Between 1410/20 and 1500, a significant transformation occurred in the field of art. Artists no longer created works that followed the symbolic language of the Gothic Soft Style, which was characterized by its spiritual qualities. Instead, they focused on the exploration of reality based on the principles of natural sciences and the realistic portrayal of the sensory world. This shift was evident in various art forms.
Religious themes still dominated the realm of painting, but there was a new emphasis on depicting landscapes and backgrounds as detailed observations of nature rather than solely symbolic elements. Through the interplay of light and shadow, objects and figures gained a sense of depth and sculptural quality, no longer appearing flat.
The development of central perspective brought about a significant advancement in painting and reliefs. Artists now had a geometrical system at their disposal, enabling them to accurately portray spatial depth in their artwork.
The idea of placing humans at the center of the universe found particular resonance in architecture, especially after the rediscovery of Vitruvius’ “De architectura libri decem”. In this work, the author compared the proportions of a building to those of the human body. Simultaneously, the rediscovery of Vitruvius’ writings fueled an unprecedented search for ancient buildings and sculptures to study them in their original form.
Prominent figures in the Italian early Renaissance art movement include Sandro Botticelli, Donatello, Paolo Uccello, and Benozzo Gozzoli.