The Renaissance was a cultural movement and time period in the history of Europe, comprising the transitional period between the end of the Middle Ages and
the start of the Modern Age. The Renaissance is usually considered to have begun in the 14th century in Italy and the 16th century in northern Europe. It is
also known as "Rinascimento" (in Italian).
Renaissance painting is known for its use of perspective, realism, and movement away from religious themes, which were omnipresent in medieval art. The human
body and natural landscapes became the centre of attention.
Alessandro Botticelli, Primavera, 1482, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy.
Piero della Francesca is noted for painting from an aerial perspective. Masaccios figures have a plasticity unknown up to that point in time. Compared to the flatness of
gothic painting, his pictures were revolutionary. Less well known names from the Early Renaissance period include Paolo Uccello, Domenico
Ghirlandaio and Sandro Botticelli.
The most "refined" works were produced in what is called the Renaissance Classicism. The most famous painters from this time period are Leonardo da Vinci,
Raphael, and Michelangelo Buonarroti. Their images are among the most widely known works of art in the world. The Last Supper, the Scuola di Atena and the
Holy Family all feature a perspective, lively and natural presentation of people and landscapes.
Renaissance painting evolved into Mannerism around the mid 16th century. Mannerism depicts mostly landscapes and portraits, with few religious themes. Figures
become more elongated and their movements appear artificial.
As Renaissance art techniques moved to Northern Europe they were changed and adapted to local circumstances. Notable painters of the period include Albrecht
Dürer, Pieter Bruegel, Hans Holbein, Robert Campin, Jan van Eyck, and Rogier van der Weyden. Paintings by these artists retain a Gothic influence; this is
perhaps most evident in the works of Hieronymus Bosch. Northern art was more concerned with Christianity than Classical mythology, in part a reflection of the
turmoil of the Protestant Reformation.
An major difference between the Northern and Italian Renaissances was that of language. While Italy's humanists turned to the past and the Latin and Greek
languages, the Northerners began to write in the vernacular creating literature that was widely accessible. The greater use and respectability of the
vernacular languages played an important role in the formation of the new nation states that were largely defined by language.
