Renaissance Sculpture

The Renaissance was a cultural awakening in Europe in the 15th and 16th Centuries. One of the most noticeable parts of the Renaissance was the flowering of art. Many artists took their inspiration from Greek and Roman artistic styles. Sculpture was a big part of this. Some of the world’s most famous statues come from this period. Perhaps the most famous is Michelangelo's David which uses Greek style of sculpture to create a religious sculpture. Literally thousands of new sculptures were created in Italy alone.

Most of them had Christian themes but many harkened back to Greek mythology. These sculptures decorated churches and the homes of the wealthy. Another popular subject of sculpture during this period were statues of the rich and powerful. Most political and religious leaders of note had both paintings and sculptures made of them. Rich merchants also paid to have busts made of them. Many sculptures from the Renaissance period are now in museums.