Early Renaissance - Baroque Art and Architecture

Birth of Masaccio

1401

The Florentine artist Masaccio is born. Masaccio is regarded as the first great Italian painter of the Early Renaissance.

Birth of Piero della Francesca

1416

The Italian painter Piero della Francesca is born. He was also known as a mathematician and geometer.

Florence Cathedral

1419

This church is dedicated to "Santa Maria del Fiore" and was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio. The structure was completed in 1436 by the architects Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi. The cathedral has stained glass windows and the internal walls are frescoed.

Brancacci Chapel

1426

This chapel holds some works of art such as "The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden" which depicts Adam and Eve being chased out of the garden by an angel and "The Tribute Money" in which Jesus and the Apostles are shown as neo-classical archetypes. These frescoes were painted by Masaccio and Masolino.

Death of Massacio

1428

The Early Renaissance artist Masaccio dies. According to a legend, he was poisoned by a jealous rival painter.

Birth of Andrea Mantenga and Giovanni Bellini

1431

Andrea Mantenga was a painter and engraver and his best-known piece of work is the "Room of the Bride and Groom". Giovanni Bellini was an Italian painter known for his sensuous and coloristic style. Giovanni created deep, rich tints, and detailed shadings through the use of clear, slow-drying oil paints.

The Arnolfini Portrait

1434

This portrait is an oil painting on oak panel and is believed to depict the Italian merchant Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife. It was painted by the Early Netherlandish painter Jan van Eyck.

Birth of Andrea Del Verrochio

1435

Andrea del Verrocchio is born in Florence, Italy. He was a sculptor and painter as well as the teacher of Leonardo da Vinci.

Brunelleschi Dies on April 15th

1446

Filippo Brunelleschi was an Italian architect and designer well known for designing the Florence Cathedral. Brunelleschi is recognized as the first modern engineer, planner, and sole construction supervisor.

Gates of Paradise

1452

A pair of bronze doors at the east entrance of the Baptistery of San Giovanni. Each door contains panels of scenes from the Old Testament. The panels on one door depict the stories of Adam & Eve, Cain & Able, Noah, Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, and the other depicts the stories of Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon. The "Gates of Paradise" was created by Lorenzo Ghiberti.

The Birth Of Venus

1485

The Birth Of Venus is a painting by the artist Sandro Botticelli. This painting is one of the most famous paintings in the world. The painting depicts the goddess Venus arriving at the shore after her birth. In the painting, the goddess Venus is standing nude in a giant scallop shell. The god Zephyr is at the left of her and the Hora of Spring is at her right.

Michelangelo Works in the Sistine Chapel

1508

Michelangelo created the most important artworks in the chapel. He painted the frescoes on the ceiling and west wall behind the altar. The frescoes on the ceiling are known as the "Sistine Ceiling" and were commissioned by Pope Julius II. Michelangelo painted these frescoes between 1508 and 1512. The frescoes depict scenes from the old testament. The fresco on the west wall is called the "Last Judgment" and was painted for Pope Paul III.

Portrait of Leo X

1518

Raphael painted a portrait of Leo X. Leo X was a pope and ruler of the Papal States up until 1521. The portrait is very realistic and depicts the Pope with cardinals on each side of him.

Death of Leonardo Da Vinci

1519

Da Vinci was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance that is considered to be one of the greatest painters of all time. One of his most famous works is the "Mona Lisa". The "Mona Lisa" is the most famous portrait ever made. He is also known for his notebooks that contained drawings of science and invention.

The Lives of the Artists

1550

The "Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects" is a book written by Giorgio Vasari. The book is considered to be the foundation of art-historical writing. Giorgio Vasari was an Italian painter, architect, writer, and historian. He was also the first person to use the term 'Renaissance" in print.