The High Renaissance, a brief but highly productive period in Italian art during the late 15th and early 16th centuries, is marked by the works of artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bramante. It is traditionally considered to have begun around 1490 and ended with the death of Raphael in 1520, though some historians extend its end to 1527 with the Sack of Rome or 1530. The period is characterized by a renewed emphasis on classical traditions, advancements in artistic techniques, and a shift toward the Mannerist style. However, modern art historians have criticized the term for oversimplifying the complexity of the era’s artistic developments.