"Every age projects its own images into its art" The time period known as the "Early Renaissance" is known for drastic advancements in art in terms of perspective, the use of color and light, techniques, and mediums. One of the many unique qualities was known as "chiaroscuro" meaning dark and light or black and white; it refers to the shading used in paintings. This technique aided in the artists' ability to increase the accuracy in their paintings, making them look more realistic and 3 dimensional. New and innovative ideas in architecture and sculpture were also formed. The Early Renaissance was only the beginning of this artistic transformation however. As the Renaissance grew and improved, the art did as well. Artists learned from one another and developed the ideas of their predecessors further as time went on. The pagan scenes, geometrical symmetry, and colors that characterized Renaissance art stood in stark contrast to the strictly religious, duller artwork of the Middle Ages. During the Middle Ages, almost all artwork had a religious theme as it was created to praise God and not for individual glorification. They payed no respects to the artist, and the only institution that had time or money to create artwork was the Church. As a result, in the Middle Ages, artists were not given credit for their work and there was no artwork depicting the human body or any person that was not found in the Bible. When the Renaissance came about, the human form was deeply studied and contemplated. Art of the Renaissance was very similar to artwork created in classical Rome and Greece. The artwork made during the Early Renaissance however, sophisticated classical ideas even further. Statues and paintings of humans in the nude were popular subjects and artwork was also commissioned by businesses and later commissioned by wealthy families. One family that was very well known for their wealth and patronage of the arts was the Medici family of Florence. Artists were well respected and wealthy. They were a little constricted in their choice of subject matter when their work was commissioned (they had to work within the constraints of the patron). That aside, they painted, sculpted, and designed artwork with a wider range of mediums than in previous time periods. Two very popular artists of this time were Sandro Botticelli and Giotto. Some of their more famous works of art are in the following gallery. Giotto was an Italian painter and architect. He made a break from the Byzantine and Gothic artistic styles. Botticelli was an Italian painter. He was a part of the Florentine School and was under the patronage of the Medici family.