Can we talk about the Renaissance?

The subject matter overwhelms me, the grandeur of the Renaissance painters terrifies me to the point of feeling overwhelmed. The topic is too lofty, almost divine, as well as extensive and noteworthy in every detail. Nevertheless, I will try to select only ten artists from the historical period of our interest, highly rich in other deserving painters, but also important sculptors and architects, whom I may reserve for another occasion to discuss. So, in response to the title question and after all these preambles, I think it is possible to talk about the Renaissance, despite the strong onset of a peculiar melancholy that prompts me with this question: what happened to all this ancient greatness of humanity? Setting aside sad discussions, I prepare to first introduce the concept of the Renaissance and then some masterpieces of the era that you probably already know...

The Renaissance in Brief

This introductory part is conceived only to introduce the artists who will be the protagonists of the top 10, as the Renaissance and its history certainly deserve a longer text to carefully explain all its peculiarities. When talking about the Renaissance, one simply needs to think of a flourishing period, a time of rebirth, which took place after the darkest centuries. In fact, the time frame in question, which began in 14th-century Florence and ended around the mid-16th century, marked the awakening of the arts, as well as science, mathematics, technological interests, philosophy, politics, and much more. At the core of these attitudes of valuing human intellect and ability was Humanism, a philosophical thought aimed at placing man and his work at the center of the universe, a context previously overshadowed by the dominant presence of the Catholic Church, permeated with a sense of sin and the overwhelming idea of the irreversibility of human destiny. Humanism was accompanied by a return to Classical Antiquity, that is, the tendency to seek and reinterpret Greek and Roman ideals, always ready to emulate beauty, harmony, symmetry, or perfect proportions in their art. In order to pursue these goals, the spirit of the time originated new technical innovations such as Naturalism, Contrapposto, Chiaroscuro, and Linear Perspective, which gave rise to fundamentally realistic figurative production. These trends underwent variations over time, as Renaissance art is categorized into different timelines or phases: the Proto-Renaissance, the Early Renaissance, the High Renaissance, as well as other regions outside of Italy, collectively referred to as the Northern Renaissance. Now, the top 10 begins, presented in chronological order: featuring the artists based on their birth dates!

The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, before and after restoration. Masaccio, Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, 1424.25. Affresco. Brancacci Chapel in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence.

1.Masaccio: Expulsion of the Progenitors from Eden (1424-25)

Here's how Giorgio Vasari describes Masaccio's art: "Things done before him [before Masaccio] can be called painted, and his, alive, true, and natural." After this praise, we can describe one of the most famous works of the painter born in 1401, which is the Expulsion of the Progenitors from Eden, a fresco in the Brancacci Chapel of the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence. In this artwork, Adam and Eve, who have partaken of the fruit of knowledge, have irreparably sinned by disobeying God. However, Masaccio depicts the moment when they are literally expelled from the Earthly Paradise, appearing naked, frightened, and unhappy, led out of the masonry threshold by a cherub wielding a sword. The Tuscan artist seems to have remained somewhat faithful to the biblical account, although there are some details that deviate from the words of Genesis. In fact, in the biblical story, the protagonists would be clothed, there are multiple angels, and there is no mention of the existence of a door that would signal the end of Paradise and the beginning of the mortal world.

Andrea Mantegna, The Lamentation over the Dead Christ, circa 1470-1474 or circa 1483. Tempera on canvas, 68 cm × 81 cm. Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan.

2.Andrea Mantegna: The Lamentation over the Dead Christ (circa 1470-1474 or circa 1483)

We have already arrived at Mantegna, a painter, engraver, and miniaturist from the Republic of Venice born in 1431, the author of the iconic Dead Christ, a masterpiece housed in the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan. Why is this lifeless Jesus so important? After all, the history of art is full of similar subjects... Actually, no, before Mantegna, no one had depicted this scene with such drama, giving life to a Son of God who is extraordinarily human, and in death, he actually takes on the characteristics of a cold body laid down from the cross. It's no longer just a representation of a deity awaiting resurrection because the lifeless body rests heavily on a slab of red marble, identifiable as the traditional Stone of Anointing used to prepare the body for burial. We viewers can also focus on the small details of the tempera, such as the nail wounds, perhaps also observed by the three grieving figures on the left of the panel, identifiable, despite Mantegna's wrinkles and harsh marks, as the figures of the Madonna, Saint John, and Mary Magdalene.

Perugino, The Marriage of the Virgin, 1500–1504. Oil on wood, 234 cm × 185 cm. Musée des Beaux-Arts, Caen.

3.Perugino: Marriage of the Virgin (1501-1504)

The Italian painter born in 1448 is known in various ways, such as Pietro di Cristoforo Vannucci, Pietro Perugino, and il Perugino, but also as the "divine painter." This last appellation immediately conveys the caliber of the artist we are talking about, who simultaneously ran two workshops, one in Florence and the other in Perugia, and received his training under Verrocchio, alongside Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci! The artist, considered one of the greatest exponents of Humanism, is the author of the famous Marriage of the Virgin, now housed at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Caen. Napoleon's spoliations in 1797 indeed brought the oil painting on wood to France, where it tells a joyous event from the Christian tradition, commemorating the marriage of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. In the artist's work, a temple serves as the backdrop to this episode, aiming to synthesize Renaissance ideals rather than faithfully referring to a classical model. The composition of the painting recalls the Perugino's earlier fresco, the Delivery of the Keys, in which a large octagonal central-plan building is placed at the end of a perspective checkerboard floor, designed to amplify the foreground scene while adhering to the geometric rationality ideal of the time, similarly employed by Raphael in his Marriage of the Virgin.

Ghirlandaio, Adoration of the Shepherds, 1485. Tempera on panel, 167×167 cm. Basilica of Santa Trinita, Sassetti Chapel, Florence.

4.Ghirlandaio: Adoration of the Shepherds (1485)

Domenico Bigordi, known as Ghirlandaio (1448- 1494), was a painter active mainly in Florence, the place where he was born and distinguished himself in that flourishing period ruled by the famous Lorenzo the Magnificent. His Adoration is definitely dated 1485. How can I tell? See for yourself one of the two Corinthian capitals placed in support of the roof of the hut under which the animals stand, which, as if they were human, seem to contemplate the Madonna and child before them. So, have you seen the year explicated in Roman numerals?Well, there are other things I can show you, for, in the square composition, executed in accordance with traditional iconography, we find several references to the ancient world, such as, in addition to the above-mentioned columns, the triumphal arch and the Roman sarcophagus used as a manger. In addition, the Latin inscription on the latter, intended to allude to the event of Christ's birth, is as accurate as the gesture Joseph makes to observe the farther procession, meticulousness that confirms the master's great attention to execution, probably also due to careful observation of the Flemish tradition.

Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, 1503-1505. Oil on poplar panel, 77 cm × 53 cm. Louvre, Paris.

5.Leonardo da Vinci: Mona Lisa (1503-1505)

Often, Dante in the Divine Comedy faints, he faints in difficult situations, where his body cannot withstand what his mind perceives. God, when I wrote Leonardo's name, I felt a bit like that, as the master born in 1452 is considered one of the greatest geniuses of humanity, perfectly capable of fully embodying the spirit of his time, aimed at achieving the highest expressions of man in the realms of art and knowledge. His most famous painting, and indeed the most famous painting in the world, is the Mona Lisa, a masterpiece that also attracted the interest of Sigmund Freud. Freud, rather than believing that the woman depicted was Lisa Gherardini, argued that the master had immortalized his mother, a figure who had prematurely departed from his life. In fact, the painter, an illegitimate child of a notary and a servant, spent his early years with his mother Caterina, before going to live with his father and his new, young wife. Additionally, the artist's mother died when he was only five years old, a fact that, according to the psychoanalyst, had a lasting impact on Leonardo's personality development. This hypothesis is potentially supported by the landscape behind the protagonist of the masterpiece, which seems to allude to Leonardo's childhood surroundings, near the Arno River.

Michelangelo, Creation of Adam, around 1511. Fresco, 280 cm × 570 cm. Sistine Chapel ceiling.

6.Michelangelo: Creation of Adam (around 1511)

Here he is, Michelangelo! A personality as brilliant as it was restless, nicknamed the Divine Artist and recognized as one of the greatest masters of all time even by his contemporaries, Michelangelo Buonarroti, painter, sculptor, architect, and poet, was born in Caprese (Arezzo, Tuscany) on March 6, 1475. The work that will showcase his immortal talent is the Creation of Adam, a fresco in the Sistine Chapel, one of the most famous and iconic works in the history of art. It takes shape in the depiction of God suspended within a halo carried by angels, His hand about to meet that of Adam, who lies on the left, appearing on a meadow. What is the meaning of what we see? The background, which does not depict details, immerses us in the context of the creation of Adam, and therefore humanity, specifically referring to the moment when God the Father reaches out His arm to physically touch the young man, transmitting the spark of life to him. At this point, I conclude with an interesting tidbit: a similar gesture to the one illustrated above can be found in Sandro Botticelli's Annunciation at Cestello, where the Archangel Gabriel reaches out his hand toward the Virgin, creating dramatic and theatrical movements, built around the diagonal created by the arms of the two protagonists.

Titian, Venus of Urbino, 1538. Oil on canvas, 119 cm × 165 cm. Uffizi, Florence.

7.Titian: Venus of Urbino (1538)

In this top ten, every artist is a heartwrenching experience for me, too much greatness in a single article. But before fainting again, can I talk about Titian? Yes, Tiziano Vecellio, known simply as Titian, was an Italian painter born in 1488, a prominent figure of the Venetian school, whose stylistic elements are partly summarized by the famous masterpiece, the Venus of Urbino. The oil on canvas, despite its perfectly balanced composition, maintains the naturalness of the figures, focusing particularly on the protagonist, a nude Venus reclining on a white sheet, holding her bust with her right hand and supporting her arm on two pillows. The woman gazes directly at the observer, while with her left hand, she covers her pubic area, and with her right hand, she holds some roses, some of which have fallen onto the red bed. In the Renaissance-style room, in addition to the small dog near the goddess, two maids can be seen in the background retrieving clothing from a chest. However, the masterpiece can be understood simply by referring to its patron, Guidobaldo, who intended to use the painting as a reminder and a model of married life to dedicate to his wife, Giulia da Varano. In fact, some elements of the canvas speak clearly in this regard: the roses symbolize beauty, which, unlike eternal fidelity symbolized by the dog, fades with the passage of time. Therefore, rather than physical prowess, during a long love story, it will be respectful attitude that is favored to always support the spouses...

Piero della Francesca, Baptism of Christ, 1445. Tempera on panel, 167 cm × 116 cm. National Gallery, London.

8.Piero della Francesca: Baptism of Christ (1445)

At the center of the composition, we find Jesus, while on the right, John the Baptist takes his position; they are the main figures of this masterpiece, surrounded by angels and a more distant male figure, who appears in front of a group of Greek priests. The scene of the baptism, which finds concrete space above the head of the Son of God, at the hands of John, has been skillfully studied, even though it may seem somewhat random. The artist, in fact, adhered to precise mathematical rules, aimed at giving the painting a sense of calm and serenity, primarily due to a peculiar geometric construction, which Piero also described in the treatise "De quinque corporibus regularibus." All of this study becomes apparent when we break down the composition, attempting to find within it the figure of a square, whose shape extends from the base of the support to just above the dove. Subsequently, a semicircle could be placed in the top part of the work, which, if divided in half, will reveal Jesus as the undisputed central figure, along with the hand of John and the aforementioned animal. How does all of this interpretatively read into what has been described so far? Even in this case, behind a simple message, there is a more complex and symbolic one hidden, ready to reveal itself in the various elements represented, such as, for example: the lush tree, the withered bush, the dove, and the angels. The first refers to the richness of the lives of the faithful, the second to the poverty of the unbaptized, the third to the Holy Spirit, and the last to the Trinity... As for the artist, Piero di Benedetto de' Franceschi, commonly known as Piero della Francesca, born in Sansepolcro in 1412, was an Italian painter and mathematician, certainly one of the most emblematic figures of the Italian Renaissance, belonging to the second generation of painter-humanists.

Raphael, The School of Athens, 1510. Fresco, 500 cm × 770 cm. Apostolic Palace, Vatican City.

9.Raphael: The School of Athens (1510)

Considered one of the greatest artists of all time, Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520), a painter and architect, is the creator of one of the most well-known works in the history of art: The School of Athens, a fresco in a lunette in the Room of the Segnatura at the Vatican Palaces (Vatican City). The masterpiece depicts a classical building with a floor decorated with regular squares, ready to accommodate a staircase, where various ancient architectural elements are placed. The whole has been conceived as a superb stage set, with, in addition to the blue sky in the background, characters of note, scientists, and intellectuals who were contemporaries of the master, as well as belonging to the classical world. In the center of the fresco, in fact, the figures of Plato and Aristotle are positioned, ready to make the meaning of the entire composition clear: to celebrate Roman civilization and the papacy as its heir to ancient greatness. In particular, according to the program of Pope Julius II, the Room of the Segnatura was meant to represent philosophy, embodying the values of the good, the true, and the beautiful, the only paths through which man can reach God.

Botticelli, The Birth of Venus, 1476-1487. Tempera on canvas. 172.5 cm × 278.9 cm (67.9 in × 109.6 in). Uffizi, Florence.

10.Botticelli: The Birth of Venus (1476-1487)

We conclude this non-exhaustive account with the tenth position, firmly taken by Botticelli, who did not want and could not be excluded. Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, known by his artistic name Sandro Botticelli, born in March 1445 in Florence, was a Renaissance painter, mainly celebrated for his Birth of Venus, a tempera on canvas admired at the Uffizi Gallery (Florence). The work, the tenth in a ranking that goes only in order of the masters' seniority, features at its center the figure of the goddess standing on a seashell, ready to head toward the shores of Cyprus, where one of the Hours, or one of the Graces, awaits her, offering an embroidered robe. All of this is made possible by the wind, personified by Zephyr, whose breath, coming from the left, allows Venus to move, while he himself enjoys the embrace of the nymph Chloris. The painting was created to illustrate Ovid's account in the Metamorphoses, although it contradicts its own title because, rather than depicting the birth of the goddess, it represents her journey. Why then refer to the Metamorphoses? The Birth of Venus, as well as Botticelli's Primavera, were conceived within the Florentine Neoplatonic culture, embraced by many intellectuals, promoting the view of love as a vital principle full of the power of renewal in nature.