Painted On Stone, Exhibition, National Prado Museum, Madrid: 17 April-5 August 2018

Renaissance art emerged as a distinct artistic style in around 1400, in parallel with contemporary developments in philosophy, literature, music and science. It is perceived of the noblest of artistic traditions, marking the transition from the medieval period to the Early Modern age, and can be roughly divided into four periods: the Proto-Renaissance (1300-1400), the Early Renaissance (1400-1475), the High Renaissance (1475-1525), and Mannerism (1525-1600).

The Prado Museum displays a select few paintings by Italian Renaissance masters from the Venetian school: Sebastiano del Piombo, Titan and the Bassano family. The paintings, rendered on the unusual medium of slate or white marble, are extremely fragile and clearly reflect the influence of Platonic and Humanist philosophy which was popular in the High Renaissance period. Figures from Classical mythology are granted a new symbolic role, with the introduction of abstract, mystical elements, and humans are depicted as the centre of the natural universe, focussing on their individual relationship with God.

This exhibition is the result of a multi-disciplinary in depth study (art history, natural history, geology and archaeology), and epitomises the artistic and aesthetic shifts that came about in the early 16th century.

National Prado Museum Madrid

Paseo del Prado, s/n, Madrid 28014

Opening hours

Monday-Saturday,10.00-20.00

Sundays and holidays, 10.00-19.00