MLA
Cartwright, Mark. "Renaissance Art." *World History Encyclopedia*, 10 Nov 2020, [https://www.worldhistory.org/Renaissance\_Art/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Renaissance_Art/).

## License & Copyright

Submitted by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/ "User Page: Mark Cartwright"), published on 10 November 2020. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.