8 Renaissance Painters Worth Knowing
The art that the Renaissance painters bequeathed to humanity is worthy of admiration at some point in our lives. Many of the great works are exhibited in museums in Spain, Italy, France, England and Germany, and their presence is so overwhelming that the experience of seeing them in person does not compare to a simple online search.
Who are the most important Renaissance painters?
In the list that we are going to comment on, most of the artists belong to the Italian Renaissance, given the importance of the movement in that country. On the other hand, it is very interesting to see the turns of history: how artists of different nationalities ended up being considered the main exponents of painting from the countries to which they emigrated.
1. Leonardo Da Vinci
We begin with the greatest, Leonardo da Vinci, prototype of the Renaissance man. Born in the city of Vinci (Italy) in 1452, he trained in Florence and developed as an artist in Milan and Rome.
The technique of his paintings was something that always occupied his thoughts, as Da Vinci was a perfectionist and a man completely dedicated to his creations. La Gioconda (Louvre Museum), The Last Supper (Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan) and Adoration of the Magi (Uffizi Gallery in Florence) are some of his most important works.
2. Michelangelo Buonarotti
His artistic life developed between the Italian capital and Florence. He handled the “chiaroscuro” very well and his paintings are known for their naked, heroic and noble figures.
In addition to making all the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, Michelangelo also designed the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. As for sculptures, the Pieta and David are also his works.
3. Rafael Sanzio
His “madonnas” are truly moving, and his works of incomparable quality. Such was his prestige that Pope Julius II commissioned him to paint the Vatican apartments in 1508.
His works include La disputa del Sacramento , La Escuela de Atenas and El Parnaso. All of them are located in the Raphael Rooms, a special room for the artist in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican.
4. Tiziano Vecellio
Born in Venice, he is the most important Renaissance painter in that city. One of his “protectors” was the Duke of Ferrara, for whom he made many paintings. Titian’s themes are religious and mythological and his paintings are very colorful. He also dedicated himself to painting portraits of great personalities.
Among his best known works, we can highlight Venus and Adonis (Prado Museum), The Martyrdom of San Lorenzo (El Escorial Monastery) and Diana and Calixto (Scottish National Gallery).
5. Sandro Boticcelli
This is one of the Renaissance painters best known for his elegant and sophisticated works. At first he made religious paintings, but later it was derived in more complex themes with Neoplatonic influence, due to his relationship with the Medici.
Among his most outstanding works are The Birth of Venus , The Adoration of the Magi and La Primavera. All of them are exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
6. Il Correggio
His real name was Antonio Allegri and he was an Italian artist dedicated to reflecting light in his paintings. Although he was influenced by Leonardo da Vinci, his paintings are more luminous, the contours of the objects are more enhanced and the chromaticism is very present.
His main works include The Adoration of the Shepherds (Dresden Old Masters Painting Gallery in Germany), Madonna with the Child and Noli me tangere (Prado Museum) and The Assumption of the Virgin (Parma Cathedral in Italy) .
7. El Greco
Although he is known as “El Greco”, his name was Doménikos Theotokópoulos. Although he was born in Crete, Greece, he is considered the main exponent of Spanish Renaissance painting, given that he lived in Toledo for many years, until the day of his death.
His paintings include exaggerated figures and cold colors; being the most important: The burial of the Count of Orgaz (Church of Santo Tomé de Toledo), The plunder (Cathedral of Santa María de Toledo), Laocoon and The expulsion of the merchants (both in the National Gallery of Art of Washington) .
8. Juan de Juanes
Born in Valencia, his real name was Vicente Juan Macip and his father, Vicente Macip, was also an artist. There are even works that it is not known to which of the two artists they belong. He dedicated himself to religious iconography and his legacy continued with his son, Vicente Joanes.
Among the most important works of one of the most prominent painters of the Spanish Renaissance are: The Last Supper (Prado Museum in Madrid), Portrait of Alfonso V of Aragón (Zaragoza Museum) and the Vera Effigies (Chapter House of the Cathedral of Valencia).
