The Italian Renaissance was one of the shining jewels of human history. The Renaissance itself began in Tuscany, especially in Florence, in the late 13th century, although the great age of Italian Renaissance art was the 14th through 16th centuries. And by then the Renaissance was spreading to other parts of Europe. This post will be a very basic, broad overview of the origins of the Italian Renaissance and the role of religion in those origins.

The Italian Renaissance brings to mind the glorious religious art of the period, including Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper and Michelangelo’s exquisite Pietà and David, and of course the magnificent Sistine Chapel ceiling.