1.

Leonardo da Vinci, Virgin of the Rocks, 1495–1508

The National Gallery, London

Leonardo painted two versions of this magnificent altarpiece, and the National Gallery's Virgin of
the Rocks is the later, more idealized of the two. In contrast to the warmer version in the Louvre,
the painting is illuminated with a cold, almost other-worldly light, with a fantastical landscape
visible through a gap in the rocks that frame the group.

2. Sandro Botticelli, The Virgin Adoring the Sleeping Christ Child, c. 1490
Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh

One of the greatest paintings acquired by a British museum since the Second World War, this
touching religious scene typifies Botticelli's purity of line and form. The symbolic richness of the
thornless roses and rocky outcrop help make this a highlight of the gallery's collection.
3. Titian, Tarquin and Lucretia, 1571
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

A violent masterpiece by the Venetian school's leading artist, Tarquin and Lucretia captures the
moment of intense drama as the Roman prince Sextus Tarquinius forces himself upon the
married Lucretia. It is one of a number of paintings from the Venetian school in the Fitzwilliam's
holdings.

4. Cima da Conegliano, Virgin and Child, 1500

National Museum Cardiff

Cima da Conegliano made a name for himself as a painter working in Venice, before returning
to his native Conegliano to continue his career. Also known as Giovannia Battista Cima, he was
famous for his religious paintings which suggested holy grace through the gentle, undramatic
symmetry of their compositions.
5. Jan Gossaert, Hercules and Deianira, 1517
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham

The Flemish painter Gossaert (sometimes called Mabuse, after his birthplace, Maubeuge)
brought a distinctive, physical style to the era, becoming one of the leading artists of the
Northern Renaissance. His portrayal of Hercules and Deianira is typically erotic, their bodies
contoured like marble sculptures.

6. Giovanni Bellini, Madonna and Child, c. 1485–1488

The Burrell Collection, Glasgow

The son of Jacopo Bellini and brother of Gentile Bellini, Giovanni Bellini hailed from a family of
painters. He created many images of the Madonna and Child, and the marble balustrade
running across the lower edge of this painting establishes a respectful distance between the
figures and the viewer.
7. Lucas Cranach the Elder, Adam and Eve, 1526
The Courtauld Gallery, London

Cranach's vision of paradise is full of inventive details, from the roe-buck capturing its reflection
in the foreground to the bewildered look on Adam's face as he scratches his head
contemplating the apple. A close friend of Martin Luther, Cranach was a pivotal figure in the
German Renaissance and an ardent supporter of the Protestant Reformation.

8. Raphael, The Holy Family with a Palm Tree, 1506

Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh

Raphael is synonymous with idealised beauty, and nowhere is that more evident than in his
paintings of the holy family. This circular panel (or 'tondo') features Christ at its centre, flanked
by the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, perfectly balanced to capture the harmonious relationship
of the holy family.
9. Piero di Cosimo, Portrait of a Young Man, c. 1500
Dulwich Picture Gallery, London

Piero di Cosimo was known as a notorious eccentric – scared of fire to the point that he avoided
cooking food, and living on a diet of boiled eggs which he prepared in batches of 50 – yet his
reputation as a portrait painter was exceptional. This striking painting of a young man shows
Piero at his best.

10. Paolo Uccello, Hunt in the Forest, c. 1470

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

This forest scene is both the last painting Uccello created, and the oldest work on our list. One
of the pioneers of perspective – evident in the groups of hunters receding into the background –
the 15th-century master is best known for his painting Saint George and the Dragon in the
National Gallery.
Renaissance marked an abrupt break with medieval values, as is suggested by the French word
renaissance, literally “rebirth". Renaissance produced during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries
in Europe under the combined influences of an increased awareness of nature, a revival of
classical learning, and a more individualistic view of man -Produced during the 14th, 15th, and
16th centuries in Europe under the combined influences of an increased awareness of nature, a
revival of classical learning, and a more individualistic view of man -Time of rebirth, revival of
learning, and renewed cultural awareness -Focus of study shifted from theology to humanity. –
This exciting cultural movement began in Italy in the late 1300's and ended in about 1600. -The
changes are most evident in the art of that period. -There was an evolution from the strict,
symbolic figures of the Middle Ages, to the fluid, emotion-filled figures that gave life to
Renaissance art. Characteristics of Renaissance Art -Realism: Realistic portrayal of artistic
styles. -Classical: Classical forms and realistic technique -Individualism: Portrays the person as
they are in an effort to describe their maximum or true potential -Art as Philosophy: Symbols,
structure, posture, color as a means to determine a realistic portrayal of people and places