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Greta Jaruševičiūtė

50 Beautiful Photos That Could Hang In The Louvre, And No One Would Question It (New Pics)

Few would argue against the fact that the Renaissance period produced some of the most beautiful art the world has ever seen. Artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael would spend years to achieve the level of skill and detail we admire in their paintings and other works. However, nowadays, with technological advancements on our side, it seems that this level of craft can be obtained just by snapping a picture with a phone. And the Accidental Renaissance

subreddit is the perfect proof of that. Scroll down to see some of the best unintentional artworks that even famous artists would be jealous of and be sure to upvote the ones that look like they came straight from a Renaissance painter's workshop.

#1 Something My Dad Sent In The Family Group Chat

Image credits: galway1126

#2 Some People Said It Looks Like A Renaissance Painting

Image credits: Jeetsingh89

#3 He Knows How To Pose For The Camera

Image credits: BeautifulSubject5191

But what makes these photographs resemble the Renaissance era, you may be asking? Well, to find out, we need to first learn about the period.

Renaissance in French means ‘rebirth.’ The choice of words here isn’t merely accidental, as the whole era spanning from the 14th to 17th centuries was defined by Europe's cultural, artistic, political, and economic revival.

#4 My Window’s View Looks Like A Painting

Image credits: InspectorConfident55

#5 Dad And Infant

Image credits: run_ywa

#6 Kitten Under The Table

Image credits: No-Macaroon4365

Following the Dark Middle Ages, which saw few advancements, the Renaissance era promoted the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature, and art.

This push created the humanism movement, which encouraged the idea that man is the center of the universe and that every human being should embrace their achievements in education, classical arts, literature, and science.

#7 Help Me Find This Bride Who Got Married At York Oratory On Saturday?

Image credits: 1minormishapfrmchaos

#8 Renaissance Deng

Image credits: stormbreaka55

#9 🐎 🐕

Image credits: Outrageous-Yogurt-80

The invention of the Gutenberg printing press in 1450 allowed scientists and thinkers of the era to spread their fresh ideas more quickly. It also improved communication throughout the entire Europe.

#10 Mom Napping After A Long Flight

Image credits: ValerieAri

#11 Cats On Expired Fuji Velvia 50

Image credits: KobraKay87

#12 Woman In Kazakh Church That I Snapped A Pic Of

Image credits: Delikkah

During the Renaissance, science and art were fused seamlessly, which meant that artists like da Vinci included scientific principles like anatomy in their work to recreate the human body with a precision never seen before. The influence of science on art also made it realistic and naturalistic. Artists strived to depict people and objects as close to real life as possible.

#13 Me Getting Dressed For My Adventure

Image credits: MiragedSmite

#14 Neighborhood Cat Knocked Over Our Half-Full Watering Can And Was Gloating Over Her Victory When I Got Home

Image credits: FutureQuail6759

#15 The Basement

Image credits: Psychological-Hat133

Artists’ most used techniques during this era were perspective, shadows, and light, which added depth and emotion to their work. Similar to Renaissance paintings, “accidental Renaissance” pictures entail natural, warm colors, and a shadowy look.

#16 I Was Told I Should Post This Here

Image credits: fshlady

#17 Snapped This Photo On My Way To Work, Cold Boi Keeping Warm

Image credits: PeanutButterPleasure

#18 Yawning Beauty

Image credits: sparkish_12

However, unlike the “accidental Renaissance” photos, the actual paintings of the era would take several years to make. For example, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper took three years to paint, while the infamous Mona Lisa was made in the span of 16 years. Some researchers suggest that his works took so long to paint due to an attention disorder.

#19 Brussels, Belgium, 2024 (Photo By Nadia Eeckhout)

Image credits: Caribbeandude04

#20 Golden Hour Ground’s Keeper

Image credits: Werewolfstyleguide

#21 What Book Would You Read?

Image credits: Basic-Fox6112

The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli also took time and patience, as it was painted in the course of 2 years. Just like Michelangelo's David and Raphael’s The School of Athens. It’s true that good things take time since the era produced some of the most beautiful artworks the world has ever seen.

#22 Snapped A Shot Of The New Puppy At The End Of The Couch

Image credits: MrBozzie

#23 Long Day For Everybody

Image credits: mickslooser

#24 A Picture My Father Took Of Me When I Was 4. He Is Not A Photographer, And I Was Not Posing; According To Him I Was "Grumpy" That Day And He Liked That My Face Was Half In The Light, Half In The Shadows

Image credits: Kailiana

For those who might want to dabble in some intentional or unintentional Renaissance-inspired photography, light and composition are key to achieving this look, according to Chroma, photography, film, and art YouTube channel. Just as we previously discussed, shadows are very important here. There’s a good reason da Vinci said that “a painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.”