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Renaissance Art
'The Creation of Adam' is one part of a fresco painting by Michelangelo, on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. It is one of the most famous pieces of Renaissance art.

Renaissance Art

Step into Renaissance art and see how artists improved realism using proportion, perspective and anatomy. Explore why this period changed painting and sculpture across Europe.

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Fascinating Fact:

Renaissance sculpture often returned to freestanding figures with natural poses and detailed anatomy. Some sculptors used classical statues as study references.

In KS3 Art and Design, Renaissance art is studied for its new focus on observation, believable space and human form. Artists developed techniques to show depth, light and structure, creating work that still shapes modern visual culture.

  • Perspective: A method for showing depth on a flat surface so objects look closer or further away.
  • Proportion: The size relationship between parts of a figure or object, used to make work look balanced and realistic.
  • Chiaroscuro: Strong contrast between light and dark used to create a sense of form and drama.
What is Renaissance art in KS3 Art and Design?

Renaissance art is artwork from about the 1400s to the 1600s that focused on realism, the human figure and believable space, using careful observation and new techniques like perspective.

Why is perspective important in Renaissance painting?

Perspective is important because it helps artists create the illusion of depth, making buildings, landscapes and people look like they exist in a real three-dimensional space.

How did Renaissance artists improve realism?

They improved realism by studying anatomy, using proportion, adding light and shadow, and observing the world closely, so faces, bodies and objects looked more lifelike.

Try your hand at these questions about the Renaissance Art Movement and the influence it has had on the art of later periods.

Click on the pictures for a closer look.

1 .
A competition in Florence in 1401 drew several entries from now famous names. What was to be designed?
A sculpture for the king
A stained glass window
Cathedral doors
A fountain in a large square in Florence
The competition to sculpt a set of bronze doors of the Baptistery of Florence Cathedral drew entries from seven young sculptors including Brunelleschi and Donatello. This particular panel shows a part of the story of Joseph
2 .
Many Renaissance Artists developed the technique of foreshortening. What is this?
Making the portrait appear shorter
Completing four paintings of different heights
Painting with a limited palette of colours
Creating an illusion of depth
The technique relies on a good use of perspective and ultimately adds to the realism of a painting. This painting by Andrea Mantegna, 'The Lamentation of Christ', is a good example of foreshortening
3 .
What is the name of Michaelangelo's most famous sculpture?
David
Michael
Leonardo
Raphael
Michaelangelo's other famous work is the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, which took him several years to complete!
4 .
Da Vinci coined a phrase which meant blurring or softening of sharp outlines by blending one tone into another. What was the phrase?
Blendito
Sfumato
Blurissimo
Tonalito
Blending in this way, through the use of thin glazes, gave the illusion of depth or three-dimensionality. The Latin origin is fumare, to smoke! This painting is perhaps da Vinci's most famous work - 'The Mona Lisa'
5 .
Whose meticulous observations of the natural world ensured real development in perfecting pictorial art?
Michaelangelo
Leonardo Da Vinci
Donatello
Raphael
Da Vinci's use of oils as his main medium meant he could more accurately portray light and its effect on a subject. This painting, 'The Annunciation', is thought to be Leonardo's earliest completed work. It dates from between 1475-1480
6 .
Jean Fouquet, a French artist, is credited with the first examples of which kind of painting?
Fresco painting
Painting 'En Plein Air'
Enormous freizes
The portrait miniature
He visited Italy in 1437 and brought back many ideas which he applied in his role as painter of the royal court in France. This portrait by Fouquet is of Charles VII of France
7 .
Which historical and cultural period came after the Renaissance?
The Awakening
The Enlightenment
The Realisation
The Understanding
The Enlightenment is characterised by great revolutions in science, philosophy, society and politics. The artistic period that followed the Renaissance was the Baroque which exaggerated emotions. The Baroque piece pictured is 'The Crowning with Thorns' by Caravaggio
8 .
Although Italy led the way, other regions developed their own Renaissance styles. What inspired them?
The way that art in the Middle East was developing
The Pop Art style of Lichtenstein
The Cubist Movement
Tempera painting, stained glass and book illumination
Many Renaissance works outside of Italy had a heavy religious influence. This painting by Rogier van der Weyden in 1435 shows Christ's descent from the cross
9 .
Where and when did Renaissance Art emerge?
In America in the 21st Century
In Russia in the 12th Century
In Italy in the 14th Century
In India in the 13th Century
The Renaissance period came after the Middle Ages and saw a return to a beautiful, classical style of painting and sculpture.
This painting is 'Sacred and Profane Love' by Titian, one of the most important Renaissance artists
10 .
A famous German Renaissance painter created fantastic imagery which combined plants, animals and architecture. What was he called?
Hieronymus Bosch
Henry Mouse Basch
Harold Miss Bush
Harvey Mass Bisch
His paintings have a surreal quality and are quite unlike anything else produced at the time. This one is called 'The Last Judgement'
Author:  Angela Smith (Primary School Teacher & KS1 Quiz Writer)

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