You've almost certainly seen the two angels in our cover image before. They originally form the lower edge of Raphael's Sistine Madonna (1512/13; Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden), but since around 1800 they have been reproduced separately and repeatedly, and are now considered one of the most copied images of all time. Therefore, they deserve mention in this article. However, here are 6 works by Italian painters that have truly become global icons.
Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa
The first painting on this list is not only an icon of Italian painting, but arguably the most famous painting in the world: Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic Mona Lisa. It is the only work listed here that is not exhibited in Italy, but in France. Contrary to popular belief, however, it was not taken across the Alps by Napoleon, but brought there by Leonardo himself when he accepted Francis I's invitation in 1516 to spend his retirement in his kingdom. Leonardo was reluctant to part with the Mona Lisa shortly before his death, but he eventually sold the painting to Francis I. Besides Mona Lisa's mysterious smile, it is primarily the identity of the lady depicted in sfumato that is debated. The most likely theory is that the painting features Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a Florentine merchant. However, the Mona Lisa only became truly famous after its theft in 1911, during which Pablo Picasso was even briefly suspected.
See also: The Incredible 1911 Theft of the Mona Lisa
Michelangelo Buonarroti, The Creation of Adam
Removing the next painting on this list from Italy would be an extremely difficult undertaking, as it is located over 67 feet high, directly on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Adding to the challenge is the sheer size of the fresco, measuring about 9 feet by 18 feet. In 1508, Michelangelo was commissioned to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which was built in 1483. He finished in 1512 and presented his work, with The Creation of Adam as one of its central motifs. The painting depicts the still-powerless Adam about to receive the breath of life from the approaching God the Father through the touch of his index finger. However, the ceiling was not the only time Michelangelo was called to the Sistine Chapel. Twenty years later, he was commissioned to paint the wall above the altar. After using scenes from Genesis for the ceiling, he now turned to the other end of the Bible with the depiction of the Last Judgment.
See also: Masterpieces of the Sistine Chapel: The World-Famous Frescoes
Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus
The biggest crowd-pleaser in Florence's Uffizi Gallery, which is filled with masterpieces, is Sandro Botticelli's most famous painting: The Birth of Venus, completed around 1485 or 1486. By this time, Botticelli had already counted the powerful Medici family among his most important clients for ten years. The Birth of Venus was probably commissioned by Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici, who used it to decorate his country estate, the Villa di Castello, not far from Florence. The depiction of the goddess arriving on a beach in a seashell refers to Venus' Greek name, Aphrodite, which means "foam-born," as well as to a painting by the ancient artist Apelles, which was entitled Venus Anadyomene ("Venus emerging from the sea"). The (posthumous) model is said to have been Simonetta Vespucci, who died in 1476 and was considered the most beautiful woman in Florence. She was possibly the lover of Giuliano di Piero de' Medici, who was murdered in 1478.
See also: Sandro Botticelli: The Apelles of Florence
Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper
As Italy's most famous artist, Leonardo da Vinci is represented twice on this list. The Last Supper is an example of secco painting, which, unlike fresco, is executed on dry plaster. This masterpiece is located in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan and was completed in 1497 after two years of work. It was likely another commission from Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, at whose court Leonardo had been living and working for over ten years. The painting depicts the moment of the Last Supper after Christ announces the impending betrayal by one of his disciples, which throws them into a state of extreme agitation. Leonardo enthusiast Francis I wanted to own this work as well and have it brought to France, but he had to settle for a tapestry version.
See also: Leonardo da Vinci: Universal Genius
Raphael, The School of Athens
With another fresco, we return to the Vatican. When Michelangelo began painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1508, his colleague and rival, Raphael, was commissioned to decorate the walls of the apartments (stanze) of Pope Julius II in the Apostolic Palace. The "Raphael Rooms" comprise four rooms adorned with large-scale murals by the artist and his assistants. The most famous of these frescoes is located in the Stanza della Segnatura ("Hall of Signatures"): The School of Athens. This 25-foot-wide painting depicts the great thinkers of antiquity, with Plato and Aristotle at its center. Raphael, who depicted himself on the right side of the painting, looking directly at the viewer, gave the painting's figures some of the features of his contemporaries, including his great role model Leonardo da Vinci as Plato and the eccentric Michelangelo Buonarroti as Heraclitus. The work in the Stanza della Segnatura was completed in 1511 and delighted Julius II. After his death in 1513, his successor, Leo X, had the Stanze project continued. After Raphael's death in 1520, it was carried out by his assistants.
Titian, Venus of Urbino
With this last painting, we revisit the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, where Botticelli's Venus is not the only Venus that captures the attention of visitors. The painter of this reclining nude beauty, whose servants rummage through chests of clothes in the background, was Titian. He based the depiction on his teacher Giorgione's Sleeping Venus from 1510 (Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden), which Titian completed after Giorgione's death. Though it is not clear if Guidobaldo II della Rovere, Duke of Urbino, commissioned the painting in 1538, he was its first owner, having acquired it directly from the artist. This is how the painting later became known as the Venus of Urbino. The sitter, possibly the Venetian courtesan Angela Zaffetta, also modeled for other works by Titian, including La Bella (1536; Palazzo Pitti, Florence) and Young Woman with a Feathered Hat (c. 1536, Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg). In 1863, Édouard Manet used Titian's Venus as inspiration for his scandalous work Olympia .
