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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 (1518-1594). The paintings are presented in chronological order of artists and their works to give the viewer a better idea of the progression of Renaissance art from the mid-15th century to the mid-16th century. There are religious scenes with experiments in perspective, reinterpretations of stories from classical mythology, and portraits which capture for the first time the true depth of the emotions and character of the subject.
Painting figures with dramatic poses became a Renaissance fashion, best seen in Michelangelo's 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 da Vinci 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).
By clicking on the name of the artist in red within each image description you will be taken to a biography which very often includes more information on the painting.
Arnolfini Wedding Portrait by Jan van Eyck
by National Gallery, London
published on 15 October 2020
The Arnolfini Wedding painting by the Netherlandish Renaissance artist Jan van Eyck (c. 1390-1441 CE). Created in Bruges in 1434 CE it shows the cloth merchant Giovanni Arnolfini with his wife Giovanna Cenami. (National Gallery, London)
The museum with the most Renaissance paintings is the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.
What is the most famous Renaissance picture?
The most famous Renaissance painting is probably the Mona Lisa, a portrait of an unknown lady by Leonardo da Vinci. The painting, known as the La Gioconda in Italian, is oil on a wood panel and was created between 1503 and 1506. The painting is today in the Louvre museum in Paris.
Who are the 5 most famous Renaissance artists?
Perhaps the five most famous Renaissance artists are Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Sandro Botticelli, and Jan van Eyck.
What are the 5 pieces of Renaissance art?
5 famous pieces of Renaissance art are: the Mona Lisa portrait by Leonardo da Vinci, the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo, the Birth of Venus painting by Sandro Botticelli, the Ghent Altarpiece by Jan van Eyck, and the gilded bronze doors of the Baptistery of Florence's cathedral by Lorenzo Ghiberti.
License & Copyright
Based on Wikipedia content that has been reviewed, edited, and republished.
Original image by National Gallery, London. Uploaded by Mark Cartwright, published on 15 October 2020. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Public Domain. This item is in the public domain, and can be used, copied, and modified without any restrictions. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.