Vittore Carpaccio - The Meditation on the Passion

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.

Vittore Carpaccio was an Italian Renaissance painter known for his vivid depictions of Venetian life and landscapes. He was born in Venice, where he studied under the painter Lazzaro Bastiani. Carpaccio's early works were mostly religious in nature, but he later became known for his secular scenes, particularly those depicting the daily life of Venetians. Carpaccio was influenced by the work of other Venetian painters such as Giovanni Bellini and Gentile Bellini. His style is characterised by the use of bright colours and attention to detail, particularly in the depiction of clothing and architecture. Carpaccio's most famous works include a series of paintings depicting the life of Saint Ursula and scenes from the life of Saint George. He also painted several portraits, including one of the Doge of Venice, Agostino Barbarigo. Carpaccio's work was a major influence on later Venetian painters, including Titian and Tintoretto. He died in Venice around 1525, but his legacy lives on in his vivid and detailed depictions of Venetian life.