A Timeline of the Renaissance Era

  • Jan 1, 1300

    City States in Italy begin

    City States in Italy begin
    City States were small nations ruled by a city. Some of the best-known city states were Venice and Florence. These were crucial in the development of the Renaissance.
  • Period: Mar 9, 1350 to

    The Renaissance

    The Renaissance was a period of time after the Middle Ages. This period of time was a time of rebirth. Many cultures were lost because of the fall of the Roman empire, and they grew back because of the Renaissance.
  • Jan 1, 1401

    Lorenzo Ghilberti wins door contest.

    Lorenzo Ghilberti wins door contest.
    The wool manufacturers' guild wanted to make new doors for the Baptistry of the local church, so they that invited many artists in Florence to participe in a contest for the door design. 23 year old Lorenzo Ghilberti won this contest and spent the next 50 years working on the bronze doors.
  • Jan 1, 1425

    Masaccio is commissioned to decorate a chapel in Florence

    Masaccio is commissioned to decorate a chapel in Florence
    Masaccio changed paiting greatly with his new technique called persepctive. He was commissioned in 1425 to decorate the walls of a chapel in Florence and he used his technique in the painting "The Healing of the Cripple and the Resurrection of Tabitha".
  • Jan 1, 1434

    Cosimo de Medici won control of the government of Florence

    Cosimo de Medici won control of the government of Florence
    Cosimo de Medici was the richest man of his time. He made sure his city council members liked him and kept the lower classes happy with them. He beautified the city that he ruled.
  • Jan 1, 1440

    An Unknown Artist paints Saint Martin of Tours

    An Unknown Artist paints Saint Martin of Tours
    The painting displayed is of Saint Martin of Tours, a Bishop of the city of Tours, which is in Central France. The name of this artist is unknown, but it is known that he was from Franconia, a region on the southern Rhine River in Germany.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1490 to Jan 1, 1527

    The High Renaissance

    The High Renaissance was a time of extreme advancement in the arts. It began with Leonardo's painting, The Last Supper and ended with the sacking in Rome by the troups of Charles V.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1508 to Jan 1, 1512

    Michelango paints celing of Sistine Chapel

    Pope Julius II requested that Michelangelo should paint the celing of the Sistine chapel. And so he did. The 130 foot ceiling took Michelangelo 4 years to complete. It depicts many scenes from the Bible.
  • Jan 1, 1511

    The Parnassus is painted

    The Parnassus is painted
    The Parnassus, a work done by the legendary painter, Raphael, shows the mythological Mount Parnassus where Apollo resides. It is located in the Stanza Della Segnatura.
  • Jan 1, 1519

    The Mono LIsa is completed

    The Mono LIsa is completed
    This painting, by Leonardo Da Vinci is said to be the most famous painting in the world. It shows a woman seated beside the countryside. It is almost certain that this woman is Lisa Del Giocondo.
  • Jan 1, 1543

    Copernicus's book is printed

    Copernicus's book is printed
    Copernicus, an astronomer, was one of the few people that believed the earth was not the center of the universe and believed that it rotated around the sun. He wrote a book called "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies" but never wanted to publish it, in fear that people would make fun of him. However it was published right before his death by a German Proffesor.
  • Jan 1, 1565

    Vesalius condemned to death for live person autopsy

    Vesalius condemned to death for live person autopsy
    Andreas Vesalius, a Belgian Doctor, made important discoveries in Anatomy. He performed some of the first autopsies. In 1565, he performed an autopsy on a spanish aristocrat, but it turns out, the "corpse" was still alive. For that reason, Vesalius was sentenced to death.
  • Galileo makes a groundbreaking telescope

    Galileo makes a groundbreaking telescope
    Improving on a design of a Dutch inventor, Galileo made his own telescope he could use to observe the sky. He made many new discoveries with that telescope.
  • Powerful microscope invented

    Powerful microscope invented
    Anton van Leeuwenhoek, a lens grinder in the Netherlands, created a microscope that could see microorganisms,
  • Gabriel Farenheit proposes a temperature scale.

    Gabriel Farenheit proposes a temperature scale.
    The German Scientist, Gabriel Farenheit invented a thermometer to measure temperature. His scale is used in the United States now.