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Italiani Celebri
The people who changed the world
From Renaissance masters to modern innovators, Italians have shaped art, science, exploration, and culture in ways that continue to influence our world today.
Masters of visual art
1452–1519
Renaissance polymath, painter, inventor, scientist
Works: Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, Vitruvian Man
1475–1564
Sculptor, painter, architect of the High Renaissance
Works: David, Sistine Chapel ceiling, St. Peter's dome
1483–1520
Master painter of the High Renaissance
Works: School of Athens, Sistine Madonna
1571–1610
Revolutionary Baroque painter, master of chiaroscuro
Works: The Calling of St. Matthew, Judith Beheading Holofernes
Pioneers of discovery
1564–1642
Father of modern science, astronomer, physicist
Legacy: Championed heliocentrism, improved telescope
1745–1827
Inventor of the electric battery
Legacy: The "volt" is named after him
1874–1937
Pioneer of radio transmission
Legacy: Nobel Prize for wireless telegraphy
1901–1954
Nuclear physicist, "architect of the nuclear age"
Legacy: First nuclear reactor, Nobel Prize 1938
Navigators who mapped the world
1254–1324
Traveled the Silk Road to China
His account introduced Europe to Asia
1451–1506
Crossed the Atlantic to the Americas
Genoese navigator who changed world history
1454–1512
Explored the New World coastline
America is named after him
1450–1500
Explored North American coast
First European to land in North America since Vikings
Masters of music
1813–1901
Greatest Italian opera composer
La Traviata, Rigoletto, Aida
1858–1924
Master of verismo opera
La Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly
1678–1741
Baroque virtuoso and prolific composer
The Four Seasons, Gloria
Shapers of thought
1265–1321
Father of Italian literature
The Divine Comedy
1469–1527
Political philosopher, diplomat
The Prince
1932–2016
Novelist, semiotician, philosopher
The Name of the Rose
Italy's tradition of excellence continues today through master craftspeople who preserve and advance centuries-old traditions in glass, leather, fashion, food, and more.
Meet the MastersDiscover the art, music, and history these remarkable individuals helped create.