Claim profile
1400–1499

The 15th century

Whose working lives fell in the 15th century. Books are measured from 1800 and readers from 2015, so for this period we can say who lived then, not who was talked about then.

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 15th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇫🇷 France🇩🇪 Germany🇮🇹 Italy🇹🇷 Turkey🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇪🇸 Spain🇯🇵 Japan🇸🇪 Sweden🇨🇭 Switzerland🇵🇹 Portugal
FieldAllHistorical FiguresPoliticiansWritersArtistsReligious FiguresAcademicsModelsMusiciansArchitectsScientists
  1. 1Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci1452–1519 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  2. 2Hieronymus BoschHieronymus Bosch1450–1516 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Artists9 decades
  3. 3Sandro BotticelliSandro Botticelli1445–1510 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  4. 4DonatelloDonatello1386–1466 · Artists22 decades
  5. 5Jan van EyckJan van Eyck1390–1441 · Artists16 decades
  6. 6Fra AngelicoFra Angelico1390–1455 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists21 decades
  7. 7MasaccioMasaccio1401–1428 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  8. 8Piero della FrancescaPiero della Francesca1415–1492 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  9. 9Antonello da MessinaAntonello da Messina1430–1479 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  10. 10Andrea MantegnaAndrea Mantegna1431–1506 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  11. 11Giovanni BelliniGiovanni Bellini1430–1516 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  12. 12Pietro PeruginoPietro Perugino1448–1523 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  13. 13Domenico GhirlandaioDomenico Ghirlandaio1448–1494 · Artists22 decades
  14. 14Filippo LippiFilippo Lippi1406–1469 · Artists22 decades
  15. 15Andrea del VerrocchioAndrea del Verrocchio1435–1488 · Artists22 decades
  16. 16Rogier van der WeydenRogier van der Weyden1390–1464 · Artists13 decades
  17. 17Paolo UccelloPaolo Uccello1397–1475 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  18. 18PinturicchioPinturicchio1454–1513 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  19. 19Hans MemlingHans Memling1435–1494 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists19 decades
  20. 20Luca SignorelliLuca Signorelli1450–1523 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  21. 21Jean FouquetJean Fouquet1420–1478 · Artists3 decades
  22. 22Filippino LippiFilippino Lippi1457–1504 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists21 decades
  23. 23Lorenzo GhibertiLorenzo Ghiberti1378–1455 · Artists22 decades
  24. 24Tilman RiemenschneiderTilman Riemenschneider1460–1531 · Artists12 decades
  25. 25PisanelloPisanello1395–1455 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  26. 26Martin SchongauerMartin Schongauer1440–1491 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists21 decades
  27. 27Gentile da FabrianoGentile da Fabriano1370–1427 · Artists22 decades
  28. 28Benozzo GozzoliBenozzo Gozzoli1420–1497 · Artists22 decades
  29. 29Catherine of BolognaCatherine of Bologna1413–1463 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists21 decades
  30. 30Veit StossVeit Stoss1447–1533 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists21 decades
  31. 31Carlo CrivelliCarlo Crivelli1430–1490 · Artists22 decades
  32. 32Gentile BelliniGentile Bellini1429–1507 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  33. 33Robert CampinRobert Campin1375–1444 · Artists2 decades
  34. 34Masolino da PanicaleMasolino da Panicale1383–1447 · Artists22 decades
  35. 35Piero di CosimoPiero di Cosimo1462–1522 · Artists22 decades
  36. 36Andrea del CastagnoAndrea del Castagno1420–1457 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  37. 37Luca della RobbiaLuca della Robbia1399–1482 · Artists22 decades
  38. 38Antonio del PollaiuoloAntonio del Pollaiuolo1429–1498 · Artists20 decades
  39. 39Jacopo della QuerciaJacopo della Quercia1374–1438 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  40. 40Cosimo TuraCosimo Tura1430–1495 · Artists14 decades
  41. 41Hugo van der GoesHugo van der Goes1440–1482 · Artists10 decades
  42. 42Petrus ChristusPetrus Christus1410–1475 · Artists5 decades
  43. 43Domenico VenezianoDomenico Veneziano1410–1461 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  44. 44Dieric BoutsDieric Bouts1415–1475 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Artists0 decades
  45. 45Francesco di GiorgioFrancesco di Giorgio1439–1501 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists20 decades
  46. 46SLStefan Lochner1410–1451 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists9 decades
  47. 47MichelozzoMichelozzo1396–1472 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists18 decades
  48. 48Lorenzo di CrediLorenzo di Credi1459–1537 · Artists22 decades
  49. 49Gerard DavidGerard David1460–1523 · Artists11 decades
  50. 50Melozzo da ForlìMelozzo da Forlì1438–1494 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  51. 51Giovanni Battista Cima da ConeglianoGiovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano1459–1517 · Artists22 decades
  52. 52Xuande EmperorXuande Emperor1399–1435 · 🇨🇳 China · Artists0 decades
  53. 53Cosimo RosselliCosimo Rosselli1439–1507 · Artists22 decades
  54. 54Andrea della RobbiaAndrea della Robbia1435–1525 · Artists22 decades
  55. 55Lorenzo MonacoLorenzo Monaco1370–1425 · Artists22 decades
  56. 56SassettaSassetta1392–1450 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  57. 57Kamāl ud-Dīn BehzādKamāl ud-Dīn Behzād1450–1535 · Artistsnot measured—
  58. 58Jacopo de' BarbariJacopo de' Barbari1460–1516 · Artists14 decades
  59. 59Sesshū TōyōSesshū Tōyō1420–1506 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  60. 60Michael PacherMichael Pacher1435–1498 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Artists17 decades
  61. 61Michael WolgemutMichael Wolgemut1434–1519 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists14 decades
  62. 62Jacopo BelliniJacopo Bellini1400–1470 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0 decades
  63. 63Hubert van EyckHubert van Eyck1366–1426 · Artists5 decades
  64. 64Konrad WitzKonrad Witz1400–1445 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Artists12 decades
  65. 65Francesco LauranaFrancesco Laurana1430–1502 · Artists14 decades
  66. 66Alesso BaldovinettiAlesso Baldovinetti1425–1499 · Artists21 decades
  67. 67Francesco del CossaFrancesco del Cossa1436–1477 · Artists14 decades
  68. 68Pedro BerruguetePedro Berruguete1450–1504 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Artists22 decades
  69. 69Juan de FlandesJuan de Flandes1450–1519 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Artists13 decades
  70. 70Bartolomé BermejoBartolomé Bermejo1440–1500 · Artists11 decades
  71. 71Pietro LombardoPietro Lombardo1435–1515 · Artists22 decades
  72. 72Lorenzo CostaLorenzo Costa1460–1535 · Artists9 decades
  73. 73Justus van GentJustus van Gent1430–1480 · Artists13 decades
  74. 74Chenghua EmperorChenghua Emperor1447–1487 · 🇨🇳 China · Artists0 decades
  75. 75MSMichael Sittow1459–1525 · Artists1 decades
  76. 76Barthélemy d'EyckBarthélemy d'Eyck1420–1470 · Artists0 decades
  77. 77ASAndrea Solari1460–1524 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Artists0 decades
  78. 78Piero del PollaiuoloPiero del Pollaiuolo1443–1496 · Artists11 decades
  79. 79FBFrancesco Botticini1446–1498 · Artists10 decades
  80. 80Francesco FranciaFrancesco Francia1447–1517 · Artists10 decades
  81. 81Giovanni SantiGiovanni Santidied 1494 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists21 decades
  82. 82Jean HeyJean Hey1455–1505 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists3 decades
  83. 83Nuno GonçalvesNuno Gonçalves1425–1492 · Artists0 decades
  84. 84Agostino di DuccioAgostino di Duccio1418–1481 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists14 decades
  85. 85Bernt NotkeBernt Notke1440–1509 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists10 decades
  86. 86Francesco SquarcioneFrancesco Squarcione1397–1468 · Artists0 decades
  87. 87Shen ZhouShen Zhou1427–1509 · Artists1 decades
  88. 88Desiderio da SettignanoDesiderio da Settignano1430–1464 · Artists22 decades
  89. 89Giovanni Antonio AmadeoGiovanni Antonio Amadeo1447–1522 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0 decades
  90. 90Antonio VivariniAntonio Vivarini1416–1480 · Artists0 decades
  91. 91Ercole de' RobertiErcole de' Roberti1450–1496 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0 decades
  92. 92Geertgen tot Sint JansGeertgen tot Sint Jans1460–1490 · Artists0 decades
  93. 93Alvise VivariniAlvise Vivarini1440–1500 · Artists2 decades
  94. 94Domenico di MichelinoDomenico di Michelino1417–1491 · Artists19 decades
  95. 95Vincenzo FoppaVincenzo Foppa1400–1515 · Artists1 decades
  96. 96DionisiusDionisius1444–1502 · Artists12 decades
  97. 97Albertus PictorAlbertus Pictor1440–1507 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Artists0 decades
  98. 98Jean MalouelJean Malouel1370–1415 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists8 decades
  99. 99Kanō MasanobuKanō Masanobu1434–1530 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured—
  100. 100Adam KraftAdam Kraft1450–1509 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists22 decades

How this is measured

  • Placing people in time. Each person belongs to the century in which they were most active — around age 35, and never after their death.
  • Who ranks highest. Within a century, people are ranked where two independent signals agree: how many of the world’s Wikipedia language editions cover them, and how many people actually read about them. Article counts alone can be lifted by a person’s own circle; readers cannot.
  • Fame in print. The curves count how often a name appears in Google Books from 1800 to 2019, as a share of all the words printed each year, in the person’s own language wherever that corpus exists. Those decades are over, so each measurement is made once and kept.
  • What is left out. A lifetime is measured only from 1820, when there is enough print to judge; the five years after a death are skipped as obituaries; and a name shared with someone equally notable is credited to neither.