Early Modern Europe
c. 1400–1800 CE
Early modern Europe experienced significant changes, influenced by rising urbanization, new ways of thinking, global networks, colonization, and shifts in religion
Notable People and Artists
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![A woman and her son look out at us in a painting]()
Eleanora di Toledo
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![queen elizabeth I of england holds a scepter with fancy jewelry]()
Queen Elizabeth I of England
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![a vase is filles with multicolored flowers]()
Rachel Ruysch
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![The Mona Lisa is being viewed by many people]()
Leonardo da Vinci
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![A framed portrait of a woman wearing a white headdress and a black dress with a red belt, set against a dark background.]()
Rogier van der Weyden
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![Women look to the side as if they were startled]()
Artemisia Gentileschi
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![a woman looks at us while holding a unicorn]()
Raphael
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![Figures surround a woman holding a baby, who leafs through a book]()
Sandro Botticelli
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![Medieval painting depicting the Annunciation, featuring an angel with a lily approaching a seated Mary, with other figures holding religious symbols against a gold background.]()
Simone Martini
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![A fresco depicting the Annunciation, where an angel with colorful wings speaks to a seated woman, surrounded by architecture with arches and columns.]()
Fra Angelico
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![A painting of a still life featuring a basket of pears and red fruits, a plate of grapes and figs, a sliced melon, cucumbers, peaches, and apples, all set against a dark background in an ornate wooden frame.]()
Fede Galizia
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![Painting of a knight in armor holding a spear, standing next to a slain dragon, framed and displayed on a wall.]()
Andrea Mantegna
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![Renaissance-style stone building with arched windows and decorative details, seen from a narrow street.]()
Leon Battista Alberti
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![Religious altarpiece depicting the Nativity scene with figures of Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, shepherds, kings, and angels, surrounded by intricate gold framing and smaller surrounding panels.]()
Gentile da Fabriano
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![Close-up of an antique bronze coin featuring a profile of a woman's face with an intricate hairstyle, surrounded by an inscription in Latin.]()
Pisanello
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![A bust of a man wearing a distinctive head cloth and clothing]()
Lorenzo the Magnificent (de' Medici)
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![Painting of the Madonna and Child with two angels in a decorative gold frame.]()
Fra Filippo Lippi
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![A person with their head down on a table, surrounded by several animals including owls, cats, and a bird.]()
Francisco Goya
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![A detailed religious painting of the body of Jesus Christ lying on a cloth, surrounded by women mourning, with angels and divine figures nearby.]()
Jacopo da Pontormo
The Italian Renaissance
Innovation and experimentation defined the Italian city-states between 1400–1600
The Basics
What is linear perspective?
What is a renaissance court?
What is contrapposto?
What is a portrait medal? Pisanello’s portrait medal of Leonello d’Este
Who was the artist Raphael (Raffaello Santi)?
What is di sotto in sù in Andrea Mantegna’s oculus fresco?
What is a patron? Learn about patronage and Lorenzo de’ Medici
What is tempera painting?
What is a cartoon, such as Leonardo da Vinci’s Burlington House Cartoon?
Dig Deeper into the Italian Renaissance
Important terms and concepts
City-State
Florence
Humanism
Renaissance
Portraiture
Oculus
Altarpiece
Palazzo
Halo
Angel
Annunciation
Adoration of the Magi
Biblical narrative
Portrait and portraiture
The Medici Family
The Northern Renaissance
Art and culture in Europe north of the Alps in the 15th century 16th centuries
Important terms and concepts
Portraiture
Oil Painting
Glaze
What is a portrait? Learn with Rogier van der Weyden’s Portrait of a Lady
What is oil painting? Learn with Jan van Eyck’s Annunciation
The Baroque
The 17th century is widely known as the Baroque era
Important terms and concepts
Tenebrism
Still-life painting
Scepter
Self-portrait
bodegón
The 18th Century
From the Rococo to Neoclassicism, the 18th century was a time of great change
The Rococo
An 18th-century art movement, which is distinctive for its elegance, sensuality, and fascination with pleasure
VIDEO: What is Rococo? Learn with Jean-Honoré Fragonard The Swing
Important terms and concepts
Rococo
Fête galante
Academy
Neoclassicism
An 18th-century movement marked by renewed fascination with ancient Greek and Roman art
VIDEO: What is Neoclassicism? Learn with Jacques-Louis David's The Death of Socrates
Important terms and concepts
Neoclassical
Greco-Roman
Explore Continents
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