Early renaissance

Fra Angelico, the original name Guido di Pietro, is an Italian painter of the Florentine school whose early Renaissance works were noted for their simplicity and serenity. He was described by Vasari in his Lives of the Artists as having "a rare and perfect talent."Guido di Pietro was born in an aristocratic family. A little is known about his early life, but it is believed he was an apprentice painter at a young age. In 1417, Guido took holy orders and became Fra Giovanni de Fiesole, or Fra Giovanni Angelico (Brother John the Angelic). He joined the convent of San Domenico in Fiesole, ...

Masaccio, original name Tommaso di Ser Giovanni di Simone was one of the greatest Italian painters of the Quattrocento period of the Italian Renaissance. His notable works include The Tribute Money and The Holy Trinity.The artist was born in Castel San Giovanni di Altura, now San Giovanni Valdarno (part of the province of Arezzo, Tuscany). Masaccio spent much of his childhood in Florence. His family moved there when he was about 6 years old. Although Masaccio was born to a respected family from which he learned many artistic skills, he did not come from a wealthy household. His father worked ...

Filippo Lippi was an early Renaissance painter and Dominican friar, best known for the lyrical beauty of his paintings of madonnas. Filippo was one of the most remarkable artists of his time. He changed the way Renaissance artists painted by using light, shadow and perspective to create paintings that looked more realistic.Filippo Lippi was the son of a butcher named Paoluccio and spent much of his youth in Prato, Italy, where he received training as a goldsmith. He later decided to become an artist and traveled to Florence in 1421 to study. Although Filippo's father objected to this career ...

Andrea del Verrocchio, originally Andrea Michele di Francesco de' Cioni (1435 – 1488), was an Italian painter, sculptor, goldsmith and master of a prominent workshop in Florence. He became known by his nickname Verrocchio, which in Italian means "true eye".Andrea del Verrocchio was born in Florence, Italy, but he spent most of his career in Venice. He was first recorded as a goldsmith in 1460 and he soon developed a flourishing business in fine jewelry and small luxury objects. His training as a goldsmith helped him transition to painting and sculpture, two fields that were ...

Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) was a Renaissance painter. He was known for his artistic and humanly realistic depictions of the divine, such as "The Birth of Venus".Sandro Botticelli, originally named Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi, was born in the city of Florence, Italy, in 1445. Sandro's father was a tanner that worked with leather. Not much is known about Sandro's childhood or teenage years; however, it is believed that he had a privileged childhood compared to the average Florentine child of that time. It is known that Sandro had connections with many prominent families, such as ...

Tiziano Vecellio, or Titian, was an Italian painter regarded as the greatest of the 16th-century Venetian school. His reputation rests not only on his extensive canvases but also on his extraordinarily refined and sensuous portrayals of mythological, religious, and historical subjects. He had a style so personal that it has been called "Venetian."Tiziano Vecellio was born in Pieve di Cadore, near Belluno. His father was probably an artist who specialized in landscape painting, and young Titian may have been an apprentice to Jacopo Bellini, a rather famous painter in Venice. Once he tur ...