15th–16th centuryReputable sourceWell documented
The Renaissance
On the timeline · around 15th–16th century · Medieval & Renaissance
What happened
In Italy from the 1400s, artists revived the naturalism and ideals of classical antiquity and married them to new techniques — linear perspective, anatomy, and oil paint. Masters such as Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael produced works of unprecedented realism and harmony, and the artist rose from craftsman to celebrated genius.
Why it matters
The Renaissance transformed Western art, establishing ideals of perspective, proportion, and individual creativity that would dominate European painting and sculpture for centuries.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Renaissance Art · Reputable source
Related timelines
- The Renaissance → — The rebirth that reshaped art