15 greatest Renaissance paintings: masterpieces that shaped art history

The greatest Renaissance paintings did not just captivate – they reshaped art history by bringing humanity and storytelling to the forefront of visual expression. According to David Ekserdjian, Emeritus Professor of Art and Film History at the University of Leicester, these masterpieces introduced cast shadows, mythological stories, and life-like portraiture.

Key takeaways

• The greatest Renaissance paintings are from artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo.
• Some of the greatest Renaissance paintings are religious arts that tell a story as it was written in the Bible.
• Renaissance artists brought paintings to life with stunning detail and realism.

Greatest Renaissance paintings

When compiling the list of the greatest Renaissance paintings, we gathered information from various sources like The Collector, Times of India, and Class Pop. The list is not arranged in any particular order.

1. Mona Lisa

• Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
• Painted: 1503-1506

The Mona Lisa is among the Renaissance paintings that shaped art history. This half-length portrait painting has been described as the most visited and written-about work in the art world. It is believed to depict the famous Italian woman, Lisa del Giocondo. The Mona Lisa is famous for her enigmatic smile and her gaze that is fixed on the observer.

2. The Last Supper

• Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
• Painted: 1495-1498

Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper is also one of the works that have highly shaped art history. It depicts Jesus’s final meal with his twelve disciples. The piece shows how shocked the disciples were when Jesus Christ announced that one of them was going to betray him before sunrise. It also shows the personalities of each apostle.

3. Lamentation of Christ

• Artist: Andrea Mantegna
• Painted: 1480

This is a religious art piece by Andrea Mantegna. He painted it in 1480. The Lamentation Over the Dead Christ depicts the time when Jesus’s followers are mourning after Jesus was taken down from the cross. The art represents physical and emotional trauma, and you can see the agony in the followers’ eyes as they look at Jesus' lifeless body.

4. The Tribute Money

• Artist: Masaccio
• Painted: 1425

The Tribute Money is an art piece that tells a story from the Gospel of Matthew. In it, Jesus tells Peter to pay a temple tax by finding a coin in a fish's mouth. The piece is divided into three scenes: Jesus talking to Peter, Peter fetching the fish, and Peter paying the tax collector. The masterpiece creates a sense of depth, drawing the viewer’s eye into the scene.

5. Madonna with the Long Neck

• Artist: Parmigianino
• Painted: 1534-1540

Parmigianino’s Madonna with the Long Neck is also a Renaissance painting that is so memorable due to the way Parmigianino gave Madonna an elongated neck. It depicts Madonna holding the Christ Child in her lap and surrounded by angels. It also shows a prophet holding up a scroll in the bottom right corner. According to Britannica, Parmigianino died before completing the piece.

6. St. Francis in Ecstasy

• Artist: Giovanni Bellini
• Painted: 1480

St. Francis in Ecstasy art pictures St. Francis of Assisi in a moment of intense revelation. He is wearing religious garb, and his hands are stretched out at the bottom of the canvas. Behind him, there is a detailed landscape with rocky cliffs and animals. This Renaissance masterpiece captures the eye of the viewers because it feels so alive.

7. The Annunciation

• Artist: Fra Angelico
• Painted: 1437-1446

This craft by Fra Angelico depicts the biblical story of the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to the Virgin Mary about how she will conceive the Son of God. Angelico made the art look so real by using soft and bright pastel colours.

8. The Sistine Madonna

• Artist: Raphael
• Painted: 1512

The Sistine Madonna is one of the world’s most famous Renaissance paintings. Raphael showed his great creativity by making this piece, which depicts the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus in her arms while walking towards the realm from the clouds with the help of saints Pope Sixtus II and St. Barbara. Raphael painted this craft as an altarpiece for San Sisto in Piacenza, Italy.

9. The School of Athens

• Artist: Raphael
• Painted: 1509-1511

This is also one of the greatest Renaissance masterpieces by Raphael. It depicts the greatest philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists sharing ideas and learning from each other. According to Khan Academy, these figures lived at different times, but in the art, they are gathered together under one roof. They include scholars like Aristotle, Plato and Pythagoras.

10. Madonna and Child

• Artist: Filippo Lippi
• Painted: 1465

This Renaissance masterpiece depicts the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and two angels. The Virgin Mary sits on the left side of the painting, facing the right, with her hands clasped in prayer. The Christ Child is staring at her and is supported by two angels, smiling at the viewers. The angels look like two young boys.

11. The Baptism of Christ

• Artist: Piero della Francesca
• Painted: 1448-1450

The Baptism of Christ by Piero della Francesca was originally painted in Tuscany between 1448 and 1450. It shows Jesus standing beneath a tree as John the Baptist is pouring water over his head to baptize him. The craft also shows the dove flying above the head of Jesus. In the masterpiece, one can see a man behind John the Baptist struggling to take off his shirt.

12. The Baptism of Christ

• Artists: Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci
• Painted: 1472-1475

This masterpiece was created by Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci between 1472 and 1475. It shows Jesus Christ being baptized by John the Baptist in the River Jordan, as written in the Gospels of Luke, Mark, and Matthew. On the left side, two angels are seen holding Jesus’ garment.

13. Primavera

• Artist: Sandro Botticelli
• Painted: 1482

Primavera by Sandro Botticelli is also among the list of the greatest Renaissance masterpieces. The piece depicts nine mythological creatures in a garden filled with orange and laurel trees. In the centre, one can see Venus standing, and the other creatures are dancing. On top of Venus is a baby angel flying. This craft attracts the attention of the viewers.

14. The Wedding at Cana

• Artist: Paolo Veronese
• Painted: 1562-1563

The Wedding at Cana masterpiece depicts the biblical story of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana. Jesus is placed at the centre of the painting, surrounded by his disciples. The masterpiece displays characters in a variety of positions and expressions. Paolo Veronese created the painting between 1562 and 1563.

15. Lady with an Ermine

• Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
• Painted: 1489-1491

The Lady with an Ermine painting by Leonardo da Vinci depicts Cecilia Gallerani, the mistress of Ludovico Sforza. She is shown looking to her left at something out of frame. She is holding a white ermine in her arms, the duke’s heraldic animal, which looks away from the viewers like the woman in the painting.

How Renaissance art differs from medieval traditions

David Ekserdjian, Emeritus Professor of Art and Film History at the University of Leicester, explained in an interview how Renaissance art broke away from what came before it:

The main differences in terms of style are the employment of a so-called scientific perspective to achieve realistic depth and the introduction of cast shadows to fix figures in space.

In terms of subject matter, the Renaissance also expanded its horizons. The expert said, “There is much more emphasis on portraiture (the art of painting or taking portraits) and mythological subject matter.”

How Renaissance painting influenced other art forms

Painting may have taken center stage in museums, but it didn’t rise in isolation. According to Professor David, the movement’s influence was collaborative, and sculptors and architects were its early trailblazers. He said:

In early Renaissance Florence, it is the sculptors (Ghiberti, Donatello) and the architects (above all Brunelleschi) who lead the way, with the painters lagging behind. Later on, all three arts are intertwined, and there are, of course, artists - Michelangelo is the most notable example - who excel in all three (sculpture, architecture, and painting).

Hidden gems: beyond Florence, Rome, and Venice

Professor David also shared lesser-known Renaissance painters and works that deserve more recognition, he said:

Many people tend not to look at art beyond the main centres of Florence, Rome, and Venice, but Italy was full of wonderful regional schools of art during the Renaissance. I have a particular fondness for Parma, and would therefore single out Correggio and Parmigianino.

Is the Mona Lisa Renaissance?

Yes, the Mona Lisa is a Renaissance painting. It was created by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1506.

What defines a Renaissance painting?

Renaissance paintings depict realistic human figures and nature. They are also identified by the shadows and light that artists use to draw the viewer’s eyes to a particular point. These incredible artworks also create a sense of depth.

Who were the 3 greatest Renaissance artists?

According to The Times of India, some of the greatest Renaissance artists are Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo.

What was the most famous painting of the Renaissance?

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is considered one of the most famous paintings of the Renaissance. It was created between 1503 and 1506.

Renaissance paintings are masterpieces created by great artists between the 14th and 17th centuries. These crafts are known for their depth and depiction of human figures and nature. They tell a story and make viewers feel like they are in a different world.

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