What is Renaissance art?<\/span><\/h2>[vc_column_text]Beginning around the 1400s, Renaissance oil painting eschewed previous Gothic, Byzantine and Romanesque styles. It became more individualistic, more humanistic and naturalistic in turn.<\/p>\nWhilst the Renaissance impacted all areas of creative endeavor, from novels to politics, poetry, philosophy architecture, theology and mathematics \u2013 painting changed forever<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]What are the characteristics of Renaissance art?<\/span><\/h2>[vc_column_text]Renaissance art characteristics first emerged in fourteenth century Europe. Even in this preliminary period, nascent signs of its transformative energy are identifiable.<\/p>\nWhilst the \u201cRenaissance art style\u201d progressed and developed over time, defining characteristics included:<\/p>\n
\n- A shift away from abstracted, stylized imagery \u2013 towards more figurative representations.<\/li>\n
- An expansion of subject matter \u2013 including portraiture and everyday life as well as Biblical inspiration.<\/li>\n
- Dynamic postures and movement \u2013 increasing use of tenebrism and chiaroscuro creating drama.<\/li>\n
- Realistic landscapes \u2013 subjects presented against naturalistic landscapes, opposed to the solid-colored backgrounds common in the Middle Ages.<\/li>\n
- Emotional emphasis \u2013 emphasizing the psychic reality of sitters through precise details, expressions and gestures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
To explain the development of this revolutionary style, art historians broadly split Renaissance art into two main periods. These are the \u201cEarly\u201d and \u201cHigh\u201d Renaissance:[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
Early Renaissance art<\/span><\/h2>[vc_column_text]Also termed the \u201cQuattrocento\u201d, the Early Renaissance<\/a> refers to art created during the 1400s. As the origin of the High Renaissance and subsequent movements such as Baroque<\/a> and Mannerism<\/a>, it\u2019s a fascinating and fast-paced period.<\/p>\nEarly Renaissance artists responded to the new philosophy sweeping through Europe. Emphasizing man\u2019s broadening relationship with science, the natural world and <\/em>religion, humanist scholarship pervaded every aspect of society.<\/p>\nEarly Renaissance art characteristics include newly expressive and intimate portrayals of the human form. Patronized by the Medici family, the church was no longer the sole purveyor of artistic creation. Historical, mythological and religious narratives consequently sat side by side in the artistic canon.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
High Renaissance art<\/span><\/h2>[vc_column_text]Following the Quattrocento, the High Renaissance<\/a> was a short-lived whirlwind of artistic production. Coined by the Swiss art historian and critic Jacob Burckhardt in 1855, the term \u201cHigh Renaissance\u201d covers this extraordinary period.<\/p>\nArt historians place its start between 1495 and 1500. Whilst debates rage, the two proposed end dates are the death of Raphael in 1520 or the Sack of Rome in 1527.<\/p>\n
The best-known Renaissance artists worked during this period, including Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Following the Early Renaissance\u2019s focus on individualism, High Renaissance art featured a renewed focus on classical themes.<\/p>\n
With an understanding of both Early and High Renaissance art, the only thing left to do is introduce some stunning examples!<\/p>\n
With this in mind, here are six of the most famous Renaissance paintings of all time…[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
Masterpieces for the ages: 6 famous Renaissance paintings<\/span><\/h2>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div>![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.reproduction-gallery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Birth_of_venus-1.jpg\")
<\/div> The Birth of Venus 1483-85 Detail 3<\/h6>Sandro Botticelli<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]1. Botticelli, The Birth of Venus (1483-85)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]For many art historians, Sandro Botticelli truly kick-started Italian Renaissance art. Commissioned by the Medici family, the now-iconic Birth of Venus <\/em><\/a>depicts the Roman goddess of love rising from the sea.<\/p>\nThe painting\u2019s sensory appeal underpins its continued popularity. Alongside Botticelli\u2019s Primavera<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>it remains one of the most recognizable images of all time.<\/p>\nExplaining the ground-breaking nature of the piece, mythological subjects on this scale were simply unprecedented in recent European history. What\u2019s more, direct female frontal nudity was long suppressed by church-controlled art. The woman\u2019s pose references the \u201cVenus Pudica\u201d form of Greek and Roman sculptures. Belying Botticelli\u2019s position as an Early Renaissance master, her slightly curved and flowing body harks back to earlier Gothic styles.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
2. Da Vinci, The Mona Lisa (1503-06)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s Mona Lisa<\/em><\/a> painting tops even Botticelli\u2019s Birth of Venus <\/em>for recognizability! It depicts the wife of a wealthy Italian merchant Francesco del Giocondo.<\/p>\nJust about every aspect of the painting is a source of academic debate. The dating is uncertain, but generally placed between 1503 and 1509. Equally, it\u2019s exact purpose (perhaps celebrating the recent birth of a boy) is unknown. The woman\u2019s smile is the ultimate enigmatic mystery, as is the misty landscape behind her.<\/p>\n
Whatever the exact inspiration of the painting, it displays Da Vinci\u2019s<\/a> complete mastery of painterly techniques. In it, he perfectly employs the new method of sfumato. Referring to the use of fine shading and blending, no artist has matched his excellence before or since.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div>![\"Mona](\"https:\/\/www.reproduction-gallery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Leonardo-da-Vinci-mona-lisa.jpg\")
<\/div> Mona Lisa Portrait of Lisa Gherardini<\/h6>Leonardo da Vinci<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div>![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.reproduction-gallery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Michelangelo-The-Creation-of-Adam-1510.jpg\")
<\/div> The Creation of Adam 1510<\/h6>Michelangelo<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]3. Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam (1510)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Where would any discussion of Renaissance religious oil paintings be without Michelangelo\u2019s Creation of Adam? <\/em><\/a>Painted sometime between 1508 and 1512, it illustrates the creation story and the precise moment in the Book of Genesis when God animated Adam. God\u2019s outstretched arm breathes life into Adam, whilst the female figure protected behind him could reference Eve or the Virgin Mary.<\/p>\nLocated on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the Creation of Adam <\/em>is just one part of a much larger decorative scheme. Nonetheless, it is one of the most reproduced Renaissance religious oil paintings of all time. Michelangelo\u2019s<\/a> incredible knowledge of human anatomy is particularly evident throughout Adam\u2019s beautifully described body.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]4. Raphael, The Sistine Madonna (1512)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Raphael\u2019s<\/a> Sistine Madonna <\/em><\/a>is one of the most astounding Madonna and Child<\/em> paintings in the history of art. Commissioned by Pope Julius II, it was one of the last Madonna paintings ever captured by Raphael.<\/p>\nDescribed by Giorgio Vasari as a \u201crare and extraordinary\u201d Renaissance oil painting, the Virgin Mary floats upon clouds. Accompanied by Saint Barbara and Saint Sixtus, she holds the baby Jesus and gazes serenely out at the viewer. Despite these truly astounding and harmonious components, the most famous aspect of the painting today is the two cherubs or \u201cputti\u201d at the bottom of the canvas!<\/p>\n
Raphael remains particularly famed for his representation of the female form, also demonstrated in another Renaissance masterpiece The Graces <\/em>(1505).<\/a> It\u2019s thought to be the first time Raphael painted a female nude from both the front and rear perspective.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div>![\"Sistine](\"https:\/\/www.reproduction-gallery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Raphael-The-Sistine-Madonna-1512.jpg\")
<\/div> Sistine Madonna 1512<\/h6>Raphael<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div>![\"Venus](\"https:\/\/www.reproduction-gallery.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Titian-Venus-of-Urbino-1538.jpg\")
<\/div> Venus of Urbino 1538<\/h6>Tiziano Vecellio (TITIAN)<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]5. Titian, The Venus of Urbino (1538)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Titian lived and worked right at the end of the High Renaissance period. Also known as Reclining Venus, <\/em>the Venus of Urbino <\/em><\/a>is one of his defining masterpieces.<\/p>\nDepicting a nude woman reclining amidst sumptuous fabrics and opulent surroundings, the painting scandalized contemporary Florentine society. Even today, it\u2019s still described as a prime example of \u201cundisguised hedonism\u201d. Directly engaging the viewer, the woman\u2019s hand rests provocatively between her legs.<\/p>\n
Despite her fame, we know relatively little of the woman\u2019s identity. The Venus <\/em>could have been a marriage portrait or a depiction of a local courtesan, but there is precious little scholarly agreement on the topic.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]6. Caravaggio, The Calling of St Matthew (c.1600)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Born in 1571, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio<\/a>, better known simply as Caravaggio isn\u2019t technically <\/em>a Renaissance artist. Despite this, no overview of Italian Renaissance art would be complete without at least mentioning his name. He took inspiration from the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Giorgione, taking their compositions to new heights of drama and naturalism.<\/p>\nCaravaggio\u2019s masterful employment of chiaroscuro and tenebrism is best evident in The Calling of St Matthew <\/em>(c.1600)<\/a>. It depicts the dramatic moment the tax collector was called to his life of religious devotion. The shocking shaft of brilliant light illuminates the awed faces of the men at the table. Out of the otherwise gloomy scene, they are all directly witnessing the presence of Jesus Christ.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
What are the characteristics of Renaissance art?<\/span><\/h2>[vc_column_text]Renaissance art characteristics first emerged in fourteenth century Europe. Even in this preliminary period, nascent signs of its transformative energy are identifiable.<\/p>\nWhilst the \u201cRenaissance art style\u201d progressed and developed over time, defining characteristics included:<\/p>\n
\n- A shift away from abstracted, stylized imagery \u2013 towards more figurative representations.<\/li>\n
- An expansion of subject matter \u2013 including portraiture and everyday life as well as Biblical inspiration.<\/li>\n
- Dynamic postures and movement \u2013 increasing use of tenebrism and chiaroscuro creating drama.<\/li>\n
- Realistic landscapes \u2013 subjects presented against naturalistic landscapes, opposed to the solid-colored backgrounds common in the Middle Ages.<\/li>\n
- Emotional emphasis \u2013 emphasizing the psychic reality of sitters through precise details, expressions and gestures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
To explain the development of this revolutionary style, art historians broadly split Renaissance art into two main periods. These are the \u201cEarly\u201d and \u201cHigh\u201d Renaissance:[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
Early Renaissance art<\/span><\/h2>[vc_column_text]Also termed the \u201cQuattrocento\u201d, the Early Renaissance<\/a> refers to art created during the 1400s. As the origin of the High Renaissance and subsequent movements such as Baroque<\/a> and Mannerism<\/a>, it\u2019s a fascinating and fast-paced period.<\/p>\nEarly Renaissance artists responded to the new philosophy sweeping through Europe. Emphasizing man\u2019s broadening relationship with science, the natural world and <\/em>religion, humanist scholarship pervaded every aspect of society.<\/p>\nEarly Renaissance art characteristics include newly expressive and intimate portrayals of the human form. Patronized by the Medici family, the church was no longer the sole purveyor of artistic creation. Historical, mythological and religious narratives consequently sat side by side in the artistic canon.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
High Renaissance art<\/span><\/h2>[vc_column_text]Following the Quattrocento, the High Renaissance<\/a> was a short-lived whirlwind of artistic production. Coined by the Swiss art historian and critic Jacob Burckhardt in 1855, the term \u201cHigh Renaissance\u201d covers this extraordinary period.<\/p>\nArt historians place its start between 1495 and 1500. Whilst debates rage, the two proposed end dates are the death of Raphael in 1520 or the Sack of Rome in 1527.<\/p>\n
The best-known Renaissance artists worked during this period, including Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Following the Early Renaissance\u2019s focus on individualism, High Renaissance art featured a renewed focus on classical themes.<\/p>\n
With an understanding of both Early and High Renaissance art, the only thing left to do is introduce some stunning examples!<\/p>\n
With this in mind, here are six of the most famous Renaissance paintings of all time…[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
Masterpieces for the ages: 6 famous Renaissance paintings<\/span><\/h2>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> The Birth of Venus 1483-85 Detail 3<\/h6>Sandro Botticelli<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]1. Botticelli, The Birth of Venus (1483-85)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]For many art historians, Sandro Botticelli truly kick-started Italian Renaissance art. Commissioned by the Medici family, the now-iconic Birth of Venus <\/em><\/a>depicts the Roman goddess of love rising from the sea.<\/p>\nThe painting\u2019s sensory appeal underpins its continued popularity. Alongside Botticelli\u2019s Primavera<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>it remains one of the most recognizable images of all time.<\/p>\nExplaining the ground-breaking nature of the piece, mythological subjects on this scale were simply unprecedented in recent European history. What\u2019s more, direct female frontal nudity was long suppressed by church-controlled art. The woman\u2019s pose references the \u201cVenus Pudica\u201d form of Greek and Roman sculptures. Belying Botticelli\u2019s position as an Early Renaissance master, her slightly curved and flowing body harks back to earlier Gothic styles.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
2. Da Vinci, The Mona Lisa (1503-06)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s Mona Lisa<\/em><\/a> painting tops even Botticelli\u2019s Birth of Venus <\/em>for recognizability! It depicts the wife of a wealthy Italian merchant Francesco del Giocondo.<\/p>\nJust about every aspect of the painting is a source of academic debate. The dating is uncertain, but generally placed between 1503 and 1509. Equally, it\u2019s exact purpose (perhaps celebrating the recent birth of a boy) is unknown. The woman\u2019s smile is the ultimate enigmatic mystery, as is the misty landscape behind her.<\/p>\n
Whatever the exact inspiration of the painting, it displays Da Vinci\u2019s<\/a> complete mastery of painterly techniques. In it, he perfectly employs the new method of sfumato. Referring to the use of fine shading and blending, no artist has matched his excellence before or since.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Mona Lisa Portrait of Lisa Gherardini<\/h6>Leonardo da Vinci<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> The Creation of Adam 1510<\/h6>Michelangelo<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]3. Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam (1510)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Where would any discussion of Renaissance religious oil paintings be without Michelangelo\u2019s Creation of Adam? <\/em><\/a>Painted sometime between 1508 and 1512, it illustrates the creation story and the precise moment in the Book of Genesis when God animated Adam. God\u2019s outstretched arm breathes life into Adam, whilst the female figure protected behind him could reference Eve or the Virgin Mary.<\/p>\nLocated on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the Creation of Adam <\/em>is just one part of a much larger decorative scheme. Nonetheless, it is one of the most reproduced Renaissance religious oil paintings of all time. Michelangelo\u2019s<\/a> incredible knowledge of human anatomy is particularly evident throughout Adam\u2019s beautifully described body.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]4. Raphael, The Sistine Madonna (1512)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Raphael\u2019s<\/a> Sistine Madonna <\/em><\/a>is one of the most astounding Madonna and Child<\/em> paintings in the history of art. Commissioned by Pope Julius II, it was one of the last Madonna paintings ever captured by Raphael.<\/p>\nDescribed by Giorgio Vasari as a \u201crare and extraordinary\u201d Renaissance oil painting, the Virgin Mary floats upon clouds. Accompanied by Saint Barbara and Saint Sixtus, she holds the baby Jesus and gazes serenely out at the viewer. Despite these truly astounding and harmonious components, the most famous aspect of the painting today is the two cherubs or \u201cputti\u201d at the bottom of the canvas!<\/p>\n
Raphael remains particularly famed for his representation of the female form, also demonstrated in another Renaissance masterpiece The Graces <\/em>(1505).<\/a> It\u2019s thought to be the first time Raphael painted a female nude from both the front and rear perspective.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Sistine Madonna 1512<\/h6>Raphael<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Venus of Urbino 1538<\/h6>Tiziano Vecellio (TITIAN)<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]5. Titian, The Venus of Urbino (1538)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Titian lived and worked right at the end of the High Renaissance period. Also known as Reclining Venus, <\/em>the Venus of Urbino <\/em><\/a>is one of his defining masterpieces.<\/p>\nDepicting a nude woman reclining amidst sumptuous fabrics and opulent surroundings, the painting scandalized contemporary Florentine society. Even today, it\u2019s still described as a prime example of \u201cundisguised hedonism\u201d. Directly engaging the viewer, the woman\u2019s hand rests provocatively between her legs.<\/p>\n
Despite her fame, we know relatively little of the woman\u2019s identity. The Venus <\/em>could have been a marriage portrait or a depiction of a local courtesan, but there is precious little scholarly agreement on the topic.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]6. Caravaggio, The Calling of St Matthew (c.1600)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Born in 1571, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio<\/a>, better known simply as Caravaggio isn\u2019t technically <\/em>a Renaissance artist. Despite this, no overview of Italian Renaissance art would be complete without at least mentioning his name. He took inspiration from the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Giorgione, taking their compositions to new heights of drama and naturalism.<\/p>\nCaravaggio\u2019s masterful employment of chiaroscuro and tenebrism is best evident in The Calling of St Matthew <\/em>(c.1600)<\/a>. It depicts the dramatic moment the tax collector was called to his life of religious devotion. The shocking shaft of brilliant light illuminates the awed faces of the men at the table. Out of the otherwise gloomy scene, they are all directly witnessing the presence of Jesus Christ.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
To explain the development of this revolutionary style, art historians broadly split Renaissance art into two main periods. These are the \u201cEarly\u201d and \u201cHigh\u201d Renaissance:[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
Early Renaissance art<\/span><\/h2>[vc_column_text]Also termed the \u201cQuattrocento\u201d, the Early Renaissance<\/a> refers to art created during the 1400s. As the origin of the High Renaissance and subsequent movements such as Baroque<\/a> and Mannerism<\/a>, it\u2019s a fascinating and fast-paced period.<\/p>\nEarly Renaissance artists responded to the new philosophy sweeping through Europe. Emphasizing man\u2019s broadening relationship with science, the natural world and <\/em>religion, humanist scholarship pervaded every aspect of society.<\/p>\nEarly Renaissance art characteristics include newly expressive and intimate portrayals of the human form. Patronized by the Medici family, the church was no longer the sole purveyor of artistic creation. Historical, mythological and religious narratives consequently sat side by side in the artistic canon.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
High Renaissance art<\/span><\/h2>[vc_column_text]Following the Quattrocento, the High Renaissance<\/a> was a short-lived whirlwind of artistic production. Coined by the Swiss art historian and critic Jacob Burckhardt in 1855, the term \u201cHigh Renaissance\u201d covers this extraordinary period.<\/p>\nArt historians place its start between 1495 and 1500. Whilst debates rage, the two proposed end dates are the death of Raphael in 1520 or the Sack of Rome in 1527.<\/p>\n
The best-known Renaissance artists worked during this period, including Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Following the Early Renaissance\u2019s focus on individualism, High Renaissance art featured a renewed focus on classical themes.<\/p>\n
With an understanding of both Early and High Renaissance art, the only thing left to do is introduce some stunning examples!<\/p>\n
With this in mind, here are six of the most famous Renaissance paintings of all time…[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
Masterpieces for the ages: 6 famous Renaissance paintings<\/span><\/h2>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> The Birth of Venus 1483-85 Detail 3<\/h6>Sandro Botticelli<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]1. Botticelli, The Birth of Venus (1483-85)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]For many art historians, Sandro Botticelli truly kick-started Italian Renaissance art. Commissioned by the Medici family, the now-iconic Birth of Venus <\/em><\/a>depicts the Roman goddess of love rising from the sea.<\/p>\nThe painting\u2019s sensory appeal underpins its continued popularity. Alongside Botticelli\u2019s Primavera<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>it remains one of the most recognizable images of all time.<\/p>\nExplaining the ground-breaking nature of the piece, mythological subjects on this scale were simply unprecedented in recent European history. What\u2019s more, direct female frontal nudity was long suppressed by church-controlled art. The woman\u2019s pose references the \u201cVenus Pudica\u201d form of Greek and Roman sculptures. Belying Botticelli\u2019s position as an Early Renaissance master, her slightly curved and flowing body harks back to earlier Gothic styles.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
2. Da Vinci, The Mona Lisa (1503-06)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s Mona Lisa<\/em><\/a> painting tops even Botticelli\u2019s Birth of Venus <\/em>for recognizability! It depicts the wife of a wealthy Italian merchant Francesco del Giocondo.<\/p>\nJust about every aspect of the painting is a source of academic debate. The dating is uncertain, but generally placed between 1503 and 1509. Equally, it\u2019s exact purpose (perhaps celebrating the recent birth of a boy) is unknown. The woman\u2019s smile is the ultimate enigmatic mystery, as is the misty landscape behind her.<\/p>\n
Whatever the exact inspiration of the painting, it displays Da Vinci\u2019s<\/a> complete mastery of painterly techniques. In it, he perfectly employs the new method of sfumato. Referring to the use of fine shading and blending, no artist has matched his excellence before or since.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Mona Lisa Portrait of Lisa Gherardini<\/h6>Leonardo da Vinci<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> The Creation of Adam 1510<\/h6>Michelangelo<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]3. Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam (1510)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Where would any discussion of Renaissance religious oil paintings be without Michelangelo\u2019s Creation of Adam? <\/em><\/a>Painted sometime between 1508 and 1512, it illustrates the creation story and the precise moment in the Book of Genesis when God animated Adam. God\u2019s outstretched arm breathes life into Adam, whilst the female figure protected behind him could reference Eve or the Virgin Mary.<\/p>\nLocated on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the Creation of Adam <\/em>is just one part of a much larger decorative scheme. Nonetheless, it is one of the most reproduced Renaissance religious oil paintings of all time. Michelangelo\u2019s<\/a> incredible knowledge of human anatomy is particularly evident throughout Adam\u2019s beautifully described body.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]4. Raphael, The Sistine Madonna (1512)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Raphael\u2019s<\/a> Sistine Madonna <\/em><\/a>is one of the most astounding Madonna and Child<\/em> paintings in the history of art. Commissioned by Pope Julius II, it was one of the last Madonna paintings ever captured by Raphael.<\/p>\nDescribed by Giorgio Vasari as a \u201crare and extraordinary\u201d Renaissance oil painting, the Virgin Mary floats upon clouds. Accompanied by Saint Barbara and Saint Sixtus, she holds the baby Jesus and gazes serenely out at the viewer. Despite these truly astounding and harmonious components, the most famous aspect of the painting today is the two cherubs or \u201cputti\u201d at the bottom of the canvas!<\/p>\n
Raphael remains particularly famed for his representation of the female form, also demonstrated in another Renaissance masterpiece The Graces <\/em>(1505).<\/a> It\u2019s thought to be the first time Raphael painted a female nude from both the front and rear perspective.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Sistine Madonna 1512<\/h6>Raphael<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Venus of Urbino 1538<\/h6>Tiziano Vecellio (TITIAN)<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]5. Titian, The Venus of Urbino (1538)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Titian lived and worked right at the end of the High Renaissance period. Also known as Reclining Venus, <\/em>the Venus of Urbino <\/em><\/a>is one of his defining masterpieces.<\/p>\nDepicting a nude woman reclining amidst sumptuous fabrics and opulent surroundings, the painting scandalized contemporary Florentine society. Even today, it\u2019s still described as a prime example of \u201cundisguised hedonism\u201d. Directly engaging the viewer, the woman\u2019s hand rests provocatively between her legs.<\/p>\n
Despite her fame, we know relatively little of the woman\u2019s identity. The Venus <\/em>could have been a marriage portrait or a depiction of a local courtesan, but there is precious little scholarly agreement on the topic.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]6. Caravaggio, The Calling of St Matthew (c.1600)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Born in 1571, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio<\/a>, better known simply as Caravaggio isn\u2019t technically <\/em>a Renaissance artist. Despite this, no overview of Italian Renaissance art would be complete without at least mentioning his name. He took inspiration from the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Giorgione, taking their compositions to new heights of drama and naturalism.<\/p>\nCaravaggio\u2019s masterful employment of chiaroscuro and tenebrism is best evident in The Calling of St Matthew <\/em>(c.1600)<\/a>. It depicts the dramatic moment the tax collector was called to his life of religious devotion. The shocking shaft of brilliant light illuminates the awed faces of the men at the table. Out of the otherwise gloomy scene, they are all directly witnessing the presence of Jesus Christ.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
Early Renaissance art characteristics include newly expressive and intimate portrayals of the human form. Patronized by the Medici family, the church was no longer the sole purveyor of artistic creation. Historical, mythological and religious narratives consequently sat side by side in the artistic canon.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
High Renaissance art<\/span><\/h2>[vc_column_text]Following the Quattrocento, the High Renaissance<\/a> was a short-lived whirlwind of artistic production. Coined by the Swiss art historian and critic Jacob Burckhardt in 1855, the term \u201cHigh Renaissance\u201d covers this extraordinary period.<\/p>\nArt historians place its start between 1495 and 1500. Whilst debates rage, the two proposed end dates are the death of Raphael in 1520 or the Sack of Rome in 1527.<\/p>\n
The best-known Renaissance artists worked during this period, including Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Following the Early Renaissance\u2019s focus on individualism, High Renaissance art featured a renewed focus on classical themes.<\/p>\n
With an understanding of both Early and High Renaissance art, the only thing left to do is introduce some stunning examples!<\/p>\n
With this in mind, here are six of the most famous Renaissance paintings of all time…[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
Masterpieces for the ages: 6 famous Renaissance paintings<\/span><\/h2>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> The Birth of Venus 1483-85 Detail 3<\/h6>Sandro Botticelli<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]1. Botticelli, The Birth of Venus (1483-85)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]For many art historians, Sandro Botticelli truly kick-started Italian Renaissance art. Commissioned by the Medici family, the now-iconic Birth of Venus <\/em><\/a>depicts the Roman goddess of love rising from the sea.<\/p>\nThe painting\u2019s sensory appeal underpins its continued popularity. Alongside Botticelli\u2019s Primavera<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>it remains one of the most recognizable images of all time.<\/p>\nExplaining the ground-breaking nature of the piece, mythological subjects on this scale were simply unprecedented in recent European history. What\u2019s more, direct female frontal nudity was long suppressed by church-controlled art. The woman\u2019s pose references the \u201cVenus Pudica\u201d form of Greek and Roman sculptures. Belying Botticelli\u2019s position as an Early Renaissance master, her slightly curved and flowing body harks back to earlier Gothic styles.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
2. Da Vinci, The Mona Lisa (1503-06)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s Mona Lisa<\/em><\/a> painting tops even Botticelli\u2019s Birth of Venus <\/em>for recognizability! It depicts the wife of a wealthy Italian merchant Francesco del Giocondo.<\/p>\nJust about every aspect of the painting is a source of academic debate. The dating is uncertain, but generally placed between 1503 and 1509. Equally, it\u2019s exact purpose (perhaps celebrating the recent birth of a boy) is unknown. The woman\u2019s smile is the ultimate enigmatic mystery, as is the misty landscape behind her.<\/p>\n
Whatever the exact inspiration of the painting, it displays Da Vinci\u2019s<\/a> complete mastery of painterly techniques. In it, he perfectly employs the new method of sfumato. Referring to the use of fine shading and blending, no artist has matched his excellence before or since.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Mona Lisa Portrait of Lisa Gherardini<\/h6>Leonardo da Vinci<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> The Creation of Adam 1510<\/h6>Michelangelo<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]3. Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam (1510)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Where would any discussion of Renaissance religious oil paintings be without Michelangelo\u2019s Creation of Adam? <\/em><\/a>Painted sometime between 1508 and 1512, it illustrates the creation story and the precise moment in the Book of Genesis when God animated Adam. God\u2019s outstretched arm breathes life into Adam, whilst the female figure protected behind him could reference Eve or the Virgin Mary.<\/p>\nLocated on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the Creation of Adam <\/em>is just one part of a much larger decorative scheme. Nonetheless, it is one of the most reproduced Renaissance religious oil paintings of all time. Michelangelo\u2019s<\/a> incredible knowledge of human anatomy is particularly evident throughout Adam\u2019s beautifully described body.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]4. Raphael, The Sistine Madonna (1512)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Raphael\u2019s<\/a> Sistine Madonna <\/em><\/a>is one of the most astounding Madonna and Child<\/em> paintings in the history of art. Commissioned by Pope Julius II, it was one of the last Madonna paintings ever captured by Raphael.<\/p>\nDescribed by Giorgio Vasari as a \u201crare and extraordinary\u201d Renaissance oil painting, the Virgin Mary floats upon clouds. Accompanied by Saint Barbara and Saint Sixtus, she holds the baby Jesus and gazes serenely out at the viewer. Despite these truly astounding and harmonious components, the most famous aspect of the painting today is the two cherubs or \u201cputti\u201d at the bottom of the canvas!<\/p>\n
Raphael remains particularly famed for his representation of the female form, also demonstrated in another Renaissance masterpiece The Graces <\/em>(1505).<\/a> It\u2019s thought to be the first time Raphael painted a female nude from both the front and rear perspective.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Sistine Madonna 1512<\/h6>Raphael<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Venus of Urbino 1538<\/h6>Tiziano Vecellio (TITIAN)<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]5. Titian, The Venus of Urbino (1538)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Titian lived and worked right at the end of the High Renaissance period. Also known as Reclining Venus, <\/em>the Venus of Urbino <\/em><\/a>is one of his defining masterpieces.<\/p>\nDepicting a nude woman reclining amidst sumptuous fabrics and opulent surroundings, the painting scandalized contemporary Florentine society. Even today, it\u2019s still described as a prime example of \u201cundisguised hedonism\u201d. Directly engaging the viewer, the woman\u2019s hand rests provocatively between her legs.<\/p>\n
Despite her fame, we know relatively little of the woman\u2019s identity. The Venus <\/em>could have been a marriage portrait or a depiction of a local courtesan, but there is precious little scholarly agreement on the topic.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]6. Caravaggio, The Calling of St Matthew (c.1600)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Born in 1571, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio<\/a>, better known simply as Caravaggio isn\u2019t technically <\/em>a Renaissance artist. Despite this, no overview of Italian Renaissance art would be complete without at least mentioning his name. He took inspiration from the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Giorgione, taking their compositions to new heights of drama and naturalism.<\/p>\nCaravaggio\u2019s masterful employment of chiaroscuro and tenebrism is best evident in The Calling of St Matthew <\/em>(c.1600)<\/a>. It depicts the dramatic moment the tax collector was called to his life of religious devotion. The shocking shaft of brilliant light illuminates the awed faces of the men at the table. Out of the otherwise gloomy scene, they are all directly witnessing the presence of Jesus Christ.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
<\/div> The Birth of Venus 1483-85 Detail 3<\/h6>Sandro Botticelli<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]1. Botticelli, The Birth of Venus (1483-85)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]For many art historians, Sandro Botticelli truly kick-started Italian Renaissance art. Commissioned by the Medici family, the now-iconic Birth of Venus <\/em><\/a>depicts the Roman goddess of love rising from the sea.<\/p>\nThe painting\u2019s sensory appeal underpins its continued popularity. Alongside Botticelli\u2019s Primavera<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>it remains one of the most recognizable images of all time.<\/p>\nExplaining the ground-breaking nature of the piece, mythological subjects on this scale were simply unprecedented in recent European history. What\u2019s more, direct female frontal nudity was long suppressed by church-controlled art. The woman\u2019s pose references the \u201cVenus Pudica\u201d form of Greek and Roman sculptures. Belying Botticelli\u2019s position as an Early Renaissance master, her slightly curved and flowing body harks back to earlier Gothic styles.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
2. Da Vinci, The Mona Lisa (1503-06)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s Mona Lisa<\/em><\/a> painting tops even Botticelli\u2019s Birth of Venus <\/em>for recognizability! It depicts the wife of a wealthy Italian merchant Francesco del Giocondo.<\/p>\nJust about every aspect of the painting is a source of academic debate. The dating is uncertain, but generally placed between 1503 and 1509. Equally, it\u2019s exact purpose (perhaps celebrating the recent birth of a boy) is unknown. The woman\u2019s smile is the ultimate enigmatic mystery, as is the misty landscape behind her.<\/p>\n
Whatever the exact inspiration of the painting, it displays Da Vinci\u2019s<\/a> complete mastery of painterly techniques. In it, he perfectly employs the new method of sfumato. Referring to the use of fine shading and blending, no artist has matched his excellence before or since.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Mona Lisa Portrait of Lisa Gherardini<\/h6>Leonardo da Vinci<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> The Creation of Adam 1510<\/h6>Michelangelo<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]3. Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam (1510)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Where would any discussion of Renaissance religious oil paintings be without Michelangelo\u2019s Creation of Adam? <\/em><\/a>Painted sometime between 1508 and 1512, it illustrates the creation story and the precise moment in the Book of Genesis when God animated Adam. God\u2019s outstretched arm breathes life into Adam, whilst the female figure protected behind him could reference Eve or the Virgin Mary.<\/p>\nLocated on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the Creation of Adam <\/em>is just one part of a much larger decorative scheme. Nonetheless, it is one of the most reproduced Renaissance religious oil paintings of all time. Michelangelo\u2019s<\/a> incredible knowledge of human anatomy is particularly evident throughout Adam\u2019s beautifully described body.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]4. Raphael, The Sistine Madonna (1512)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Raphael\u2019s<\/a> Sistine Madonna <\/em><\/a>is one of the most astounding Madonna and Child<\/em> paintings in the history of art. Commissioned by Pope Julius II, it was one of the last Madonna paintings ever captured by Raphael.<\/p>\nDescribed by Giorgio Vasari as a \u201crare and extraordinary\u201d Renaissance oil painting, the Virgin Mary floats upon clouds. Accompanied by Saint Barbara and Saint Sixtus, she holds the baby Jesus and gazes serenely out at the viewer. Despite these truly astounding and harmonious components, the most famous aspect of the painting today is the two cherubs or \u201cputti\u201d at the bottom of the canvas!<\/p>\n
Raphael remains particularly famed for his representation of the female form, also demonstrated in another Renaissance masterpiece The Graces <\/em>(1505).<\/a> It\u2019s thought to be the first time Raphael painted a female nude from both the front and rear perspective.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Sistine Madonna 1512<\/h6>Raphael<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] <\/div> <\/div> Venus of Urbino 1538<\/h6>Tiziano Vecellio (TITIAN)<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]5. Titian, The Venus of Urbino (1538)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Titian lived and worked right at the end of the High Renaissance period. Also known as Reclining Venus, <\/em>the Venus of Urbino <\/em><\/a>is one of his defining masterpieces.<\/p>\nDepicting a nude woman reclining amidst sumptuous fabrics and opulent surroundings, the painting scandalized contemporary Florentine society. Even today, it\u2019s still described as a prime example of \u201cundisguised hedonism\u201d. Directly engaging the viewer, the woman\u2019s hand rests provocatively between her legs.<\/p>\n
Despite her fame, we know relatively little of the woman\u2019s identity. The Venus <\/em>could have been a marriage portrait or a depiction of a local courtesan, but there is precious little scholarly agreement on the topic.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]6. Caravaggio, The Calling of St Matthew (c.1600)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Born in 1571, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio<\/a>, better known simply as Caravaggio isn\u2019t technically <\/em>a Renaissance artist. Despite this, no overview of Italian Renaissance art would be complete without at least mentioning his name. He took inspiration from the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Giorgione, taking their compositions to new heights of drama and naturalism.<\/p>\nCaravaggio\u2019s masterful employment of chiaroscuro and tenebrism is best evident in The Calling of St Matthew <\/em>(c.1600)<\/a>. It depicts the dramatic moment the tax collector was called to his life of religious devotion. The shocking shaft of brilliant light illuminates the awed faces of the men at the table. Out of the otherwise gloomy scene, they are all directly witnessing the presence of Jesus Christ.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
The painting\u2019s sensory appeal underpins its continued popularity. Alongside Botticelli\u2019s Primavera<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>it remains one of the most recognizable images of all time.<\/p>\n Explaining the ground-breaking nature of the piece, mythological subjects on this scale were simply unprecedented in recent European history. What\u2019s more, direct female frontal nudity was long suppressed by church-controlled art. The woman\u2019s pose references the \u201cVenus Pudica\u201d form of Greek and Roman sculptures. Belying Botticelli\u2019s position as an Early Renaissance master, her slightly curved and flowing body harks back to earlier Gothic styles.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] Just about every aspect of the painting is a source of academic debate. The dating is uncertain, but generally placed between 1503 and 1509. Equally, it\u2019s exact purpose (perhaps celebrating the recent birth of a boy) is unknown. The woman\u2019s smile is the ultimate enigmatic mystery, as is the misty landscape behind her.<\/p>\n Whatever the exact inspiration of the painting, it displays Da Vinci\u2019s<\/a> complete mastery of painterly techniques. In it, he perfectly employs the new method of sfumato. Referring to the use of fine shading and blending, no artist has matched his excellence before or since.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] Located on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the Creation of Adam <\/em>is just one part of a much larger decorative scheme. Nonetheless, it is one of the most reproduced Renaissance religious oil paintings of all time. Michelangelo\u2019s<\/a> incredible knowledge of human anatomy is particularly evident throughout Adam\u2019s beautifully described body.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] Described by Giorgio Vasari as a \u201crare and extraordinary\u201d Renaissance oil painting, the Virgin Mary floats upon clouds. Accompanied by Saint Barbara and Saint Sixtus, she holds the baby Jesus and gazes serenely out at the viewer. Despite these truly astounding and harmonious components, the most famous aspect of the painting today is the two cherubs or \u201cputti\u201d at the bottom of the canvas!<\/p>\n Raphael remains particularly famed for his representation of the female form, also demonstrated in another Renaissance masterpiece The Graces <\/em>(1505).<\/a> It\u2019s thought to be the first time Raphael painted a female nude from both the front and rear perspective.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] Depicting a nude woman reclining amidst sumptuous fabrics and opulent surroundings, the painting scandalized contemporary Florentine society. Even today, it\u2019s still described as a prime example of \u201cundisguised hedonism\u201d. Directly engaging the viewer, the woman\u2019s hand rests provocatively between her legs.<\/p>\n Despite her fame, we know relatively little of the woman\u2019s identity. The Venus <\/em>could have been a marriage portrait or a depiction of a local courtesan, but there is precious little scholarly agreement on the topic.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″] Caravaggio\u2019s masterful employment of chiaroscuro and tenebrism is best evident in The Calling of St Matthew <\/em>(c.1600)<\/a>. It depicts the dramatic moment the tax collector was called to his life of religious devotion. The shocking shaft of brilliant light illuminates the awed faces of the men at the table. Out of the otherwise gloomy scene, they are all directly witnessing the presence of Jesus Christ.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]2. Da Vinci, The Mona Lisa (1503-06)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s Mona Lisa<\/em><\/a> painting tops even Botticelli\u2019s Birth of Venus <\/em>for recognizability! It depicts the wife of a wealthy Italian merchant Francesco del Giocondo.<\/p>\n
<\/div> Mona Lisa Portrait of Lisa Gherardini<\/h6>Leonardo da Vinci<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
<\/div> The Creation of Adam 1510<\/h6>Michelangelo<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
3. Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam (1510)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Where would any discussion of Renaissance religious oil paintings be without Michelangelo\u2019s Creation of Adam? <\/em><\/a>Painted sometime between 1508 and 1512, it illustrates the creation story and the precise moment in the Book of Genesis when God animated Adam. God\u2019s outstretched arm breathes life into Adam, whilst the female figure protected behind him could reference Eve or the Virgin Mary.<\/p>\n
4. Raphael, The Sistine Madonna (1512)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Raphael\u2019s<\/a> Sistine Madonna <\/em><\/a>is one of the most astounding Madonna and Child<\/em> paintings in the history of art. Commissioned by Pope Julius II, it was one of the last Madonna paintings ever captured by Raphael.<\/p>\n
<\/div> Sistine Madonna 1512<\/h6>Raphael<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
<\/div> Venus of Urbino 1538<\/h6>Tiziano Vecellio (TITIAN)<\/span> <\/div> <\/figcaption> <\/figure><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]
5. Titian, The Venus of Urbino (1538)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Titian lived and worked right at the end of the High Renaissance period. Also known as Reclining Venus, <\/em>the Venus of Urbino <\/em><\/a>is one of his defining masterpieces.<\/p>\n
6. Caravaggio, The Calling of St Matthew (c.1600)<\/span><\/h3>[vc_column_text]Born in 1571, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio<\/a>, better known simply as Caravaggio isn\u2019t technically <\/em>a Renaissance artist. Despite this, no overview of Italian Renaissance art would be complete without at least mentioning his name. He took inspiration from the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Giorgione, taking their compositions to new heights of drama and naturalism.<\/p>\n
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