Half-Length Study of a Man Standing in Frontal View, Leaning on Armor and Accompanied by a Boy

Italian Renaissance painting is most often be divided into four periods: the Proto-Renaissance (1300–1425), the Early Renaissance (1425–1495), the High Renaissance (1495–1520), and Mannerism (1520–1600). The city of Florence is renowned as the birthplace of the Renaissance, and in particular of Renaissance painting. From the early 15th to late 16th centuries, Italy was divided into many political states. The painters of Renaissance Italy wandered Italy, disseminating artistic and philosophical ideas. The Proto-Renaissance begins with the professional life of the painter Giotto and includes Taddeo Gaddi, Orcagna and Altichiero. The Early Renaissance style was started by Masaccio and then further developed by Fra Angelico, Paolo Uccello, Piero della Francesca, Sandro Botticelli, Verrocchio, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Giovanni Bellini. The High Renaissance period was that of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Andrea del Sarto, Coreggio, Giorgione, the latter works of Giovanni Bellini, and Titian. The Mannerist period, dealt with in a separate article, included the latter works of Michelangelo, as well as Pontormo, Parmigianino, Bronzino and Tintoretto.

Federico Zuccaro (1540-1609) was an Italian painter and architect of the late Renaissance. He was born in Sant'Angelo in Vado, near Urbino, and trained in Rome under his older brother Taddeo Zuccaro. Federico Zuccaro is best known for his frescoes, which adorn many churches and palaces in Rome and other Italian cities. His most famous work is the dome of the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle in Rome, which he painted with scenes from the life of St Andrew. In addition to his work as a painter, Zuccaro was also an accomplished architect. He designed several buildings in Rome, including the Palazzo Zuccaro, which served as his home and studio. Zuccaro was a prominent figure in the artistic circles of late Renaissance Rome. He was a member of the Accademia di San Luca, a prestigious organisation for artists and architects, and was also a friend and collaborator of many of the leading artists of his time, including Michelangelo. Zuccaro died in Rome in 1609, and his legacy as one of the great painters and architects of the late Renaissance is still celebrated today.