But we can’t all hop on a plane to Italy just to see some artwork, as tempting as it may sound. So if you’re interested in seeing a modern take on the same style of artwork, you’ve come to the right place. We took a trip to the Accidental Renaissance subreddit and gathered some of their most captivating photos below. Enjoy scrolling through this virtual art gallery, and be sure to upvote the pics that you’d like to see hanging in a museum!
#1 Muses In Golden Light
Image credits: camelracingfan
#2 I Think My Little Dude Is Summoning Demons
Image credits: Reuben_Smeuben
#3 Accidental Renaissance Painting Starting On This Coffee Cup
Image credits: Large_Tune3029
It’s not easy to create a masterpiece, so it’s even harder to capture one by accident. But clearly many people manage, as the Accidental Renaissance subreddit has amassed an impressive 1.3 million members, or “accidental artists,” as they call them.
By the group’s definition, “Accidental Renaissance is a photo that inadvertently resembles a painting similar in composition, style, lighting, and/or subject to Renaissance-style art.” The moderators also specify that photos resembling many related art movements, such as Baroque, Neo-classicism, and Romantic, are all appreciated and welcomed within this group.
#4 This Street In Maastricht
Image credits: tino-latino
#5 Need I Say More? Originally Posted In Streetphotography
Image credits: adaminglis
#6 They Have That Pose
Image credits: OppositeStudy2846
If it’s been a long time since you’ve sat in a history class or visited an art museum, you might need a brief refresher about what exactly Renaissance art is. According to Britannica, it’s the paintings, sculptures, architecture, music and literature that were produced between the 14th and 16th centuries in Europe.
The word “Renaissance” literally means “rebirth” in French, so many scholars previously assumed that it meant a sudden shift from medieval values. Today, however, experts recognize that people were already interested in nature, humanistic learning and individualism in the late medieval period.
#7 Someone Thought My Jeremy Belongs Here
Image credits: adab22
#8 Incarcerated Firefighters
Image credits: Theda___Bara
#9 Draw Me Like One Of Your French Girls
Image credits: Woodbobber
Some of the trademark features of Renaissance art include the Chiaroscuro painting technique, study of the human anatomy, linear perspective, diminishing scale, atmospheric perspective and sfumato, or the technique of blurring the edges of a subject to mimic how our eyes begin to blur after staring at something for too long.
As for the most famous artists of the era, I’m sure we’ve all heard of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. But Giotto, Jan van Eyck, Sandro Botticelli, Raphael, Albrecht Dürer, Hans Holbein and Titian were also extremely influential.
#10 Doge (The Good Kind)
Image credits: buttersmcgowan
#11 Dog Napping In The Sun (1579)
Image credits: GiraffeGuru993
#12 Our Father, Who Art In Heaven, Hallowed Beet Thy Name…
Image credits: LosBoyos
If you’re curious about some of the most famous pieces of artwork from the Renaissance period that likely inspired many of the photos on this list, Gates of Paradise by Lorenzo Ghiberti and The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli are two of the most iconic ones. And, of course, David by Michelangelo, as well as The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci have been referenced countless times in the media.
#13 USA Men’s Water Polo: The War Below
Image credits: YourTPSReport
#14 A Cow, Dog And A Human Trying To Stay Warm In The Cold Weather In India
Image credits: Adorable_Bus_4368
#15 By Pete Mueller
Image credits: Pete Mueller
As far as why Renaissance art is so special and important, Lindenwood University notes on their site that it was really the first time artists began focusing on human behavior and emotions, showing people in their natural states. Prior to this, the majority of art was simply for the purpose of teaching a church’s doctrine or educating illiterate individuals.
#16 Intrigue At The Vatican
Image credits: shieldwall66
#17 Brace For Impact
Image credits: Dave Hunt/European Pressphoto Agency
#18 My Parents In A Church In Rome
Image credits: Maverick_918
Renaissance art also still plays a major role in influencing today’s media and culture. Artsper Magazine published a piece in 2023 noting how often famous pieces of Renaissance art are referenced in music and film. For example, Beyonce’s 2022 album, aptly titled Renaissance, features an image of her on a horse that bears a striking resemblance to Adam van Noort’s 1586 painting Lady Godiva. Ariana Grande’s music video for God is a Woman also features a recreation of Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam.
#19 The Cat Of Christ
Image credits: Acceptable_Donut7284
#20 Manchester, England
Image credits: HarleyQuinnsCousin
#21 Bedtime Story
Image credits: silentgraywarden
The fashion world also frequently takes inspiration from the Renaissance period. In 2013, Alexander McQueen’s Fall Ready-to-Wear fashion show featured a gown that was very similar to the one worn in Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I from 1592. And, of course, photography is a medium that often references iconic Renaissance pieces.
#22 Hong Kong Alleyways
Image credits: egnogra
#23 Victory
Image credits: Jazzygorilllia
#24 My Drunk Friends On A Bench 4am
Image credits: NeOnixBR
We hope you’re enjoying your scroll through this virtual art museum, pandas. Keep upvoting all of your favorite photos, and feel free to share your own “accidental Renaissance" pics in the comments below. Then, if you’re looking for even more modern photos that look like they should be hanging in a gallery, you can find another list featuring the same subreddit right here!
#25 Old Photo, Friend, Cat
Image credits: ogodprotectme
#26 The Baptism
Image credits: DayTrippin2112
#27 Buddy From College Had A Long Night A Couple Years Back. I Call It "Man In Repose"
Image credits: lumpythedog
#28 Accidental Hopper
Image credits: __HeavyP
#29 This Happened, Then I Got Locked Out. This Lightened The Mood LOL
Image credits: kookykarrot
#30 (Underexposed) Wife Painting With Cat
Image credits: Aggravating-Trade-31
#31 Friends Goofing Around In A Mountain Creek
Image credits: Thin-Group-3618
#32 Accidental Capybara Renaissance
Image credits: Voidy1012
#33 Golden Hour In The Wings
Image credits: HarleyQuinnsCousin
#34 Rubbish Bin
Image credits: _Hugh-_-Jass_
#35 My Partner Called This "By The Light Of The Laptop"
Image credits: KentondeJong
#36 Reading In Bed
Image credits: Fair-Confection-4779
#37 Snow In The South
Image credits: Fat_sandwiches
#38 A Farewell Unspoken
Image credits: Salwan Georges
#39 The Sacrifice
Image credits: DayTrippin2112
#40 Took A Photo In Delhi
Image credits: Valeriya Zhuravleva/Kotokhira
#41 The White Stallion
Image credits: DayTrippin2112
#42 Gathering Of The Juggalos
Image credits: mattmk
#43 Brothers At Repast
Image credits: DayTrippin2112
#44 Just Got Told I Should Post Them Here
Image credits: nothatnoah
#45 The Temple
Image credits: Steven House/flickr
#46 A Picture I Took During A Pole Dance Competition
Image credits: bpii_photography
#47 The Passing Of The Lighter
Image credits: Kandrich
#48 Two Old Dogs
Image credits: SlamVanDamn
#49 At Bus Stop
Image credits: Last-Imagination-114
#50 As Soon As My Girlfriend Sent Me This Photo Of Her Dog Angie, I Knew Exactly Where It Belongs
Image credits: NaZeleT
#51 Serbian Parliament Today
Image credits: PorcoRossso
#52 The Revelation
Image credits: SelfSpangler
#53 Shhh, My Show Is On
Image credits: Shady_K8ee
#54 Elderly Man Stares Into A Fish Market In Chinatown, NYC
Image credits: YanksFannn
#55 Tyne Bridge, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Image credits: langshot
#56 My 28 Year Old Cat Who Passed Recently
Image credits: v_munu
#57 Sentinel Of The Basement Stair
Image credits: Nanderson423
#58 Girl With A Cat
Image credits: irskor
#59 Worker And A Supervisor At A Moscow Car Factory, 1954
Image credits: ContinentalDrift81
#60 Deep Photo 🤔
Image credits: enhod0628
#61 Hope This Counts
Image credits: Zyahamithara
#62 Cattavaggio, Mochi Enjoying The Winter Sun
Image credits: _0110-
#63 Cat At Nighttime, Just Before We Turned Off The Last Lamp In The House
Image credits: Natus_DK
#64 Still Life Broth
Image credits: lemursteamer
#65 I Was Told That My Chihuahua Belongs Here
Image credits: NikkiPsyxx
#66 Accidental Felines
Image credits: GroundCommercial354
#67 Sunlight Draw The Silhouettes
Image credits: Yellow_legacy_1907
#68 A Girl & Her Cat
Image credits: JankyIngenue
#69 Impending Doom
Image credits: nuthree
#70 Dog In Repose, 2025
Image credits: dick_inspector
#71 Horse Loses Its Footing During A Show In Provence
Image credits: Brutal_Deluxe_
#72 A Slip And Fall
Image credits: Individual_Pension17
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