Style: Introduction (continued)

Not only can we identify works of art created by the same artist through careful observation, but also time periods—when it was made. For example, notice the similarities between these two paintings. You know that one was painted by Leonardo da Vinci; however, we can also presume that the other was painted during the same time period due to commonalities: the use of aerial perspective in the distant landscape, rounded flat faces, and religious subject matter. Armed with this information, we can determine the period style, as these traits are characteristic of Renaissance paintings.