Renaissance art, beginning in 14th-century Italy, was characterized by a revival of the ideals and forms of classical Greece and Rome.

It was deeply influenced by the intellectual movement of Humanism, which focused on human potential and realism.

Artists developed new techniques to create naturalistic representations, most notably linear perspective, which created the illusion of three-dimensional space.

The use of 'chiaroscuro' (the contrast of light and shadow) was used to model three-dimensional forms.

The High Renaissance (c. 1495-1520) was the peak of the movement, dominated by the masters Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael.

Renaissance art celebrated the beauty of the human form, based on detailed anatomical studies.

Renaissance architecture also revived classical principles, emphasizing symmetry, proportion, and harmony.

Architects like Filippo Brunelleschi and Leon Battista Alberti used classical elements like columns, rounded arches, and domes.

The status of the artist was elevated from a craftsman to that of a respected intellectual genius.

Wealthy patrons, including the Medici family and the Popes, were crucial in funding Renaissance art.