The Perfect Storm

The High Renaissance (c. 1490-1527) was impossibly brief — roughly three decades during which Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael all worked simultaneously, often in competition. The concentration of genius was extraordinary and arguably unrepeatable.

These three defined what art could achieve. Leonardo pursued mysterious atmosphere, Michelangelo sculpted superhuman power, and Raphael balanced harmony with warmth. Together, they set standards European art measured itself against for centuries.