Italy, of course, is a country rich in cultural and artistic heritage. The land of the Renaissance and of countless religious and aristocratic painters, it’s home to more than enough exceptional artwork to fill dozens of books and keep you busy with a lifetime of sightseeing. If you’re planning to visit famous Italians art sites, Michelangelo’s David, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and Raphael’s School of Athens may already be on your list – but here are some more beautiful works that you won’t want to miss out on.
1. Assumption of the Virgin, Titian
Gracing the altar of the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Venice, this painting is one that marks Titian’s unique take on the Renaissance, completed between 1515 and 1518. A painting full of drama and depth that is contrasted with the artist’s use of striking color, it captures the Virgin Mary’s astonishment as she ascends towards the clouds. The basilica itself is a work of art as well, as surely worth seeing along with the altarpiece.
2. Veiled Christ, Giuseppe Sanmartino
Exhibited at the Cappella Sansevero in Naples, this carving of Christ depicts Him after His death. It’s not for nothing that the statue was rumored for decades to have been created using alchemy; the carving of Jesus’s frail body and face through the delicate-looking veil of marble seems like an act of magic. The haunting realism of the piece only heightens its impact. Sanmartino completed the carving in 1753l
3. La Tempesta, Giorgione
On display at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, La Tempesta has been mystifying art historians and casual viewers alike for centuries. It depicts a simple scene, featuring a woman nursing her child on the right and a man holding a staff on the left, while a storm brews between them in the background. Despite the looming clouds, the atmosphere is one of relative calm. The painting is an enigmatic standout among the many beautiful works at the Gallerie dell’Accademia.
4. Lamentation, Giotto
Giotto was a pre-Renaissance painter, but his work is hardly less remarkable than that of the movement at its height. In few works is his mastery more evident than in the Lamentation, depicting the mourning of Christ’s death and pictured on the wall of the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua. While more simplistic in its figuration and pale in its color scheme than many later works, Giotto’s expression is unmatched – the emotion of his figures comes through in their gestures, as even the angels above are overcome by grief.
5. The Annunciation, Fra Angelico
Painted on the wall of the Dominican San Marco monastery in Florence, this work is stunning for its elegant use of architectural curves and the humble depiction of its figures. Painted between 1440 and 1445, the work is an early Renaissance landmark, and helped to usher in a new era of depth and structural composition in painting.
6. Crucifixion of Saint Peter, Caravaggio
One of Caravaggio’s standouts, the Crucifixion of Saint Peter adorns the Santa Mario del Popolo in Rome. With a groundbreaking composition that places Saint Peter slantwise and upside down on his cross, Caravaggio applies his signature chiaroscuro for maximum dramatic effect. The effort of the soldiers supporting the cross and the sorrow of Saint Peter comes through lucidly.
7. Primavera, Sandro Botticelli
The Primavera is a veritable feast of symbolism; depicting various figures of Greek mythology, it’s often thought to be a celebration of the fertility that comes with spring. A figure of Venus stands in the middle, with the Three Graces and Mercury to her left, and the gods Zephyr, Chloris, and Flora to her right. Cupid flies above her, aiming his bow. Done in Boticelli’s classic soft-figured style, with diaphanous fabrics and lush, intricate foliage, it depicts the season in all its fragility and power.
8. Laocoön and His Sons, unknown
A hallmark of drama in classical statuary, Laocoön and His Sons depicts the myth of the Trojan priest and his two sons, being strangled by sea serpents for attempting to warn the city that the infamous Trojan horse was a trap. Excavated in Rome in 1506, its exact date and author are unknown, and estimates range from 200 B.C. to 70 A.D.Despite some missing limbs, the work remains both terribly anguished and elegantly balanced; it is now displayed at the Vatican Museums in Vatican City.
9. Pietà, Michelangelo
The pietà pose, which places the dead Christ on the Virgin Mary’s lap, is a classic depiction in Renaissance artwork. Michelangelo’s attempt at the pose is, of course, on of the more remarkable. With unmatchable geometric construction that places the figures together in a natural manner, and a depiction of Mary that emphasizes her youthfulness and tender sorrow, this scuplture’s fame is well-earned. It can be seen now in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.