16th century art was an exciting time in the art world which generated some of the best paintings and artists in the world. This period of time was known as the Renaissance and marked Europe's transition into the early Modern age. The Renaissance was a time of growth and creativity that has spawned many infamous and historically important pictures which are still admired and emulated today.
It's very difficult to talk about 16th century paintings without talking about 16th century artists. Famous art images were developed by Leonardo Da Vinci, Albrecht Durer, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Raphael, and many others. Although many of these works were religious images, such as Michelangelo's 'The Creation of Adam', 16th century art began finding its inspiration in everyday things, including animals and plants, as seen in Albrecht Durer's Renaissance painting, 'Young Hare'.
Many famous art images were created during the 16th century. These works are instantly recognizable to many modern art enthusiasts, such as the 'Mona Lisa' by Da Vinci and 'The Small Cowper Madonna, c. 1505' by Raphael. These Renaissance paintings, and many more, are some of the building blocks from which modern art was shaped.
16th century art are a unique and important part of how art has become what it is today. These historically important pictures marked a change in artists from the spiritual to the representational. For the first time, Greek and Roman models of beauty were challenged, regular everyday objects were seen as artistically relevant, and religious images were no longer the sole purpose of Western art.
