Two of the most famous artworks in history were painted during the Renaissance: the Mona Lisa (c. 1503β19) and the Last Supper (c. 1495β98), both executed by Leonardo da Vinci, which show an interest not only in representing the human figure realistically but also in imbuing it with character through expression, gesture, and posture. Other famous artworks include Michelangeloβs sculpture of David (1501β04) and his paintings for the Sistine Chapel (ceiling, 1508β12; The Last Judgment, 1536β41), in which the artist pushed the accurate representation of human anatomy to challenging extremes with complicated elegant poses. Raphaelβs School of Athens (c. 1508β11) celebrates the intellectual by populating a deep hall, skillfully executed using the recently codified linear perspective, with notable Western thinkers. Donatelloβs David (early 15th century) recalls Classical sculpture through the use of contrapposto, wherein the figure stands naturally with the weight on one leg. Albrecht DΓΌrer exemplifies the Northern European interest in meticulous detail in his Self-Portrait (1500), while Titianβs Venus of Urbino (1538) illustrates the Venetian interest in representing soft light and vibrant color.
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