Renaissance Art It is accepted that the Renaissance was a period of great artistic, architectural prowess and ingenuity, during which artists turned to the classical art of Greece and Rome for inspiration. This influence is easily visible in the many paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance. However, the conservative nature of the times, the subject matter covered, and the restrictions placed on artists of the time prevented the Renaissance from truly becoming a return to the classics of Greece and Rome. The most obvious factor in the difference between the two artistic periods is the predominant subject matter chosen by the artists of the time. In ancient Greece and Rome, the most popular subjects among artists were depictions of myths, wars, or intellectual figures: statues of the gods decorated almost every important architectural monument of the time. Being a Christian society, Renaissance art depicted not just various biblical stories, but also moral stories infused with religious allusions and symbolism. The Sistine Chapel is just...