For me, Da Vinci. Not only did he paint the famous Mona Lisa, but he invented so many great things that were ahead of his time. His list of inventions is astounding.

Also, Michelangelo and his frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, along with his detailed sculptures are all great.

Cywr I love Northern Rennasaince. My favorite painter is Van Eyck, although my favorite painting is Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earing, also I like Hans Holbein as I love portraiture. Here are examples of each (in order):

Other artists I like are Velazquez, Durer and Ingres.

DaVinci, definitely but a very close second is Raphael.

Though known for his religious subjects, Raphael did so much more.  Here's a large number of examples  

http://www.artrenewal.org/asp/database/art.asp?aid=124&page=1&order=q - http://www.artrenewal.org/asp/database/art.asp?aid=124&p age=1&order=q

Actually, the whole site is a wonderful place to visit to view works by your favorite artist.

http://www.artrenewal.org/index.html - http://www.artrenewal.org/index.html

And a sonnet by Raphael (who is buried in the Pantheon in Rome)

Sweet remembrance! Hour of bliss
    When we met, but now the more
I mourn, as when the sailor is
    Star-less, distant far from shore.

Now tongue, tho' 'tis with grief, relate
    How love deceiv'd me of my joy;
Display the unaccustom'd cheat,
    But praise the nymph, and thank the boy.

It was when the declining sun
    Beheld another sun arise;
And there were actions should be done,
    No talking, only with the eyes.

But I tormented by the fire
    That burnt within, was overcome:
Thus when to speak we most desire
    The more we find we must be dumb.

There are so many great artists to choose from!

I'll have to go with ALBRECHT DURER, the master of the woodcut.

I'm also a fan of URS GRAF, the Swiss soldier who did countless illustrations of 16th century battles, based on his own experiences.  His sketches and other pieces of art are almost like "Renaissance Combat Photography".

TITIAN is another favorite of mine, especially because his portrait of Ippolito de Medici looks just like me!  It's really creepy...

I like DA VINCI more for his inventions than his art, although he clearly excelled at both.

Hans Holbein was great too.

Finally, the bizarre quality of EL GRECO cannot be denied--good stuff.

Peace,

David Black Mastro

It was Rafael all right. The painting was called "School of Athens".

I like Massaccio, Rafael and a number of Dutch masters.

The reason I dislike Michelangelo is that all his humans are unrealisitically muscular, and there is too much nudity in Sistine "Chaple" ceiling!!!! 

Evildoer, Michelangelo didn't paint the aristocrats, he painted the average working individual which is why his men and women are beefier and more muscular than in other paintings.

These models were people who worked hard at physical labor for a living.

The Renaissance, for me anyway, marks a time when artists moved away from the stylized and began to experiment and find joy in the human condition.  Instead of just portraying an event or a person, they found the soul.

I don't like nudity in art. I like drawing the flowing folds of cloth instead!

Early Renaissance artists are good for me as well.

 Vermeer, the best.

Preach it brother! What's your favorite painting by him?

 "View of the Delft" is fascinating and the "Art of Painting".

Art of Painting is very good, although on a more personal note I'm not such a big fan of view of delft. Sorry but landscapes just don't appeal to me. I need something less.....how should I put this.....airy, ethereal, open to interpretation. I like to see things as they are or as someone wants them to be seen. Sorry if I confused you like art you just can't put it into words.

 The beauty of the view of the Delft, is its aura, something you can't explain but just feel, the feeling is good for me so it is a great work.