Before Italy’s unification in 1861, the peninsula was celebrated for its artistic achievements. This course traces the evolution of Italian art, from Giotto’s medieval innovations to Canova’s neoclassical elegance. Along the way, we examine towering Renaissance figures—Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael—whose works transformed artistic practice, as well as Caravaggio’s striking realism and Tiepolo’s illusionistic, cloud-filled ceilings. The course also highlights lesser-known artists, including pioneering women such as Sofonisba Anguissola and Lavinia Fontana, whose innovative works museums have only recently begun to recognize. In addition, we consider foreign artists—Dutch, German, French, and English—who traveled to Italy to study antiquities and bask in its sunlight. By surveying celebrated and overlooked creators across centuries, this course offers a journey through Italy’s extraordinary artistic heritage, revealing the social, cultural, and historical forces that shaped its distinctive visual culture.