#italian renaissance

Titian, Bacchus and Ariadne, 1520-23, National Gallery, London, UK. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian

Titian’s Bacchus and Ariadne captures the vibrancy of a Greco-Roman myth through the lens of an Italian Renaissance painter. Learn about the...

James W Singer 13 April 2026

History

The Story of Raphael’s Lost Portrait of a Young Man

Have you ever seen this painting? It is currently missing; in fact, it has been missing since 1945. Let’s explore the story of one of the most...

Zuzanna Stańska 6 April 2026

Renaissance

Raphael—Renaissance Prince of Painters

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, in English known as Raphael, is famous for the harmony and clarity of form within his visually brilliant paintings. He...

Candy Bedworth 6 April 2026

Sculpture

Masterpiece Story: Penitent Mary Magdalene by Donatello

Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, better known as Donatello, was a sculptor born around 1386 in Florence, which is also the city in which he died in...

Soledad Castillo Jara 5 April 2026

Quiz

QUIZ: How Much Do You Know About Michelangelo?

Anastasia Manioudaki 28 March 2026

Literature

Book Review: Sofonisba, Portraits of the Soul

Sofonisba, Portraits of the Soul is a book by Chiara Montani about the life and work of the Italian artist Sofonisba Anguissola. Sofonisba was an...

Errika Gerakiti 19 March 2026

Sofonisba Anguissola, The Game of Chess, 1555. Women Artists

Masterpiece Story: The Game of Chess by Sofonisba Anguissola

Sofonisba Anguissola is known for her self-portraits and portraits of Spanish royalty. But her most provocative painting is perhaps The Game of...

Anna Ingram 19 March 2026

Sofonisba Anguissola, Self-Portrait Painting the Madonna, 1556, 66 x 57 cm, Lancut Museum, Poland. ArtStor digital library. Women Artists

Sofonisba Anguissola: The Life of a Rule-Breaker Painter

During the Italian Renaissance, women artists did not have the same access to artistic education as men. Sofonisba Anguissola, however, was very...

Nina Relf 19 March 2026

Marietta Robusti, Self Portrait with Madrigal Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Self-Portrait with Madrigal by Marietta Robusti

The Venetian Renaissance painter Marietta Robusti has recently caused a stir in the art history world. Although only a few works are attributed to...

Anna Ingram 5 March 2026

Women Artists

Everything You Need to Know About Plautilla Nelli

Sister Plautilla was a Florentine nun and artist who lived in the 16th-century Italy. After centuries of neglect, her work is finally being...

Vithória Konzen Dill 5 March 2026

Movie still from Saltburn, directed by Emerald Fennell, 2023. Prime Video. Theater & Cinema

Art in Saltburn – The Influence of Art on the Film

The filmmaker and writer, Emerald Fennell showcases her keen eye for art in the movie Saltburn. Praised for meticulous directing and visually...

Sandra Juszczyk 23 February 2026

Leonardo da Vinci, Grotesque Heads, 1490, Royal Library, Windsor, UK Bizarre

Leonardo da Vinci—A Renaissance Comedian

Leonardo da Vinci, prototype of the Renaissance man, is renowned for masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and the Vitruvian...

Javier Abel Miguel 16 February 2026