Early Renaissance

The art of the period between 1300 and 1450 is called Early Renaissance. The term distinguishes this period from the High Renaissance which occurred later in the 16th century. Consequently, the term Early Renaissance applies to painting, sculpture and architecture that show an increasing tendency towards naturalism, rather than abstract decoration. The Early Renaissance was a time of change in many other ways, from the beginning of humanism to the end of feudalism. It was a time when artists began to be more interested in their own feelings than in telling stories or representing reality. They became individualists who had new ideas about how art should be made. They tried to express what they felt through painting. Most artists of the period started as assistants in workshops. Their masters taught them how to paint, but they were free to experiment with their own ideas and techniques. Because the painters had such freedom, they began to work independently from each other. They became specialists, painting one subject over and over again, such as religious subjects, portraiture or landscapes. This allowed them to develop their own styles. Early Renaissance is not what people usually think it is because it began at different times in different places.