Medieval to Renaissance

This is a timeline that encompases the major events that led up to the change from the medieval period to the renaissance.

Timeline

Leonardo da Vinci

15 Apr 1452

  Leonardo da Vinci was born April 15, 1452 in Vinci, Italy. As a child he did not have any special formal education, but when he was a teenager his father recognized his artistic talent and arranged for him to be trained under the famous artist Andrea del Verrochio from Florence. From this apprenticeship he was introduced to many technical skills such as metal working, as well as improving his painting and sculpting techniques. Since he was a scientist, artist, and inventor among many other things, his knowledge of many disciplines gave him the title of a Renaissance Man. His most famous paintings are the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and he is also recognized for his study of human anatomy and his many inventions. He died at 67 in the year 1519. Image source: Wikimedia commons, listed as public domain in the United States because it is a photographic reproduction of a public domain work of art. 

Associated Places

No places have been associated with this event

by Juliana Ilmain

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Lorenzo de Medici, the grandson of Cosimo de Medici, came to power in 1469. Lorenzo is thought of as the most powerful patron of the Medici family and is remembered as the greatest patron in the history of Italy. Some of the talent Lorenzo sponsored as a patron includes Michelangelo Buonarroti and Leonardo da Vinci, two of the most famous people in history. Under Lorenzo's rule, Florence earned its reputation as the most beautiful city in Europe. Additionally, the economy of Florence prospered like never before. 

Associated Places

No places have been associated with this event

by Mara Kossoff

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Vitruvian Man is a famous drawing done in ink that brings together the art of anatomy and mathematics. The artist Leonardo da Vinci made this based on the writings of Vitruvius, a Roman architect, author and engineer. His works described the exact measurements and proportions of the human body, which was applied to da Vinci's art. Two images of a man standing in a square and a circle are superimposed. The geometry of the art has every part of the body measured, with notes alongside from Vitruvius' work. This demonstrates his close attention to proportion and the blend between art and science. Image source: Wikimedia commons, Vitruvian Man. Listed as public domain in the United States because it is a photographic reproduction of a public domain work of art.

Associated Places

No places have been associated with this event

by Juliana Ilmain

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The Renaissance brought about a new tradition in the field of art. Artists sought to achieve a greater sense of realism and naturalism in their paintings, as opposed to the rigid and stylized characteristics of the preceding medieval and byzantine periods. Artists were aided in achieving this goal in part through the development of oil paint, which in turn gave rise to the development of new painting techniques. The most important techniques that were established during the renaissance were sfumato, chiaroscuro, perspective, foreshortening and proportion. The advent of these techniques marked a significant shift in art history. Sfumato, a term coined by Leonardo da Vinci, refers to the subtle blending of colors and the blurring of sharp lines. Chiaroscuro is the use of strong contrast between light and dark to create depth. Perspective, foreshortening and proportion all relate to the use of mathematical principles to establish lines used to create the illusion of depth. Used in combination, these techniques greatly contributed to an artist’s ability to create three dimensional figures on a two-dimensional plane.

 

Sources

Gombrich, E. H. Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation.

Princeton University Press, 1960.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. “Renaissance Art.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. , 6

Mar. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_art#Techniques.

Image Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons, fair use

 


Associated Places

No places have been associated with this event

by Lauren Krieger

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In 1957, Italian historian, Carlo Pedretti, rediscovered Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook.  The notebook included the notes and sketches for da Vinci’s anatomical research and many mechanical designs, including the mechanical knight. The image is one of the pages from da Vinci’s notebook.  The notes pictured are from his anatomical study of the human arm.  Image: Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.…;

Associated Places

No places have been associated with this event

by Susannah Pritchett-Montavon

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Leonardo da Vinci

Lorenzo de Medici

Vitruvian Man

Renaissance Painting Techniques

Rediscovery of Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook

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Chronological table

Displaying 1 - 5 of 5
Date Event Created by Associated Places
15 Apr 1452

Leonardo da Vinci

  Leonardo da Vinci was born April 15, 1452 in Vinci, Italy. As a child he did not have any special formal education, but when he was a teenager his father recognized his artistic talent and arranged for him to be trained under the famous artist Andrea del Verrochio from Florence. From this apprenticeship he was introduced to many technical skills such as metal working, as well as improving his painting and sculpting techniques. Since he was a scientist, artist, and inventor among many other things, his knowledge of many disciplines gave him the title of a Renaissance Man. His most famous paintings are the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and he is also recognized for his study of human anatomy and his many inventions. He died at 67 in the year 1519. Image source: Wikimedia commons, listed as public domain in the United States because it is a photographic reproduction of a public domain work of art. 
Juliana Ilmain
1469

Lorenzo de Medici

Lorenzo de Medici, the grandson of Cosimo de Medici, came to power in 1469. Lorenzo is thought of as the most powerful patron of the Medici family and is remembered as the greatest patron in the history of Italy. Some of the talent Lorenzo sponsored as a patron includes Michelangelo Buonarroti and Leonardo da Vinci, two of the most famous people in history. Under Lorenzo's rule, Florence earned its reputation as the most beautiful city in Europe. Additionally, the economy of Florence prospered like never before. 
Mara Kossoff
1490

Vitruvian Man

Vitruvian Man is a famous drawing done in ink that brings together the art of anatomy and mathematics. The artist Leonardo da Vinci made this based on the writings of Vitruvius, a Roman architect, author and engineer. His works described the exact measurements and proportions of the human body, which was applied to da Vinci's art. Two images of a man standing in a square and a circle are superimposed. The geometry of the art has every part of the body measured, with notes alongside from Vitruvius' work. This demonstrates his close attention to proportion and the blend between art and science. Image source: Wikimedia commons, Vitruvian Man. Listed as public domain in the United States because it is a photographic reproduction of a public domain work of art.
Juliana Ilmain
circa. 1505

Renaissance Painting Techniques

Madonna del Prato by Raphael
Madonna del Prato by Raphael

The Renaissance brought about a new tradition in the field of art. Artists sought to achieve a greater sense of realism and naturalism in their paintings, as opposed to the rigid and stylized characteristics of the preceding medieval and byzantine periods. Artists were aided in achieving this goal in part through the development of oil paint, which in turn gave rise to the development of new painting techniques. The most important techniques that were established during the renaissance were sfumato, chiaroscuro, perspective, foreshortening and proportion. The advent of these techniques marked a significant shift in art history. Sfumato, a term coined by Leonardo da Vinci, refers to the subtle blending of colors and the blurring of sharp lines. Chiaroscuro is the use of strong contrast between light and dark to create depth. Perspective, foreshortening and proportion all relate to the use of mathematical principles to establish lines used to create the illusion of depth. Used in combination, these techniques greatly contributed to an artist’s ability to create three dimensional figures on a two-dimensional plane.

 

Sources

Gombrich, E. H. Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation.

Princeton University Press, 1960.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. “Renaissance Art.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. , 6

Mar. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_art#Techniques.

Image Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons, fair use

 

Lauren Krieger
1957 to 1957

Rediscovery of Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook

In 1957, Italian historian, Carlo Pedretti, rediscovered Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook.  The notebook included the notes and sketches for da Vinci’s anatomical research and many mechanical designs, including the mechanical knight. The image is one of the pages from da Vinci’s notebook.  The notes pictured are from his anatomical study of the human arm.  Image: Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59576 
Susannah Pritchett-Montavon