Art by Timeline

Medieval Art is closely motivated by, and related to, religion. Medieval artists were simply trying to send religious messages, tasks which demand clear iconic images instead of precisely rendered ones. This is largely due to the fall of Rome, which resulted in many perspectives of Art being lost and knowledge of the Human figure being downplayed.

Saint Matthew from the Lindisfarne Gospels.

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_art_history)

Romanesque was primarily motivated by the increasing influence of monasticism and prigrimages to Europe. This spurred on an array of breath-taking architecture.

Renaissance--Early

Renaissance marked the careers of sculptors like Donatello and Masaccio. Architecture like the Florence Cathedral also emerged.

[Sculpture] Donatello's Gattamelata (Erasmo of Narni)

[Painting] Trinity by Tommaso Masaccio

Florence Cathedral. (c) Igor Zeiger