Saints John the Evangelist and Lawrence

Italian Renaissance painting is most often be divided into four periods: the Proto-Renaissance (1300–1425), the Early Renaissance (1425–1495), the High Renaissance (1495–1520), and Mannerism (1520–1600). The city of Florence is renowned as the birthplace of the Renaissance, and in particular of Renaissance painting. From the early 15th to late 16th centuries, Italy was divided into many political states. The painters of Renaissance Italy wandered Italy, disseminating artistic and philosophical ideas. The Proto-Renaissance begins with the professional life of the painter Giotto and includes Taddeo Gaddi, Orcagna and Altichiero. The Early Renaissance style was started by Masaccio and then further developed by Fra Angelico, Paolo Uccello, Piero della Francesca, Sandro Botticelli, Verrocchio, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Giovanni Bellini. The High Renaissance period was that of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Andrea del Sarto, Coreggio, Giorgione, the latter works of Giovanni Bellini, and Titian. The Mannerist period, dealt with in a separate article, included the latter works of Michelangelo, as well as Pontormo, Parmigianino, Bronzino and Tintoretto.

Defendente Ferrari was an Italian painter who lived during the High Renaissance. He was born in either 1480 or 1485 in the town of Chieri, in the Piedmont region of Italy. Ferrari is best known for his religious paintings, which were heavily influenced by the works of Leonardo da Vinci. Ferrari's style was characterised by his use of light and shadow to create depth and realism in his paintings. He often used a technique known as sfumato, in which colours are blended together to create a soft, hazy effect. This technique was also used by Leonardo da Vinci in his famous painting, the Mona Lisa. Ferrari's most famous work is the altarpiece he painted for the church of San Giacomo Maggiore in Bologna. The painting, entitled Madonna and Child with Saints, depicts the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus surrounded by various saints. The painting is remarkable for its use of light and shadow to create a sense of depth and three-dimensionality. Despite his talent as a painter, Ferrari struggled for recognition during his lifetime. He lived in poverty for much of his life and died around 1540, leaving behind a relatively small body of work. However, his paintings continue to be admired for their beauty and technical skill, and he is remembered as an important figure in the history of Italian Renaissance art.