Student Resources

The Sound of Music during the Age of Exploration

Josquin Desprez: - Josquin Desprez was a French/Flemish composer during the Renaissance period (1440-1521). Two excerpts are listed below. Click to hear the music that was in vogue during the time of Prince Henry the Navigator and the discovery of the continents of America.

Ave Maria, by Josquin Desprez

Magnus es tu, Domine, by Josquin Desprez

Visual Arts during the Age of Exploration

Pietro Cavallini: - Click here to see fresco style paintings by Pietro Cavallini. Cavallini painted from 1273 to 1308. This was during the time Marco Polo traveled to China (1271-1295).

Paintings in Siena: - Click here to see paintings from Siena, Italy. These paintings are from the 14th and early 15th Centuries. At about this time (1325), Tenochtitlan was founded by the Aztecs in Middle America.

Brancacci Chapel: - Brancacci was a painter in Florence, Italy (1424-1481). While he was painting, Prince Henry the Navigator was in charge of sea exploration for Spain (1430-1460); the Chinese compass was improved by the Arabs; and the Iroquois Indians in North America formed the Iroquois League.

Early Renaissance Paintings: - This site includes other paintings from Florence, Italy during the Early Renaissance period (1425-1462). During this time, in 1453 the Turks captured Constantinople and took control of the Middle East. Also, in 1454 Johannes Gutenberg invented moveable type for the printing press, so that Marco Polo's book could be published.

Leonardo da Vinci, Madonna Paintings: -This web site has a sample of the Madonna painting by DA Vinci, painted between 1452 and 1519. During this same period, Bartholomew Dias sailed around the southern tip of Africa for Portugal (1487-1488).

Leonardo DA Vinci, Portrait Paintings: -Click here to see some of the portraits painted by this wonderful Italian artist. The paintings were done between the years 1452 and 1519. During this time period, Columbus sailed his first voyage (1492) to North America.

Leonardo DA Vinci, Miscellaneous Paintings: -This site is to view miscellaneous paintings by Leonardo DA Vinci. The paintings were painted between the years 1452 and 1519.

Leonardo DA Vinci, Sculptures: DA Vinci was not only a painter, but he was also a a remarkable sculptor. This site has pictures of his sculptures done between 1452 and 1519. During this time period, John Cabot sailed to Newfoundland for England (1497).

The Annunciation, Leonardo DA Vinci: - Click here to see the Annunciation. It was painted in 1475.

Boticelli Portraits: - This site holds portraits painted by Sandro Botticelli between 1474 and 1510. While Boticcelli was painting, Amerigo Vespucci sailed to the west coast of South America for Spain in 1499.

Boticelli, allegoric Paintings: - Select this site to view some of Botticelli's allegorical paintings completed between 1470 and 1510. During these years, Columbus was stranded on a Caribbean island (1504) and was saved by an eclipse of the moon. Amerigo Vespucci was exploring for Portugal, the coast of South America between Venezuela and Argentina (1507).

Venetian Paintings: - This site holds paintings by various artists from Venice during the Early Renaissance period (1475-1525). These paintings were done when Ferdinand Magellan's crew (1519-1522) was sailing around the world for Spain. Also, by 1520 European diseases had killed most of Mexico's Native peoples. In 1521, Spain built Mexico City; and in 1525, Giovanni DA Verrazano sailed into New York Harbor and up the Hudson River for France.

Michelangel Paintings: - Choose this site to view paintings by Michelangel that were completed between 1475 and 1564. This was a busy time period for exploration, as well. Francisco Pizarro destroyed the Inca Empire in Peru for Spain (1531-1533). Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence River and the Gulf of the St. Lawrence for France (1534-1535). Between 1536 and 1539, Esteban and Fray Marcos were searching for the Seven Cities of Gold in the Southwest. Between 1539 and 1542, Hernando De Soto was exploring the Southeast for Spain. Vasquez de Coronado was exploring the Southwest, also looking for the Seven Cities of Gold (1540-1542). In 1542, Cabrillo reached California for Spain. In 1551, the University of Mexico City was founded. France started one colony on the coast of South Carolina (1562) and another, Fort Caroline in Florida in 1564.

Florence Patrons and Artists: - This site has paintings of the patrons of the arts and artists from Florence during the late 15th Century (1478 - 1480).

St. Jerome, by Leonardo DA Vinci: - Click here to see a fantastic painting by Leonardo DA Vinci. It was painted in 1482, ten years before Colubus' first voyage to the New World.

Portraits by Leonardo DA Vinci: This site contains portraits by leonardo DA Vinci.

La Pieta, by Michelangelo: - Click here to see the Pieta. This Sculpture was completed in 1499. It is something to behold.

Fra Bartolomeo: - Fra Bartolomeo painted during the year 1498 to 1511. During this period, Vasco DA Gama sailed for Portugal around Africa to India (1498). Amerigo Vespucci explored the west coast of South America for Spain (1499). Martin Waldseemuller named the continent "America" on his world map (1507). And in 1510, the first African slaves arrived in the Americas.

Raphael: - Click this site to see the paintings of the Italian artist, Raphael. These paintings were completed between 1490 and 1515. During this time, Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama for Spain (1513) and saw the Pacific Ocean; and Ponce de Leon explored Florida for Spain (1513), seeking the Fountain of Youth.

Raphael: This web site has six links of additional Raphael paintings, completed between 1483 and 1520. In 1519, Hernando Cortez arrived at Tenochtitlan and destroyed the Aztec Empire.