Italian Art and Music

Italians have a deep appreciation for art and music that surpasses almost anywhere else in the world. A great number of the world's greatest paintings and sculptures were created in Italy, from artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Donatello. These artists shaped and defined the Renaissance period, during which some of the most beautiful works of art and history were created. One of the most famous pieces of art in Italy is the painting by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Italy is also the birthplace of opera, and composers such as Rossini, Puccini, and Verdi created their famous masterpieces there, like Puccini's Madame Butterfly. http://wwar.com/masters/movements/renaissance.html