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Jan 1, 1501
Michelangelo’s David
Michelangelo’s David is another example of Late Renaissance fine art. The statue once again draws from Greco/Roman sculpting and classic texts (once again the Bible and particularly the Book of Genesis) and is an example of the era’s ability to recreate the human form. The work was originally intended to adorn Florence’s cathedral (the Duomo). It was later determined to be too heavy of a piece for a structure with weaknesses and has been a stand-alone statue since. -
Jan 1, 1506
St. Peter's Basilica
Late Renaissance architects had mastered the ancient rules of architecture such as the right proportions of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns. They had studied classical writers like Vitruvius, who reported the conventions of the Greek and Roman architects. These studies allowed them to design buildings of proportional beauty with spacious interiors and perfect symmetry. Bramante’s remodel of St. Peter’s is a great example. -
Jan 1, 1508
The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo
The Creation of Adam, on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, has long been considered a masterpiece of the form and a treasure of humanity. The Creation of Adam was the fourth of the panels painted in the chapel representing scenes from the Book of Genesis. The work is a great example of Late Renaissance art in its use of detail, intense colorations, and classical examples. This panel depicts god giving life to Adam, and Michelangelo's work with the human anatomy and sculpture are evident. -
Jan 1, 1509
School of Athens by Raphael
Raphael’s School of Athens is often thought to represent classical harmony. It is a representation of the various thinkers and accomplishments of ancient Greece and its focal point is in the center where Plato and Aristotle are walking together. Euclid, Diogenes and Pythagoras are all scattered about the painting (among others) and the painting finds perfect depth in the space used to show the individuals. -
Jan 1, 1512
Sistine Madonna by Raphael
Probably the second most popular work of Rapael (except in Germany where it holds higher status) is the Sistine Madonna. Raphael painted multiple Madonna's but this is the most popular in the Western World and is especially known for the two cherubs at the bottom of the painting. The two cherubs have a popularity of their own. The painting itself is an obvious Renaissance work with its biblical images, detail and classical references about in space. -
Jan 1, 1516
Utopia by Thomas More
Clergyman Thomas More releases Utopia, a literary work designed to serve an artistic, philisophical and social service. The work describes a man's travel to a place called Utopia in which life and government coexist in a perfect context. The books title became a term defined as "the perfect society" which is still in use today, as are the discussions and debates that arose from it. -
Nov 24, 1517
Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci
Probably the most recognizable peice of artwork in the Western world, the Mona Lisa is the epitome of Renassciance art. Da Vinci's painting still stirs debate today as art aficionado's discuss the landscape in the background and the individual that Mona Lisa is meant to represent. -
Jan 1, 1524
Blue and White Porcelin Ming Pottery
The Ming Dynasty of China is known for their pottery, and porcelin wears, particularly the blue and white were still adapting and being produced in the 16th century. This was foodware created under a glaze of blue pigment with handrawn scenes. The scenes were typically landscapes or dragons, but modern discoveries have uncovered a variety of topics. As sea exploration improves, more of these peices are being found regularly, further expanding our knowledge. -
Jan 1, 1529
The Battle of Alexander at Issus by Albrecht Altdorfer
German painter Albrecht Altdorfer was traditionally a lanscape painter, but The Battle at Issus is an epic painting of one of Alexander the Great's most famous battles. Altdorfer uses the battle as a biblical metaphor, further cementing its relationship with the Italian Renaissance while achieving artistic sainthood for his native Germany. Great works such as this are often overlooked in the time period because they were removed from the Italian scene. -
Jan 1, 1542
Crowning with Thorns by Titian
Titian displayed another commonality found in late Renaissance paintings, that of fading the edges. This gives the feeling of a specific moment in time as well as the metaphysical involvement. Titian focused on biblical reproductions as earlier artists had. -
Jan 1, 1547
Saint John the Evangelist on Patmos by Titian
Titian has been widely regarded since the Italian Renassiance as one of the most popular painters of biblical images. Sadly, he is often overlooked for others with bigger names based on the period he was born but Titian logged some amazing works including Saint John the Evangelist. The work was originally part of a ceiling series that including cherubs and other Renassiance commonalities but the work itself focuses on St. John's vision of the second coming on the island of Patmos. -
Jan 1, 1548
Mass for Four Voices by William Byrd
William Byrd was the pinnicle of the Elizibethian Golden Age of Christian Music. The times were known for secular music and Byrd was known as the Father of British Composers in the era, particularly for his secular work such as Mass for Four Voices and the Tallis Scholars. These works are representitive of the artistic culture of the area and the era. -
Jan 1, 1563
The Wedding at Cana by Paolo Varonese
The Wedding at Cana is a massive painting (262 in. x 390 in,) representing the wedding in which Jesus turned water to wine in the christian New Testament. The painting is probably the most famous of the Mannerist paintings of the era and may have the most detail and use of space which is an attribute credited to many works of the period. -
Jan 1, 1566
Villa Rotunda by Andrea Palladio
Villa Rotunda is the best example of the artistic architecture of the era and Palladio. Palladio created this work but also built villas, palaces and churches by combining Greco-Roman styles with modern styles and his interpretation of nature. Modern villas are a not so distant representation of his work. Below is a 3D model: http://http://www.greatbuildings.com/models/Villa_Capra_mod.html -
Taming of the Shrew by Wililam Shakespeare
Shakespeare was able to easily pass between history, comedy and tragedy despite their vast differences in voice. The Taming of the Shrew is of the most popular of comedies and presents a great deal of information about the era's cultural practices while also presenting a comedic play of epic proportions. The play isn't socially as socially acceptable today, but the content remains comedic almost 500 years later. -
The Fairie Queen by Edmund Spenser
The Fairie Queen was the epic of its era and the metaphor of the work as a whole has been discussed and debated since. It is a grand epic poem that created its own unique form of verse, forever after referred to as Spenserian Stanza. Spenser and The Fairie Queen were forever famous after the work was released to grand praise by the day's monarch Elizibeth I. -
The Tears of St. Peter by Orlande De Lasso
Orlande Di Lasso was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance. He is considered the representative of the polyphonic style of the Franco-Flemish school, and one of the most famous and influential musicians in Europe in the 16th century. Lasso focused on works of the voice and his music was used mostly in plays and by Shakespeare. His last work, the Tears of St. Peter, was composed of twenty-one madrigals, and remains his most famous work. This work represents the era and region in music. -
Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe
Christopher Marlowe was one of the most promising poets and playwrights of his era before dying at an early age. Some have claimed he is the actual author of the Shakespearian plays based on his talent but there is little evidence. Marlowe was the first to publish the Faust story and it was first on stage in 1592. This is another example of classical resurgence in the era and the importance of art and culture. -
Ceiling Fresco at Palazzo Farneseby Carracci
Annabelle Carrachi came from a family of painters and art educators, but he was by far the most famous and the Ceiling Fresco at Palazzo Farneseby is his greatest work. As can be seen from the ceiling, Carrachi embodied the Renaissance spirit in his mythological themes combined with modern color and extreme attention to detail. However, he moved away from the mannerist style of his contemporaries and returned to a more natural approach. These details can all be seen in this magnificent work. -
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare of Stratford-on-Avon made his name during the late Renassciance with a variety of works ranging from comedies, to histories, to tragedies. The best known, and some would say most loved, is Romeo and Juliet. The stage play matches amazing literary skill with classical references and keen insights on the human experience. -
Dafne and Euridice Operas by Jacopo Peri
Jacopo Peri was an Italian composer and singer in the late 16th century and he is cited as creating the first ever opera (Dafne) and the first ever opera to survive to modern times (Euridice). Very little survives of Dafne, and it would barely reselmbe modern opera if it did, but it is extremely significant considering it is the first of the form. Euridice survives intact and like many works of the era is based on classical writings of Ovid's Metamorphasis. -
Henry Tetraology by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare left his mark on history productions as well, forming the most successful plays during his lifetime. The plays were not always historically accurate, some would say they seldom were in fact, but the literary skill involved along with the ability to delve into the humanity of his subjects has made these plays classics since their creation. The King Henry tetraology is his most famous history series.
