BIRTH OF RENAISSANCE
RENAISSANCE
- French for the word “rebirth”
- Typically refers to a period of time from 14 th – 16th century in
Europe
- Began in Italy (primarily Florence and Sienna
- Renewed interest in Classicism
- Growth of humanism in cultural attitude
- Human values and interests are chief concern
- Humanistic attitude is represented in all arts (visual and
literature)
ITALY IN THE 14TH CENTURY
• Made up of city states
functioning independently
Republics with Oligarchies
•
Florence
•
Sienna
•
Venice
• Guilds were prominent and
protected members
common interests
HISTORICAL
CONTEXT
• 1340 Black Death the Bubonic Plague stimulated
religious bequests and encouraged the production
and commissioning of devotional images
• 1305 Great Papal Schiscm
• Latin was the language of the church
BONAVENTURA BERLINGHIERI,
SAINT FRANCIS ALTARPIECE,
PESCIA, ITALY, 1235. TEMPERA ON
WOOD
• Transitional piece from Byzantine to
Renaissance
• Byzantine elements- flat, frontal, floating and
gold
• Emotional resonance as well
CIMABUE. MADONNA
ENTHRONED WITH ANGELS AND
PROPHETS, C. 1290. FLORENCE,
TEMPERA ON WOOD.
• Moved beyond the limits of ItaloByzantine
CIMABUE. MADONNA
ENTHRONED WITH ANGELS AND
PROPHETS, C. 1290. FLORENCE,
TEMPERA ON WOOD.
• Moved beyond the limits of ItaloByzantine
• Byzantine influence
• Symmetrical, Gold, Spiritual
• Innovations
• Deeper space for Madonna
and figures
• Not all figures frontal
GIOTTO DI BONDONE
-considered father of pictorial art
• Pictorial expression based on observation and
scientific study
• Florentine
• Not much known about his life
• Much speculation about which works are attributed to
him
• Teacher was possibly Cimabue
GIOTTO. MADONNA
ENTHRONED. 1310.
FLORENCE, TEMPERA ON
WOOD
• Madonna has sculptural
solidity and weight
• Looks like marble
• Flat? Frontal? Floating?
GIOTTO. ARENA CHAPEL. 1306.
PADUA
GIOTTO, LAMENTATION OF JESUS.
ARENA CHAPEL, 1305, FRESCO
- Foreshortening of angels
creates depth of space
- Brown jagged rock creates a
diagonal that leads eye to
Christ
- Spatially, the lower the figure
to compositional plan, the
closer it feels to the viewer
- Texture of cloth vs. rock
and tree
- Distant mountain ridge
creates a symbolic ridge
between heaven and earth
- Tree is symbolic of original
sin
- Christ’s body does not rest
on the ground
DUCCIO DI BUONINSEGNA,
MAESTA, 1308, TEMPERA ON
WOOD, SIENA
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medi
eval-world/latin-western-europe/siena-lategothic/v/duccio-maesta-front-1308-11
-
Duccio’s name is at
the base of Virgin’s
throne
- -commissioned for
the high altar of the
Cathedral of Siena
and was composed
of many panels
- -predella contains
images as well
(predella= raised
shelf of panels at
base)
- This altar has been
dismantled
- Had painted scenes
on the back as well
Holy Mother of God, be the cause of peace to Siena, and of life to Duccio because he has painted you thus.
CENTRAL PANEL
Symmetry, facial types and figures are Byzantine inspired
Frontality has been relaxed
Some figures turn to each other in quiet conversation
Duccio had an obvious understanding of fabrics and textures
HTTPS://WWW.KHANACADEMY.ORG/
HUMANITIES/MEDIEVALWORLD/LATIN-WESTERNEUROPE/SIENA-LATEGOTHIC/V/DUCCIO-MAESTA-BACK1308-11
-From back panel of
Maesta
-More experimental
with naturalism and
humanism
PALAZZO PUBLICO IN SIENA