From the 14th through 17 century, Italy underwent an unprecedented age of enlightenment. Known as the Renaissance—a term derived from the Italian word Rinascimento, or “rebirth”—this period saw increased attention to cultural subjects like art and architecture.

Italian Renaissance artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael found inspiration in classical art from Ancient Rome and Greece, adopting ancient interests like balance, naturalism, and perspective. In Renaissance-era Italy, this antiquity-inspired approach materialized as humanist portrait painting, anatomically correct sculpture, and harmonious, symmetrical architecture ("13 Revolutionary Art Movements That Have Shaped Our Visual History").

The main principle of Renaissance art is unity. There was a strong use of mathematical perspective, accurate proportions, lifelike details and realistic shading that added to this unity. The popular themes and subject matter were religious as well as Greek and Roman myths, and real emotions shown in day to day life ("Art styles").

Toward the end of the Renaissance, the Baroque movement emerged in Italy. Like the preceding genre, Baroque art showcased artistic interests in realism and rich color. Unlike Renaissance art and architecture, however, Baroque works also emphasized extravagance. ("13 Revolutionary Art Movements That Have Shaped Our Visual History").

In 1527 Europe, religious dominance controlled societies artistic output. At the time, a backlash against the conservative Protestant Reformation was initiated by the Catholic Church to re-establish its importance within society ("Baroque Art And Architecture Movement Overview") "Baroque disseminated throughout Europe, primarily led by the Pope in Rome and Catholic rulers in Italy, France, Spain, and Flanders. It was further disseminated by powerful religious orders through their extensive network of monasteries and convents. The style spread rapidly to France, northern Italy, Spain and Portugal, then to Austria and southern Germany"("Baroque Art And Architecture Movement Overview").

Stylistically, Baroque was recognized as elegant and magnificence. This opulence is evident in Baroque painting, sculpture, and architecture. Painters like Caravaggio suggested drama through their treatment of light and depiction of movement. Sculptors like Bernini achieved a sense of theatricality through dynamic contours and intricate drapery. And architects across Europe embellished their designs with ornamentation ranging from intricate carvings to imposing columns ("13 Revolutionary Art Movements That Have Shaped Our Visual History").

Other major developments at the time were the telescope and microphone ("Art styles").

Realism is a genre of art that started in France after the French Revolution of 1848. A clear rejection of Romanticism, the dominant style that had come before it, Realist painters focused on scenes of contemporary people and daily life. What may seem normal now was revolutionary after centuries of painters depicting exotic scenes from mythology and the Bible, or creating portraits of the nobility and clergy.

French artists like Gustave Courbet and Honoré Daumier, as well as international artists like James Abbott McNeill Whistler, focused on all social classes in their artwork, giving voice to poorer members of society for the first time and depicting social issues stemming from the Industrial Revolution. Photography was also an influence on this type of art, pushing painters to produce realistic representations in competition with this new technology ("13 Revolutionary Art Movements That Have Shaped Our Visual History").