The most famous Renaissance artists worked in Italy during the 15th and 16th centuries. Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael are household names. But the Renaissance, or the artistic rebirth, which followed the Middle Ages, also happened a little later in other parts of Europe.

Northern Renaissance painters of the 16th century had their own style and created works focused on morality, religion and human nature. The highly original work of the Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch is full of devils and other bizarre imagery designed to send powerful messages about what he considered to be mankind's inherently corrupt nature.

Another Flemish painter of the period, Pieter Brueghel, is famous for his landscapes, which included scenes from peasant life.

If you like Northern Renaissance art, you might also like:

• The Italian Renaissance – Renaissance painters developed techniques to make images look 'real'. They focussed on religious and classical themes.
  Artists: Titian, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci



• International Gothic – At the end of the Middle Ages, artists painted more natural images that were less stiff and two-dimensional.
  Artists: Gentile de Fabriano, André Beauneveu and Bernardo Martorell



• Surrealism – The Surrealists tried to link reality and fantasy and tap into their unconcious thoughts. They took inspiration from Hieronymus Bosch.
  Painters: René Magritte, Salvador Dalí and Pierre Roy