Roman Renaissance

The Renaissance in Rome was a special time from the mid-15th to the mid-16th centuries. During this time, amazing artists like Michelangelo and Raphael created wonderful paintings and sculptures that changed art forever. People loved old Roman ideas and buildings, and this inspired artists to make beautiful works.

In 1420, Pope Martin V brought the papal seat back to Rome after a long time away. He worked to fix old churches, palaces, bridges, and other important places. He brought talented artists from Florence to help, and this began the Roman Renaissance.

For a long time, Roman art learned from artists in places like Florence. But as popes and rich church leaders spent more money, many artists moved to Rome, making it a busy place for creating beautiful art.

Historical background

The 1300s were a hard time for Rome because the popes were not there. Life was tough for the people who stayed. When Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome in 1377, the city was messy and unsafe. There were big fights between rich families and regular people. After many years of trouble, Pope Martin V from the Colonna family helped bring peace and start to fix the city. This helped Rome grow and become important again.

Martin V (1417–1431)

Pope Martin V was born in Genazzano in 1368. He studied at the University of Perugia and later became an important church leader. In 1417, he was chosen to be pope and took the name Martin V. He traveled to Rome in 1420 after being invited by many leaders.

Martin V started many building projects in Rome. He helped fix and decorate important churches, like the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran. Artists such as Donatello and Brunelleschi visited Rome during this time, bringing new ideas from classical art. One famous artist, Masaccio, also came to Rome and created paintings that showed a fresh, new style.

Eugene IV (1431–1447)

Eugenius IV, born in Venice in 1388, came from a wealthy family and was the nephew of Pope Gregory XII. He became pope in 1431. His time as pope was hard, and in 1434, he had to leave Rome because of a revolution. He found safety in Ostia with help from the Florentines and stayed at the Dominican convent of Santa Maria Novella.

While he was in Florence, a place known for learning and art, Pope Eugene IV blessed the Florence Cathedral. Later, he went back to Rome and asked the Florentine artist Filarete to make bronze doors for the Old St. Peter's Basilica. These doors were finished in 1445. Artists like Leon Battista Alberti and Beato Angelico helped grow Rome's art, mixing different styles to create what is called "Roman" art.

Nicholas V (1447–1455)

With the help of Pope Nicholas V, the artist Alberti started big building projects to make Rome grand again. They wanted to fix walls, improve important churches, and make places like the Borgo district better. They also planned to enlarge Old St. Peter's Basilica and repair the Apostolic Palace. The idea was to show the Church's strength and link it to ancient Roman times.

Though Pope Nicholas V’s time was short, his plans brought many artists to Rome. They looked at old ruins and made lovely works together. One well-known building is Palazzo Venezia, which blends old Roman styles with new ideas. Artists such as Fra Angelico painted beautiful pictures in the Pope’s private chapel, mixing old and new styles in their art.

Sixtus IV (1471–1484)

Pope Sixtus IV started the Vatican Library and gave it to an artist named Melozzo da Forlì. Melozzo painted a famous picture called Pope Sixtus IV Appoints Platina as Prefect of the Vatican Library. It shows the pope with his family in grand, ancient-style buildings.

The Sistine Chapel is named after Pope Sixtus IV. He restored an older chapel between 1477 and 1480. Artists from nearby areas were supposed to decorate it. But Lorenzo de' Medici helped bring top artists from Florence. These artists were Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Cosimo Roselli. They painted scenes from the lives of Moses and Christ. They also added portraits of popes and fancy painted curtains. The work began in 1481 and finished in 1482. The Sistine Chapel became very important for the church and a great example of Renaissance art.

Alexander VI (1492–1503)

The late 1400s were shaped by Pope Alexander VI from the Borgia family of Spain. He worked to protect Rome by turning the Mausoleum of Hadrian into a strong fortress and building walls to guard against sea attacks. He made a grand road, now called Via della Conciliazione, leading to St. Peter's.

He loved art and science, and during his time, new architectural styles began in Rome. Famous artists like Raphael, Michelangelo, and Pinturicchio created wonderful works. Alexander asked Pinturicchio to decorate rooms in the Vatican, now known as the Borgia Apartments.

Because of him, many new buildings were made. For example, Bramante designed the Tempietto di San Pietro in Montorio for Ferdinand II of Aragon. He also built the Palazzo della Cancelleria for Cardinal Raffaele Riario. In 1500, important churches like Santa Maria dell'Anima for Germans, Trinità dei Monti for the French, and Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli for Spaniards were started. Alexander also helped decorate the ceiling of Santa Maria Maggiore with gold that came from America with Columbus.

Julius II (1503–1513)

Main article: Art patronage of Julius II

In 1503, Julius II became the pope after Pope Pius III. He was a strong leader who helped Italy stay independent from France. He loved art and helped many famous artists. During his time, artists like Bramante, Raphael, and Michelangelo created some of their most famous works. Julius II started building the Basilica of St. Peter in 1506 and connected the Vatican Palace to the Villa Belvedere. His love for art can be seen in many places, like the wonderful paintings by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and the rooms painted by Raphael in the Apostolic Palace. He also built beautiful streets and a famous statue of Moses for his tomb in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli.

Leo X 1513-1521

The Medici Pope Leo X loved and supported the arts and sciences. He helped make Rome a important place for culture in Europe. He built San Giovanni dei Fiorentini on the Via Giulia using designs by Jacopo Sansovino. He also worked on rebuilding St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican with artists like Raphael and Agostino Chigi.

He encouraged painting a lot. Raphael grew under his support. An ambassador wrote that the pope let Raphael handle art matters. Raphael finished decorating the Stanze that he started under Julius II, and even included Pope Leo X in some scenes. He also made the Raphael Cartoons for tapestries in the Sistine Chapel, showing stories from the lives of Saints Peter and Paul. Some famous paintings from this time are the Sistine Madonna and the Transfiguration.

Sculpture was not as popular then, but Michelangelo worked on a marble front for the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence but did not finish it. The big challenge was building the new St. Peter's Basilica. Bramante was the main architect until he died in 1514. Raphael took over, but little was done in his six years because of lack of money.

Pope Leo X used money saved by his predecessor, Julius II. He sold special permissions called indulgences to help pay for these projects. This later helped cause the Protestant Reformation. After Leo X, Pope Adrian VI was pope for a short time, followed by Leo's cousin, Pope Clement VII, who began his rule in 1523.

After the Sack of 1527

The Sack of Rome in 1527 was a sudden event that ended the Roman High Renaissance. Soldiers of the Emperor Charles V attacked the city. Many artists lost their lives, and others moved away. Those who stayed behind were left with fewer supporters in the Curia.

When art started to grow again, it looked different. This new style was called Mannerist. Some artists later went back to simpler, more natural styles. This change was partly because of the Counter-Reformation.

By the end of the century, Rome became an important place for art once more. This marked the start of the Baroque period.