The Renaissance period is one of the jewels of art. This is the time of the biggest masters - Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarotti, and Titan. Without these people, the art world would be much different today. However, they have enriched not only the artistic societies but the entire world as well. The Renaissance is a very long period. It lasts more than three centuries - from the late 1200s to the 1600s.

One of the interesting things about the Renaissance is that it is widely associated with Christian art influenced by the Catholic Church. One such example includes Raphael's The Betrothal of the Virgin (1504). It is oil on round headed panel. This painting was ordered by a church, and it presents the marriage ceremony of Mary and Joseph (a modern interpretation).

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Provence Afternoon.Cityscape Art.Acrylic Painting on Canvas.

"Provence Afternoon"
16"x20", 1½" deep
40cm x 50cm
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Dusk Burano.Cityscape Art.Acrylic Painting on Canvas.

"Dusk" Burano
16"x20", 1½" deep
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Acrylic on Canvas
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"Blue Daisies"
16" x 20", 3/4" deep
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Acrylic on Canvas
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"Street of Venice II"
16" x 20", 1½"deep
40cm x 50cm
Acrylic on Canvas
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The Brick House with Rose Bushes by Veny

"The Brick House with Rose Bushes"
16" x 20", 1½"deep
40cm x 50cm
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"Grape"
8"x 10", 3/4" deep
20cm x25 cm
Acrylic on Canvas
$59.00

Cityscape Paintings

Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper is also a good example of the religious influence. This is a unique painting because Leonardo used the tempera paints to complete it. Of course, as with many of Leonardo's work there are a lot theories and rumors. One such rumor is that the artist used the same sitter for Jesus and Judas. Many da Vinci theories have been thoroughly discussed in the fiction novels The Templar Revelation (1997) and The Da Vinci Code (2003).

Raphael is a brilliant Renaissance painter because he could use all the innovations that Leonardo and Michelangelo had discovered before him. The Catholic influence can be seen in his The Sistine Madonna, which is oil on canvas. Today, the two cupids (cherubims) located at the bottom of the painting have become very popular.

Landscape Paintings

Since churches at that time were rich, they could afford hiring the best artists to work for them. It was considered a great honor to paint a chapel. Sometimes rich people would order a family portrait as well. During the later years of the period, artists began to paint bust portraits instead of full body ones.

Another source for Renaissance inspiration was the writings of Dante Alighieri. Many artists got inspired and started painting. They were all interested in understanding human anatomy better and being able to correctly portray nature. Putting things in perspective was important as well. The Renaissance developed lighting effects and proper use of shadows.

Marine Paintings

Although the Renaissance period spread throughout Europe, Italian painting Renaissance is one of the most popular. Galileo is also part of the science Renaissance period. In 1632 Galileo was put on trial for the heretic claim that the "earth circles the sun."

The Renaissance period is a symbol of a cultural awakening, creation, learning, and growth. Some of the greatest masterpieces were painted during that period. Great painters experimented with sketching human anatomy, landscapes, and putting everything into proportion with the right lighting and shading. Many fields prospered during the Renaissance, including medicine and science. However, no one admires that period's medicine, and the other fields are under appreciated as well. On the other hand, Leonardo's Mona Lisa is one of the most valuable pieces of art today.