The 16th century heralded a new era for painting in Northern Europe. Northern artists were influenced by the innovations in the South; many artists traveled to Italy to study; and the idea of bringing modern science and philosophy into art was also evident. The change from the Gothic style was brought on by religious reform, the return to ancient Christian values, and the revolt against the authority of the Church. This Renaissance in the North crystallized around the intense vision and realism of Dürer's work. Other painters in the North followed this impulse for precise observation and naturalism in the fields of landscape painting and portraiture. As art historians study this era of painting they are coming to the conclusion that there was a tremendous change
in style but this was not a glorified Renaissance.