Jacopo Ligozzi - Allegory of Avarice

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.

Jacopo Ligozzi was an Italian painter, illustrator and naturalist who lived and worked in Florence during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. He was born in Verona in 1547 and trained in Florence under Giovanni Battista Zelotti and Giambologna. Ligozzi was known for his highly detailed and realistic botanical illustrations, commissioned by the Medici family and other wealthy patrons. He also painted religious and mythological scenes, as well as portraits and still lifes. In addition to his artistic pursuits, Ligozzi was a respected naturalist who collected and studied plants and animals. In 1577 he was appointed official court painter and naturalist to Grand Duke Ferdinando I de' Medici, a position he held for over 50 years. Ligozzi's work was highly influential in the development of botanical illustration and natural history during the Renaissance. His illustrations were widely circulated and used as models by other artists and scientists throughout Europe. Ligozzi died in Florence in 1627, leaving a legacy as one of the most important naturalists and illustrators of his time.