The artists were inspired by the rebirth of the Classical ideas and styles. That is why it is called the Renaissance which means rebirth. They artists, philosophers and others looked back to the time of Classical Greeks civilization. They emulated the architecture, the sculputure, the philosphy (Neo-Platonism). The subject matter of most art of the day was confined to mythology (Greek gods and goddesses and their stories) because that was what they saw in the Greek (Roman too) works. Hellenistic Greek styles correspond to the Baroque or late Renaissance which incorporated movement and emotion into the style.
