Quattrocento

The cultural and artistic events of 15th century Italy are collectively referred to as the Quattrocento (from the Italian for 400, or from "mille quattrocento," 1400). Quattrocento encompasses the artistic styles of the late Middle Ages (most notably International Gothic) and the early Renaissance.

Development of Quattrocento styles

Quattrocentro art sheds the decorative mosaics (typically associated with Byzantine art along with the Christian and Gothic media of stained glass, frescoes, illuminated manuscripts, and sculpture). Quattrocento artists and sculptors incorporated the more classic forms developed by Roman and Greek sculptors.

Historical context

After the Western decline of the Roman Empire in 476, economic disorder and disruption of trade spread across Europe, beginning what came to be known as the Dark Ages. The Dark Ages lasted until the 11th century, when trade picked up and the papacy regained its authority.

The European continent slowly evolved from small, highly unstable fiefdoms into larger nation-states ruled by monarchies, thereby providing greater stability. Money replaced land as the medium of exchange, and increasing numbers of serfs became freedmen. The decline of feudalism paved the way for social, cultural, and economic changes.

Importance of Quattrocento

Since the Renassiance developed during the 1400s, Quattrocento lay at the forefront of what was to become a scientific, cultural, social, and economic revolution.

List of Italian Quattrocento artists

Since the Quattrocento overlaps with part of the Renaissance movement, it would be inaccurate to say that a particular artist was Ouattrocento or Renaissance. Artists of the time probably would not have identified themselves as members of a movement.

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Development of Quattrocento styles

Historical context

Importance of Quattrocento

List of Italian Quattrocento artists

See also