Born Tiziano Vecellio, Titian was one of the greatest painters of the Venetian school. Titian studied in the Giovanni Bellini and then was associated with Giorgione. His paintings of mythological scenes, religious allegories and historic events are vivid with color and movement. He juxtaposes dark fo
As a young artist, Domenikos Theotokopoulos was fascinated by news of the Renaissance, which reached all the way to his home on the island of Crete. Crete was controlled by Venice, then an important center for commerce and the arts. Domenikos headed for this cultural hub around 1560, determined to le
Donatello brought the sculpted body back to life after its long Medieval slumber. Whereas earlier sculptors, prompted by Christian prudery, had drained the body of its vigor, cloaked its nakedness, and stripped it of individuality, Donatello revealed the body as a singular organic unity. He observed
Giotto di Bondone, whom art historians designate the first painter of the Italian Renaissance, was apparently discovered while sketching sheep. A well-known Florentine artist looked over the boy's shoulder and was impressed by what he saw -- so impressed that he persuaded Giotto's father to let the l