Art History Timeline
From the Renaissance to today — follow how art has changed, through its defining artists and works.
Last updated 2026-07-17
Renaissance
The turning point when the gaze of art shifted from God to humans
With the introduction of perspective and anatomy, two-dimensional religious paintings were transformed into three-dimensional and realistic scenes. Humanism, observing humans and nature, became the basis of Renaissance art.
Defining works of this movement — where to see them
Mona LisaLeonardo da VinciCollection: Louvre Museum · Paris
School of AthensRaphaelCollection: Vatican Museums · Vatican
Birth of VenusSandro BotticelliCollection: Uffizi Gallery · Florence
Mannerism
Uneasy elegance that deliberately distorts perfect proportions
They intentionally deviated from the Renaissance balance by elongating the human body and using artificial colors. It is characterized by exaggerated composition and tension.
Defining works of this movement — where to see them
Burial of Count OrgasEl GrecoCollection: Santo Tome Church · Toledo
Virgin with a long neckParmigianinoCollection: Uffizi Gallery · Florence
Baroque
Move emotions through dramatic contrast between light and darkness
The strong contrast between light and dark and dynamic composition brought out the viewer’s emotions. Chiaroscuro and capturing dramatic moments were the language of the Baroque.
Defining works of this movement — where to see them
Night ViewRembrandtCollection: Rijksmuseum Amsterdam · Amsterdam
Girl With Pearl EarringsJohannes VermeerCollection: Mauritzhuis Art Museum · The Hague
The Calling of St. MatthewCaravaggioCollection: Church of San Luigi dei Francesi · Rome
Rococo
A cheerful decoration full of aristocratic play and romance.
Pastel shades, curves, and light themes capture the elegance and playfulness of aristocratic society. The weight of the Baroque was reduced and decoration was put first.
Defining works of this movement — where to see them
SwingJean Honoré FragonardCollection: Wallis Collection · London
Madame PompadourFrançois BoucherCollection: Alte Pinacotheque · Munich
Neoclassicism
The revival of antiquity, a return to reason and moderation
Against the backdrop of the Enlightenment, the order and moral solemnity of ancient Greece and Rome were revived. We pursued clear outlines and understated composition.
Defining works of this movement — where to see them
Death of MaraJacques Louis DavidCollection: Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium · Brussels
Grande OdalisqueJean Auguste Dominique IngresCollection: Louvre Museum · Paris
Romanticism
A drama of emotion and sublimity against reason
In opposition to reason-centered neoclassicism, it brought to the fore the sublimity of emotion, imagination, and nature. The inner self of humans was revealed through passionate colors and dramatic scenes.
Defining works of this movement — where to see them
Goddess of Liberty leading the peopleEugene DelacroixCollection: Louvre Museum · Paris
May 3, 1808Francisco GoyaCollection: Prado Museum · Madrid
Wanderer above the sea of fogCaspar David FriedrichCollection: Hamburg Art Museum · Hamburg
Realism
Refuse idealization and accept reality as it is.
Instead of heroes or myths, he depicted the daily lives of farmers and workers. The attitude of facing reality without glorification has social implications.
Defining works of this movement — where to see them
GleanersJean-François MilletCollection: Orsay Museum · Paris
Burial in OrnansGustave CourbetCollection: Orsay Museum · Paris
Impressionism
Capturing the light and color of moments outdoors
The moment of light and color changing outside the studio was captured with quick brush strokes. It was an innovation that prioritized the impression of light over outlines.
Defining works of this movement — where to see them
Hike, SunriseClaude MonetCollection: Marmottan Monet Museum · Paris
Ball at the Moulin de la GaletteAuguste RenoirCollection: Orsay Museum · Paris
AbsintheEdgar DegasCollection: Orsay Museum · Paris
Symbolism
Draw your inner self and dreams beyond what you see
Instead of representing reality, dreams, myths, and emotions were implied. The inner landscape, such as anxiety and desire, was revealed as a symbol.
Defining works of this movement — where to see them
Post-Impressionism
Beyond impressionism, into structure, emotion, and symbolism
Overcoming the light of Impressionism, each person went down a different path. Cézanne pursued the structure of form, Van Gogh pursued emotion, and Gauguin pursued symbolism.
Defining works of this movement — where to see them
Starry NightVincent van GoghCollection: New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) · New York
People Playing CardsPaul CezanneCollection: Orsay Museum · Paris
Where Do We Come FromPaul GauguinCollection: Boston Museum of Fine Arts · Boston
Expressionism / Fauvism
Express your emotions with intense colors and distortions
Rather than moving the subject as is, he directly expressed his inner emotions through intense color and distortion. The color liberation of Fauvism and the passion of Expressionism go hand in hand.
Defining works of this movement — where to see them
Cubism
Break one viewpoint and disassemble the object
The object was viewed simultaneously from multiple perspectives, disassembled into pieces, and reassembled. It was a visual innovation that destroyed the single perspective. (Publication of images of works from the 20th century is restricted due to copyright.)
Surrealism
Translating unconsciousness and dreams onto canvas
Going beyond logic, he juxtaposed images of the unconscious, dreams, and desires. We explored beyond reality with automatic technology and unfamiliar combinations. (Image posting of modern works is restricted due to copyright.)
Abstract Expressionism
Post-war New York, pure abstraction on huge canvas
I abandoned concrete shapes and filled the screen with gestures and color fields. Pollock's actions and Rothko's color field moved the center of art to New York. (Image posting of modern works is restricted due to copyright.)
Pop Art
Bringing popular culture and consumer goods into art
By putting advertisements, comics, and consumer goods on the screen, the boundaries between high and low quality were erased. It was a transition that turned popular culture into the language of art. (Image posting of modern works is restricted due to copyright.)
Contemporary Art
An era of pluralism where media and boundaries are endlessly expanded.
The definition of art itself has broadened, with the division into minimal, conceptual, new expression, and street art. The boundaries between media, including installation, performance, and digital, have disappeared. (Image posting of modern works is restricted due to copyright.)
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