Italian Renaissance Art spanning a period from its birth in the 13th century until the 16th century is represented in the Great Suite of rooms of the first floor in the Old Hermitage. The exhibition displays the works by masters from various Italian schools, the leading position amongst which being occupied by the Florentine school.

Dating back to the second half of the 13th century is one of the earliest exhibition works entitled “Cross with the Crucified Christ” by Ugolino di Tedice, the master from Pisa. Particular mention should be made of the outstanding example of Early Italian Renaissance art – the small-sized right diptych panel - depicting the Madonna in a scene from “The Annunciation”, the work by Early Italian Renaissance great artist Simone Martini (Room 207). Fifteenth century Florentine art is represented by the paintings by Fra Beato Angelico, Fra Filippo Lippi, as well as by the works of the sculptors and ceramists from the della Robbia family (Rooms 209-210).

The exhibition contains the paintings by the leading 15th and 16th-century Italian artists Sandro Botticelli, Filippino Lippi, Pietro Perugino, Andrea del Sarto, Francesco Franchi and others. Two paintings by Leonardo da Vinci - “The Benois Madonna” and “The Litta Madonna”-are rightly considered to be the gems of the Hermitage collection. The paintings by the disciples and followers of the great master from Vinci including Francesco Melzi, Bernardino Luini and Giampietrino (Room 215), as well as the canvases by the Mannerist artists Jacopo Pontormo, Angelo Bronzino and Giulio Romano complete the exhibition.