Vasari and the Three stages of Renaissance Art

During the Renaissance, Giorgio Vasari believed there to be three main stages in which Renaissance art clearly and fully develops. He describes these stages by the artists that portray different techniques and styles he considers to be categorically  significant. The first stage begins with the artists Cimabue and Giotto. Cimabue was Giotto's teacher and they have relatively similar styles. These two artists begin to portray their art in a more humanistic and natural way that was unlike any of the art previously portrayed. Vasari then leads  in to the second stage, with the next set of artists whom he describes by having sophisticated techniques of design and perspective and these artists are Ghiberti, Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio. The final stage contains the artists most commonly heard of today: Raphael, Leonardo, Michelangelo. These artists then towards the end of the Renaissance perfect the art with the new techniques and styles. Vasari believes that the artist should know about the subject matter he is trying to convey. Masaccio, who belongs to the second realm of artists is a great example of  someone who uses perspective and design in a whole new way. For example in his painting, "Tribune Money",he develops linear and aerial perspective, He also uses chiaroscuro to show depth and perception of the landscape. Vasari reveals his theory and many people rely on it today to help understand the becoming of excellence of art during the Renaissance.