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Period: 1400 to
The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a period in European history (1400-1600) that followed the Middle Ages. It is characterized by an interest in classical values, such as Greek and Roman scholarship. With failures of the Roman Catholic Church, humanism emerged. During the Renaissance, there was exploration of the world and the discovery of new continents, astronomical research, the use of paper, printing, and gunpowder. Famous artists and thinkers include Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Leonardo Bruni. -
1420
Florence Cathedral Dome: by Brunelleschi
The dome of the cathedral in Florence, Italy is a masterpiece of art and a symbol of the Renaissance. Filippo Brunelleschi built the dome between 1420 and 1436, defying previous architectural challenges. The octagon dome is impressive due to not needing any reinforcements to hold up a cupola of its size. Its interior is decorated by frescoes of the Last Judgment. Artists that contributed include Lorenzo Ghiberti, Donatello, Andrea del Castagno, and Paolo Uccello. -
1498
Pieta,by Michelangelo Buonarroti
Michelangelo's Pieta is a work of Renaissance sculpture. It is perhaps the best-known religious sculpture in the world. Created when Michelangelo was 24 years old, it is one of the artist's most famous pieces and one of the few he completed. It, today protected with unbreakable glass, can be seen in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The statue was commissioned by the French cardinal Jean de Bilhères, who was a representative in Rome, and was made for the cardinal's funerary monument. -
1509
The School of Athens, by Raphael Sanzio
The School of Athens is a fresco painted by Raphael Sanzio. The painting is in the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican Palace, Rome, Italy. It is Raphael’s most famous painting and one of the most important artworks of the Renaissance. At the center of the picture are Plato and Aristotle. Pythagoras is also there, sketching geometry. Heraclitus (writing on a block of marble) and Raphael (in a black beret) are also pictured. The painting represents Greek and Christian thinking. -
Period: 1520 to 1521
The revolt of the Comuneros in Castilla
The armed uprising of the commoners,led by Toledo and Valladolid, originated in Castilian cities in response to the political instability of the Crown of Castile,16th century.The arrival of Charles I in 1517 generated misgivings among local elites,concerned about their status in the face of the influence of nobles.Tax demands exacerbated the situation, resulting in urban revolts.In 1521,the community leaders were beheaded and the rebellion was extinguished, although Toledo resisted until 1522. -
Period: 1568 to 1571
The rebellion of the Alpujarras
The second rebellion of the Alpujarras from 1568-1571 was the second revolt of the Moriscos, Catholic descendents of the Mudéjares (Muslims under Castilian rule) against the Castilian Crown. After 1250, Granada was the only Emirate left, and then in 1491, Granda fell to the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castille and Ferdinand II of Aragon.The Muslim inhabitants of Granada soon violently revolted, and as a result, most of the Morisco population were then expelled from the Kingdom of Granada. -
Period: 1568 to
The Eighty Years War
The Eighty Years´ War, also called the War of Netherlands independence from Spain, led to the separation of northern and southern Netherlands and the formation of the Dutch Republic. It was a decisive aspect of Dutch history. Before that, the provinces of the Netherlands were part of the empire of Emperor Charles V. The Dutch strongly opposed the policies of Charles V and his sons´, Phillip II, and as a result, Dutch nobles drew up petitions and began a revolt. -
The defeat of the spanish armada by England
The Spanish Armada was part of a planned invasion of England by King Philip II of Spain. It was made up of approximately 150 ships and 18,000 men. At the time, it was the largest fleet ever seen in Europe. On August 8 1588, fighting culminated in the Battle of Gravelines, the English Navy decisively defeated the Armada. What remained of the badly damaged Spanish fleet returned to Spain sailing through the North Sea, around the British Isles and into the Atlantic. -
Period: to
Baroque Art
It is an artistic movement that reacted to the mannerism that dominated the late Italian Renaissance. It was produced by the Catholic Church that sought to return to the tradition and spirituality that the Church promoted with the Counter-Reformation. The church decided that the arts should communicate religious themes in response to the Protestant Reformation.The richness and theatricality with dramatic effects, to stimulate piety and devotion and convey the impression of divine splendor. -
Apollo and Daphne, by Bernini
Apollo and Daphne is a marble sculpture completed in the Baroque style made by Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini between 1622-1625. It is currently in the Borghese Gallery in Rome. The sculpture shows the history of Apollo and Daphne. Apollo is clothed with Cupid’s love arrow and sees Daphne, and becomes amazed by her beauty. Daphne is doomed to deny the love of men and runs away, however, Apollo continuously pursues her. Exhausted, she prays to no longer be beautiful and turns into a tree. -
Saint Peter’s square project by Bernini
This monument space is surrounded by 284 Doric columns four rows deep.It was designed during the pontificates of Alexander VII and Clement IX.Every Sunday at noon,people gather to pray to the Angelus and receive the Pope's blessing from their window.A red porphyry stone on the northwest side of the plaza marks the spot where Pope John Paul II was shot. In the center of St.Peter's Square there is the obelisk, which was brought to Rome from Heliopolis to Egypt in 1585 and had a fascinating story. -
The Spinners, by Velázquez
The Spinners is one of Velázquez’s most famous paintings. The painting portrays the mythological story of the weaving contest between the goddess Athena, the deity of weavers, and the mortal woman Arachne, who produced some of the best textiles in the ancient world. In order to teach her a lesson, Athena visited Arachne as a peasant and they had a weaving contest. Athena ended up turning Arachne into a spider, and from here came the origin story of spiders weaving webs. -
Period: to
Neoclassical Art
Neoclassical art was a widespread painting movement that began in the 1760s and lasted until the 1850s. It depicts classical themes, using aesthetic attitudes, replicating Roman and Greek ancient art. It evokes harmony, simplicity, clarity, universality, and idealism. Neoclassicism arose after the gaudy Rococo style in art from the 1720s and due to new architectural discoveries and excavations of the buried Roman cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii. -
Oath of the Horatii,by Jacques-Louis David
This painting depicts a scene from a Roman legend about a dispute between two warring cities, Rome and Alba Longa, and emphasizes the importance of patriotism and self-sacrifice for the country. They agreed to choose three men from each city. From Rome, three brothers from a Roman family, the Horatii, agreed to end the war by fighting against three brothers from a family from Alba Longa, the Curiatii. In the painting we witness the Horatii taking an oath to defend Rome. -
Carlos IV of Spain and his Family, by Francisco de Goya
The portrait painting of the family of King Carlos IV was painted in Madrid by Goya. It shows the artist 's mastery at individualizing the characters. In the center there is King Carlos IV and the Queen María Luisa de Parma. Beside them are their children, Francisco de Paula, María Isabel, the Prince of Asturias, Fernando VII, and Carlos María de Isidro. There is also María Josefa, the king's sister, and Antonio Pascual, the king's brother.