Michelangelo is known as a painter, sculptor and architect, and writer of sonnets. Back in Florence in 1501 he began work on many sculptural and painterly projects most of which were left unfinished in 1505, when he was summoned to Rome to begin work on a sculpted tomb for Pope Julius II, a project that dogged him until 1545. From 1508 to 1512 he painted the vault of the Sistine Chapel with scenes from the Old Testament, from the Creation to the Story of Noah. Immediately celebrated, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, with its innumerable figures in complex, twisting poses and its exuberant use of colour, is the chief source of the Mannerist style.

Besides being a Polish astronomer, Nicolaus is most notable for his proposition of the heliocentric model of the universe and helpinf the Italian Renaissance. This theory, known as the ‘Copernican System’, now proven to be scientifically accurate with the use of modern technology, states that the sun and planets have a fixed point. It also states that the Earth is a planet that slowly turns each day on its own axis and annually orbits the sun. The Copernicus theory had a major impact on modern-day science. In fact, it initiated the Scientific Revolution!

Galileo is most known for his ideas and inventions. He hypothesized that a person could test theories by conducting experiments. This theory greatly contributed to the development of the Scientific method. He also made major refinements to the invention of the telescope (originally created by Hans Lippershey). Galilei’s improvements to the telescope made it possible for him to observe Jupiter moon and Venus’s phases. His refinements also allowed him to see that the sun was at the center of our galaxy, which was contrary to what most people believed during his time. This discovery led him to support the idea of heliocentrism.

Giordano was known for his theories of the infinite universe. He theorized that stars are distant from the sun. He states the universe has an infinite number of stars and inhabited planets. He was also in support of Heliocentrism arguing that the Earth Revolves around the Sun. His theories were recognized to be ahead-of-their-time!

Leonardo was famously known as one of the founding figures of the Renaissance. In fact, many viewed him as the epitome of a ‘Renaissance man’. His desire for learning and improving allowed him to explore many different subjects. Despite many of his talents and skills, he was most notable for his artistic abilities. His paintings ‘The Last Supper’ and the ‘Mona Lisa’ are the most influential of the Italian Renaissance!

Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was a Florentine diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian who lived during the Italian Renaissance. He is best known for his political treatise The Prince, written around 1513 but not published until 1532, five years after his death. The young Machiavelli became a diplomat after the temporary fall of Florence's ruling Medici family in 1494. He served in that position for 14 years in Italy's Florentine Republic during the Medici family's exile, during which time he earned a reputation for deviousness, enjoying shocking his associates by appearing more shameless than he truly was. After his involvement in an unsuccessful attempt to organize a Florentine militia against the return of the Medici family to power in 1512 became known, Machiavelli was tortured, jailed and banished from an active role in political life.

Donatello (Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi), born around 1386 in Florence and died there in 1466, was the leading sculptor of the early Renaissance, known for the powerful realism and emotional expression in his art. His early masterpieces include the marble Saint George made for Orsanmichele, the bronze Saint Louis of Toulouse at Basilica of Santa Croce, and the relief The Feast of Herod created for the Siena Baptistery. His work impressed contemporaries, including Giorgio Vasari, who praised the lifelike quality of Saint George. Donatello also introduced important artistic techniques such as rilievo schiacciato, which uses shallow carving and perspective to create depth, and figura serpentinata, a twisting pose that encourages viewers to move around the sculpture.

Sandro Botticelli, born Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi in Florence, was one of the most celebrated artists of the Italian Renaissance, known for graceful religious and mythological paintings such as Primavera, The Birth of Venus, and Venus and Mars. Originally apprenticed to the painter Fra Filippo Lippi after early training as a goldsmith, he established his own workshop by 1470 and gained strong support from the powerful Medici family. His reputation led to a commission from Pope Sixtus IV to paint frescoes in the Sistine Chapel in 1481. Botticelli’s most creative period occurred between 1478 and 1490, when he produced famous mythological works combining elegant lines with classical harmony. In his later years, however, political turmoil in Florence and the influence of the preacher Girolamo Savonarola led his art to become more religious and somber, as seen in Mystic Nativity, and after his death his reputation declined until it was rediscovered in the 19th century.

Artemisia Gentileschi was the most celebrated female painter of the 17th century, working in cities such as Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples, and London for powerful patrons including the Grand Duke of Tuscany and Philip IV of Spain. Born in Rome, she trained under her father, Orazio Gentileschi, and gained early recognition with her 1610 painting Susanna and the Elders. After a highly publicized 1612 trial in which the painter Agostino Tassi was convicted of raping her, Artemisia moved to Florence, married Pierantonio di Vincenzo Stiattesi, and became one of the first women admitted to the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno in 1616. She later returned to Rome, and from 1630 settled in Naples where she ran a successful studio, briefly visiting London in 1639 to assist her father with work at the Queen’s House; records show she was still alive in Naples in 1654.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini dominated the Roman art world of the seventeenth century, flourishing under the patronage of its cardinals and popes while also challenging contemporary artistic traditions. His sculptural and architectural projects reveal an innovative interpretation of subjects, use of forms, and combination of media. Forging a path for future artists, he played an instrumental role in establishing the dramatic and eloquent vocabulary of the Baroque style.