Art Movement: High Renaissance

  • 20 High Renaissance Artists You Should Know About

    The High Renaissance period, a golden epoch in the history of art, represents the pinnacle of artistic development in Italian history. This era, spanning from the late 15th to the early 16th century, witnessed an impressive number of creative giants. The likes of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Titian took art to new, previously…

  • Fra Angelico Biography

    Early Life Fra Angelico, originally named Guido di Pietro, was born around 1400 in the vicinity of Mugello, near Florence, Italy. He grew up in a time that was characterized by intense unrest and change, both political and religious. The son of a peasant family, young Guido worked as an apprentice to a local artist…

  • Lorenzo Ghiberti Biography

    Early Life Lorenzo Ghiberti was born in the year 1378 in Pelago, Italy. He was the son of a goldsmith and artist, Cione Ghiberti. Despite being the son of Cione, he was raised by Bartoluccio di Michele, his stepfather, who was also a goldsmith and gave Lorenzo his early training. Education Ghiberti’s education was primarily…

  • Leonardo da Vinci Biography

    Early Life Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452, in the small Tuscan town of Vinci, near Florence. He was the son of a wealthy Florentine notary, Piero Fruosino di Antonio da Vinci, and a peasant girl, Caterina di Meo Lippi. Being an illegitimate child, Leonardo was raised by his paternal grandfather. Education…

  • Masaccio Biography

    Early Life Masaccio, originally named Tommaso di Ser Giovanni di Simone, was born on 21st of December in 1401, in the small town of Castel San Giovanni di Altura (today’s San Giovanni Valdarno) in Italy. His father was a notary, and he passed away when Masaccio was only five. His mother then remarried, and the…

  • Michelangelo Biography

    Early Life Michelangelo, fully known as Michelangelo Buonarroti, was born on March 6, 1475, in a small village of Caprese located near Arezzo, in Italy. He was the second son in a family governed by Ludovico di Leonardo Buonarroti Simoni, a weak mayor of Caprese, and Francesca di Neri, who died six years after Michelangelo’s…

  • Paolo Uccello Biography

    ## Early Life Paolo Uccello, whose real name was Paolo di Dono, was born in 1397 in Pratovecchio, near Florence, Italy. He was the son of a butcher, Antonio di Giovanni di Domenico, and his wife Mona Antonia. Paolo earned his nickname, Uccello (Italian for “bird”), because of his love for painting these creatures. ##…

  • Raphael Biography

    Early Life Raphael, whose full name is Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, was born on April 6 or March 28, 1483, in Urbino, Duchy of Urbino. He was the son of Giovanni Santi, a court painter in Urbino. Tragically, Raphael lost his mother in 1491 and his father in 1494, leaving him orphaned at age 11.…

  • Piero della Francesca Biography

    Early Life Piero della Francesca was born around 1415 in Borgo San Sepolcro, Tuscany. His name signifies his father’s profession as a merchant who traded in fabrics. He belonged to a mercantile family and the economic stability of his family enabled him to pursue his interests in the arts. Little is known about his early…

  • Titian Biography

    Early Life Titian, whose original name was Tiziano Vecellio, was born around 1488 in a small village of Pieve di Cadore, located in the Dolomite mountains, Northern Italy. He was the son of Gregorio Vecellio, a professional councilor, and his wife Lucia. Titian and his older brother Francesco soon left their hometown and moved to…