Claim profile
1500–1599

The 16th century

Whose working lives fell in the 16th 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 16th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇪🇸 Spain🇫🇷 France🇯🇵 Japan🇩🇪 Germany🇮🇹 Italy🇹🇷 Turkey🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇸🇪 Sweden🇨🇭 Switzerland🇮🇳 India
FieldAllHistorical FiguresWritersPoliticiansArtistsAcademicsReligious FiguresMusiciansScientistsModelsActors
  1. 1MichelangeloMichelangelo1475–1564 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  2. 2Albrecht DürerAlbrecht Dürer1471–1528 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists22 decades
  3. 3RaphaelRaphael1483–1520 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  4. 4El GrecoEl Greco1541–1614 · Artists15 decades
  5. 5TitianTitian1490–1576 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  6. 6Pieter Bruegel the ElderPieter Bruegel the Elder1525–1569 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Artists0 decades
  7. 7Giorgio VasariGiorgio Vasari1511–1574 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  8. 8TintorettoTintoretto1519–1594 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  9. 9Hans Holbein the YoungerHans Holbein the Younger1497–1543 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists18 decades
  10. 10Lucas Cranach the ElderLucas Cranach the Elder1472–1553 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists6 decades
  11. 11Giuseppe ArcimboldoGiuseppe Arcimboldo1527–1593 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists4 decades
  12. 12Benvenuto CelliniBenvenuto Cellini1500–1571 · Artists22 decades
  13. 13Paolo VeronesePaolo Veronese1528–1588 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  14. 14Sofonisba AnguissolaSofonisba Anguissola1532–1625 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists19 decades
  15. 15Margaret of Austria, Duchess of SavoyMargaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy1480–1530 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Artists22 decades
  16. 16GiorgioneGiorgione1478–1510 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  17. 17Antonio da CorreggioAntonio da Correggio1489–1534 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  18. 18Matthias GrünewaldMatthias Grünewald1480–1528 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists1 decades
  19. 19ParmigianinoParmigianino1503–1540 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  20. 20PontormoPontormo1494–1556 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  21. 21Annibale CarracciAnnibale Carracci1560–1609 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  22. 22Isabella d'EsteIsabella d'Este1474–1539 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  23. 23Vittore CarpaccioVittore Carpaccio1465–1526 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  24. 24BronzinoBronzino1503–1572 · Artists18 decades
  25. 25Giulio RomanoGiulio Romano1499–1546 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  26. 26Lorenzo LottoLorenzo Lotto1480–1556 · Artists22 decades
  27. 27Andrea del SartoAndrea del Sarto1486–1530 · Artists22 decades
  28. 28Pieter Brueghel the YoungerPieter Brueghel the Younger1564–1638 · Artists0 decades
  29. 29Hans BaldungHans Baldung1480–1545 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists20 decades
  30. 30Lavinia FontanaLavinia Fontana1552–1614 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  31. 31Albrecht AltdorferAlbrecht Altdorfer1480–1538 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists19 decades
  32. 32Lucas Cranach the YoungerLucas Cranach the Younger1515–1586 · Artists0 decades
  33. 33Rosso FiorentinoRosso Fiorentino1494–1540 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists19 decades
  34. 34Jacopo SansovinoJacopo Sansovino1486–1570 · Artists22 decades
  35. 35GiambolognaGiambologna1529–1608 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists19 decades
  36. 36Quentin MatsysQuentin Matsys1466–1530 · Artists9 decades
  37. 37Orazio GentileschiOrazio Gentileschi1563–1639 · Artists17 decades
  38. 38Tang YinTang Yin1470–1524 · Artists2 decades
  39. 39Hans Holbein the ElderHans Holbein the Elder1465–1524 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists5 decades
  40. 40Baldassare PeruzziBaldassare Peruzzi1481–1536 · Artists22 decades
  41. 41Bernardino LuiniBernardino Luini1480–1532 · Artists22 decades
  42. 42Agostino CarracciAgostino Carracci1557–1602 · Artists22 decades
  43. 43Il SodomaIl Sodoma1477–1549 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0 decades
  44. 44Fra BartolomeoFra Bartolomeo1472–1517 · Artists22 decades
  45. 45Jacopo BassanoJacopo Bassano1510–1592 · Artists19 decades
  46. 46Federico BarocciFederico Barocci1535–1612 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  47. 47Dosso DossiDosso Dossi1480–1542 · Artists22 decades
  48. 48Dong QichangDong Qichang1555–1636 · Artists4 decades
  49. 49François ClouetFrançois Clouet1510–1572 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists17 decades
  50. 50Federico ZuccariFederico Zuccari1539–1609 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  51. 51Sebastiano del PiomboSebastiano del Piombo1485–1547 · Artists21 decades
  52. 52Ludovico CarracciLudovico Carracci1555–1619 · Artists14 decades
  53. 53Daniele da VolterraDaniele da Volterra1509–1566 · Artists22 decades
  54. 54Alonso BerrugueteAlonso Berruguete1486–1561 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Artists22 decades
  55. 55Alessandro AlloriAlessandro Allori1535–1607 · Artists22 decades
  56. 56Wen ZhengmingWen Zhengming1470–1559 · Artistsnot measured—
  57. 57Giovanni Battista MoroniGiovanni Battista Moroni1525–1578 · Artists4 decades
  58. 58Joachim PatinirJoachim Patinir1480–1524 · Artists0 decades
  59. 59Hans von AachenHans von Aachen1552–1615 · Artists10 decades
  60. 60Francisco PachecoFrancisco Pacheco1564–1644 · Artists22 decades
  61. 61Pieter AertsenPieter Aertsen1508–1575 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Artists0 decades
  62. 62Baccio BandinelliBaccio Bandinelli1493–1560 · Artists22 decades
  63. 63Hendrik GoltziusHendrik Goltzius1558–1617 · Artists0 decades
  64. 64Francesco MelziFrancesco Melzi1492–1570 · Artists0 decades
  65. 65Jan GossaertJan Gossaert1478–1532 · Artists0 decades
  66. 66Jean ClouetJean Clouet1480–1541 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists17 decades
  67. 67Lucas van LeydenLucas van Leyden1494–1533 · Artists20 decades
  68. 68Francesco PrimaticcioFrancesco Primaticcio1504–1570 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists18 decades
  69. 69Karel van Mander the ElderKarel van Mander the Elder1548–1606 · Artistsnot measured—
  70. 70Antonis MorAntonis Mor1519–1575 · Artists0 decades
  71. 71Maarten van HeemskerckMaarten van Heemskerck1498–1574 · Artists0 decades
  72. 72Marcantonio RaimondiMarcantonio Raimondi1480–1534 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  73. 73Palma VecchioPalma Vecchio1480–1528 · Artists15 decades
  74. 74Catarina van HemessenCatarina van Hemessen1528–1600 · Artistsnot measured—
  75. 75Cornelis van HaarlemCornelis van Haarlem1562–1638 · Artists0 decades
  76. 76Hongzhi EmperorHongzhi Emperor1470–1505 · 🇨🇳 China · Artists0 decades
  77. 77Nicholas HilliardNicholas Hilliard1547–1619 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Artists9 decades
  78. 78Bernardo BuontalentiBernardo Buontalenti1531–1608 · Artists22 decades
  79. 79Kanō EitokuKanō Eitoku1543–1590 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  80. 80Giovanni Antonio BoltraffioGiovanni Antonio Boltraffio1467–1516 · Artists0 decades
  81. 81SalaìSalaì1480–1524 · Artists0 decades
  82. 82Hasegawa TōhakuHasegawa Tōhaku1539–1610 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  83. 83Domenico BeccafumiDomenico Beccafumi1484–1551 · Artists22 decades
  84. 84Hans Burgkmair the ElderHans Burgkmair the Elder1473–1531 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  85. 85Pieter Coecke van AelstPieter Coecke van Aelst1502–1550 · Artists0 decades
  86. 86Joos van CleveJoos van Cleve1485–1540 · Artists1 decades
  87. 87Hieronymus CockHieronymus Cock1518–1570 · Artists0 decades
  88. 88Bartholomeus SprangerBartholomeus Spranger1546–1611 · Artists0 decades
  89. 89Abraham BloemaertAbraham Bloemaert1564–1651 · Artists0 decades
  90. 90Plautilla NelliPlautilla Nelli1524–1588 · Artists8 decades
  91. 91Jan van ScorelJan van Scorel1495–1562 · Artists0 decades
  92. 92Francesco SalviatiFrancesco Salviati1510–1563 · Artists22 decades
  93. 93Pietro BerniniPietro Bernini1562–1629 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0 decades
  94. 94Alonso Sánchez CoelloAlonso Sánchez Coello1531–1588 · Artists14 decades
  95. 95Paris BordoneParis Bordone1500–1571 · Artists13 decades
  96. 96Otto van VeenOtto van Veen1556–1629 · Artists0 decades
  97. 97Bernard van OrleyBernard van Orley1488–1541 · Artists0 decades
  98. 98Properzia de' RossiProperzia de' Rossi1490–1530 · Artists16 decades
  99. 99Palma il GiovanePalma il Giovane1550–1628 · Artists9 decades
  100. 100Oda NagamasuOda Nagamasu1548–1622 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artistsnot measured—

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.