Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Donatello, and Botticelli were artists from Italy.
All four were major figures in the Italian Renaissance, a cultural movement that began in Italian city-states during the 14th century and transformed European art, science, and literature. Florence was especially important, supporting artists through wealthy families such as the Medici.
Sandro Botticelli and Donatello worked mainly in Florence. Botticelli painted The Birth of Venus and Primavera, while Donatello became one of the Renaissance’s leading sculptors. Leonardo da Vinci was born near Florence and created works including The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa.
Michelangelo was also Florentine by heritage, although much of his career unfolded in Rome, where he painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling and sculpted the famous David. A common mix-up is treating these artists as belonging to the same generation: Donatello and Botticelli were earlier, while Leonardo and Michelangelo represented the High Renaissance.