Famous Renaissance Artists Who Revolutionized Art And Inspired Millions

Fourteenth-century Italian painter and architect Giotto was one of the chief figures of the Early Renaissance. Mostly taught by Florentine painter Cimabue, Giotto grew up to paint masterpieces such as the frescoes of the Arena Chapel in Padua. He works consisted of human beings and Christian themes.

Tintoretto, also known as Il Furioso, was a significant painter of the Venetian school and is remembered for his phenomenal speed of painting, his long strokes, and his depiction of humans in motion. His most notable works, such as Susanna in the Bath, embody Renaissance mannerism.

Benvenuto Cellini was a 16th-century Italian goldsmith, sculptor, draftsman, and artist. The multifaceted artist wrote poetry and a famous autobiography as well. An important figure in Mannerism, he is known for creating pieces, such as the Cellini Salt Cellar and Perseus with the Head of Medusa. He was a member of the prestigious Accademia delle Arti del Disegno of Florence. 

German painter Lucas Cranach the Elder enriched the German Renaissance with his paintings and wood engravings. A court painter of the Electors of Saxony, he specialized in painting both nudes and ladies in fine clothing, and mostly depicted biblical and mythological themes. He also inspired the Danube school of Austria.

Niccolò dell'Arca was a sculptor remembered for his artistic contribution to Arca di San Domenico, a monument that took almost 500 years to complete, with contributions from the best sculptors of their time. Other important works of his include a marble statue of St. John the Baptist, the terracotta bust of Saint Dominic, and the terracotta figure of Saint Monica.

Swiss composer Ludwig Senfl was a major figure of the Franco-Netherlandish school of music. Starting his singing career with the choir of Maximilian I, he also initially aspired to be a priest. His works include motets, lieder, and masses. He also edited the anthology Liber selectarum cantionum.

Nanni di Banco was an Italian sculptor whose works are renowned for their striking naturalism and individuality as well as the complexity of their construction. Many of his works are preserved at the museum and church of Orsanmichele in Florence.

Bernardim Ribeiro was a Portuguese writer and poet. He is best remembered for his pastoral romance Menina e moça, which is counted among the finest paradigms of pastoral romance in Renaissance literature. The book, which was published after Bernardim Ribeiro’s death, became a sensation in Portuguese-speaking countries.

Best known as the designer of the Wellington Monument, Alfred Stevens was an English sculptor, painter and designer, who spent major part of his career working on the monument, leaving him little time to concentrate on other works. Ignored and harassed during his lifetime, he however left a strong impact on architectural sculpture as a decorative ensemble through his students.