Style Guide: Renaissance
The Renaissance style was inspired by the art and architecture of ancient Rome. It originated in Italy in the 14th century and gradually spread across the whole of Europe. …
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Room 64: Renaissance Art & Ideas 1400–1550
The Wolfson Gallery explores Renaissance ideas and beliefs, particulary the interest in antiquity and classical precedents, together with the creative process of the artist…
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Room 64a: Donatello & the Making of Art 1400–1500
The Robert H. Smith Gallery holds The V&A's exceptional collection of sculptures by Donatello, the most important and influential sculptor of 15th-century Italy.
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Room 50: The Renaissance City 1350–1600
The Paul and Jill Ruddock Gallery holds large-scale works, once part of impressive Renaissance buildings, are displayed in the context of the cityscape. At its heart is the…
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Italian Renaissance villas and gardens
In the 14th century, the Italian villa was a large country house, often fortified, that stood at the heart of an agricultural estate. Some of these houses became increasing…
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Donatello and Florence
Donatello was born and died in Florence, and was a favourite of Cosimo de' Medici (1389–1464), a member of the family that, in effect, ruled the Republic of Florence. Artis…
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The Ascension Relief by Donatello, 1428-30
Donatello is regarded as one of the greatest sculptors of the 1400s and this marble panel is one of the finest surviving examples of his innovative work in extremely low re…
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Cosimo I de' Medici: Renaissance patron
Cosimo I de’ Medici (1519–74) was Duke of Florence between 1537 and his death. The de’ Medicis were renowned for their patronage of the arts, and Cosimo I continued this tr…
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Renaissance music 1400–1600
The recordings you can listen to on this page are featured throughout the Museum's Medieval & Renaissance galleries and complement significant objects in the collection. Th…
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Renaissance preachers
During the Italian Renaissance, charismatic preachers spoke not only about spiritual matters but also about the social, political, moral and economic issues of the day. The…
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Leonardo da Vinci: Experience, Experiment, Design
The V&A has in its collections five of Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks. They reveal how he thought on paper and contain some of his most complex and challenging designs.
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Renaissance women at leisure
Women from wealthy Renaissance families had a range of leisure pursuits available to them, including hunting, gaming and needlecraft.
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Medieval & Renaissance hunting
Hunting in the medieval period was a sport exclusive to royalty and the aristocracy, and was more than a pastime. The elaborate rituals of the hunt were an integral part of…
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At Home in Renaissance Italy
This beautifully illustrated book is the first to look so comprehensively at the role of the urban Italian house in the development of Renaissance art…
Buy nowEvent - Introducing Masterpieces of Italian Renaissance Maiolica
Sat 13 April 2013 14:00
SEMINAR: The V&A has the world’s greatest collection of Renaissance maiolica. Learn about the innovative production techniques and extraordinary painted decorations of maiolica.
