The term “Proto-Renaissance,” coined by Jacob Burckhardt, refers to the period preceding the Renaissance. From the 12th to the 14th centuries, painters, sculptors, and architects increasingly found inspiration in ancient Greek and Roman art. The Proto-Renaissance emerged predominantly in Italy, particularly in Tuscany, and to a lesser extent, Southern France. It had a significant impact on the development of Renaissance art in the early 15th century.
Nicola Pisano (1220/25-78) is widely considered the foremost exponent of Proto-Renaissance sculpture. The visual language of his reliefs was influenced by the classical artworks he studied, resulting in a novel approach to observing the natural world and his distinctive interpretation of drapery, robes, and the human form beneath them.
The Florentine church, San Miniato al Monte (1013/18-c.1207), is deemed a significant Proto-Renaissance structure due to its strict adherence to the spatial divisions of early Christian basilicas and the lavish use of marble for both exteriors and interiors. The marble encasement, imparting a grand and powerful quality to the building, subsequently became a characteristic of Proto-Renaissance church architecture. Examples of this architectural style include the baptistery in Florence (11th-12th century) and Pisa Cathedral (from 1063).