The High RenaissanceThe High Renaissance

The essential feature of The essential feature of High Renaissance art was its High Renaissance art was its unity. Paintings invoked unity. Paintings invoked increasing dramatic force increasing dramatic force with the human forms with the human forms becoming so life-like, they becoming so life-like, they almost seemed to be almost seemed to be breathing. Three artists breathing. Three artists whose work dominated this whose work dominated this period were period were MichelangeloMichelangelo, , RaphaelRaphael, and , and Leonardo da Leonardo da VinciVinci. .

The High Renaissance: The High Renaissance: Michelangelo as Sculptor Michelangelo as Sculptor

Michelangelo (c. 1501-1504) Michelangelo (c. 1501-1504) preferred the chisel to the paint preferred the chisel to the paint brush and he has left us with such brush and he has left us with such astounding sculptures as astounding sculptures as DavidDavid and the and the PietaPieta..

The High Renaissance: The High Renaissance: Michelangelo as Painter Michelangelo as Painter

Through the insistence Through the insistence of Pope Julian II, of Pope Julian II, however, Michelangelo however, Michelangelo set the chisel aside for a set the chisel aside for a time and conceived the time and conceived the world's greatest single world's greatest single fresco in the walls and fresco in the walls and ceiling of the Sistine ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Chapel.