Art appreciation is the knowledge and understanding of the universal and timeless qualities that identify all great art. The more you appreciate and understand the art of different eras, movements, styles and techniques, the better you can develop, evaluate and improve your own artwork.
Art movements are convenient terms for classifying artists of a certain period or style. They are simply historical titles which are usually dubbed retrospectively by art critics or historians and their titles are often witty or sarcastic nicknames pulled from a review.
The Italian Renaissance was a 'rebirth' of Classical values in art, literature and philosophy. It was a period of artistic development in Western Art that stretched from the revival of Naturalism in the art of Giotto at the end of the 13th century to the expressive forms of Mannerism in the art of Michelangelo at the start of the 16th century.
Art history timelines help you to more fully appreciate the work of any artist or art movement by understanding its position in the history of art. As most new artwork is a reaction against or development of a previous style in the timeline, it is enlightening to know the artistic context in which it was created..