This Is Why The Renaissance Was A Special Era In History

The Renaissance was a time of unprecedented intellectual growth in the areas of arts, science, and philosophy following a long period of stagnation in Europe. Today, it symbolizes a transition between the Dark Ages and the Modern era. Some of the best known works of art like Mona Lisa comes from this period as well as groundbreaking ideas that still inform our world. Here are 20 of the most influential Renaissance figures and what they did.

1. Sandro Botticelli

Sandro Botticelli is one of the most prominent painters of the early renaissance. His two most famous paintings, The Birth of Venus and La Primavera are often considered to embody the ethos of the Renaissance. 

Sandro Botticelli on Wikimedia

2. Michelangelo

Michelangelo was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet. A master of all arts, he's perhaps the most widely known Renaissance figure. His painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling and other art continues to inspire and awe viewers and has a lasting influence on modern art. 

Attributed to Daniele da Volterra on Wikimedia

3. Leonardo da Vinci

A polymath of the highest degree, Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most influential figures of all time. His Mona Lisa is the most famous portrait ever painted and his observations of the natural world made major strides int he world of science.

Leonardo da Vinci on Wikimedia

4. Donatello

An early Renaissance sculptor, Donatello was known for his impressively realistic representations of man. His most famous work, David, was the first free-standing nude sculpture created since Roman times. 

Original uploader was Frieda (dillo a Ubi) at it.wikipedia on Wikimedia

5. Raphael

Considered by many as the greatest painter of the Renaissance, Raphael was commissioned to decorate much of the Vatican. His work continues to be flocked to by art enthusiasts around the world. 

Andika Christian on Unsplash

6. Filippo Brunelleschi 

One of the most revered sculptors and architects of the Renaissance, Filippo Brunelleschi designed the iconic dome of the Cathedral of Florence which still dominates the city's skyline. He's often considered the "father of the Renaissance" for igniting the movement with his problem-solving skills. 

Michael Hamments on Unsplash

7. Machiavelli

Machiavelli was an important diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian during the Renaissance. His ideas which he laid out in The Prince have become infamous because of his advice to rulers to be cunning and evil.

Santi di Tito on Wikimedia

8. Thomas More

Thomas More was an English lawyer, judge, and philosopher best known for his book Utopia. He argued for a communal society in which goods and wealth are shared.

Hans Holbein the Younger on Wikimedia

9. Galileo

Galileo was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer. His studies of speed, gravity, velocity, and relativity made a major impact on physics. 

Justus Sustermans on Wikimedia

10. Lorenzo de’ Medici

Lorenzo de' Medici was a prominent member of the Medici family, one of the wealthiest European families of all time. He was a patron of the arts responsible for funding art or connecting artists with funding. Without him, arguably much of the art of that era would never have come to be.

Workshop of Bronzino on Wikimedia

11. Nicolaus Copernicus

Nicolaus Copernicus was a famous mathematician and astronomer of the Renaissance. He was the first to make the then controversial claim that the sun and not the earth was at the center of the galaxy.

Rafael Ishkhanyan on Unsplash

12. Michel de Montaigne

One of the most notable philosophers of the French Renaissance, Michel de Montaigne is known for popularising the essay. His writings mixed personal anecdotes with philosophical ideas, a new form for the time. He encouraged people to be skeptical and have doubt. 

Antoine Maurin / François-Séraphin Delpech on Wikimedia

13. Shakespeare

Still the most famous playwright in the English-speaking world, Shakespeare penned Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Hamlet. His work had a profound impact on the English language. 

William Shakespeare on Wikimedia

14. Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon was a significant English Renaissance philosopher and statesman. He believed in the importance of inductive reasoning or making observations as opposed to solely following traditional beliefs, laying the groundwork for the scientific method.

Paul van Somer I / Formerly attributed to Frans Pourbus the Younger on Wikimedia

15. Titian

Titian is one of the most renowned Renaissance painters. Known for his versatility, he was equally adept at painting portraits, landscapes, and mythology. He was also notable for his transformative use of colors, compositions, and techniques. 

Titian on Wikimedia

16. Albrecht Dürer

Albrecht Dürer was a master of many mediums but his engravings made him famous around Europe. He was also known for his self-portraits, one of him as a child being one of the earliest Renaissance paintings. Before Dürer, it was rare for an artist to portray themself. 

After Albrecht Dürer on Wikimedia

17. Caravaggio

One of the most notable artists of the "golden age" of the Renaissance, Caravaggio was famous for his realism, depicting everyday people as his subjects as opposed to royal or divine figures. He was also known for his groundbreaking use of dramatic lighting called chiaroscuro. 

Caravaggio on Wikimedia

18. Jan van Eyck

Jan van Eyck was a Flemish painter largely responsible for the Northern Renaissance movement that occurred in the late 15th century. A trailblazer of oil painting, van Eyck was known for achieving unprecedented detail and realism in his paintings.

Jan van Eyck on Wikimedia

19. Martin Luther

Martin Luther was a German theologian who challenged the Catholic church for their practice of selling indulgences. He believed in salvation through faith and hard work alone as opposed to buying one's way into heaven. His actions ignited the Protestant Reformation, creating a major divide in Christianity. 

Workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder on Wikimedia

20. Filippo Lippi

Known for such iconic works as Madonna and Child and Coronation of the Virgin, Filippo Lippi was one of the most celebrated religious Renaissance painters. In addition to religious themes, his work is unique for capturing human expressions.   

GoldenArtists on Wikimedia