ARH 303 unit 1
Cimabue, Virgin and Child Enthroned, 13th c., tempera and gold on wood panel -byzantine style, gold background and flat stylized subjects of manera greca, though cimabue was early painter to break byzantine conventions -highlights w thin lines of gold on figures = divine radiance -venerated holy figure <-- ppl meant to communicate with that figure thru the painting -hierarchic scale to imply that mary is more important than other figures -precedent for future altarpieces -hierarchic scale -inconsistent perspective -overlapping -jeremiah (L) isaiah (R) abraham and david (M)
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Duccio di Buoninsegna,The Maestà Altarpiece (Front), 14th c., tempera and gold on wood -in bottom part, a narrative of christ's infancy -triangular composition -saturated cholors -hierarchic scale -both sides painted bc meant to be seen from all around -powerful images meant to incite enthusiasm -on the back, episodes of christ's life in squares, focusing on christ's passion RAISING OF LAZARUS: --emotive figures, dramatic urgency --comp. to Giotto's emotionless still figures --shading in drapery, faces modeled (chiaroscuro), drapes have smooth continuity --feels 3D, portrays ~space~ BETRAYAL OF JESUS: --sequential narrative, several moments put in one composition --Jesus centers work, stands out bc of black and gold lined cover --to the left, Peter severs an arrester's ear, on the right some apostles abandon jesus to his fate --> communicates the chaos of this scene --rich colors, linear elegance, accurate human dimensions
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Giotto di Bondone, Scrovegni (Arena) Chapel(View toward East Wall) early 14th c.,frescos. -giotto's move towards naturalism -saturated color -expensive lapis lazuli represents blue sky(difficult bc fresco secco doesn't hold LL) --> sign of wealth of commissioner -commissioned by enrico scrovegni, family fortune made thru usury, chapel as offering to forgive their sin --> belief that one could pay off sins led to protestant reformation -side walls covered in frames depicting lives of mary and jesus -virtues and vices in grisaille on tromp l'oeil marble inlays=implied texture -inconsistent perspective on cutaway windows on vault -god represented in middle top of vault -annunciation shown on either side of him/below him -judas depicted in yellow throughout -early paragone example of sculpture in art
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Giotto di Bondone, Virgin and Child Enthroned, 14th c.,tempera and gold on wood panel -inspired by cimabue's symmetrical composition, hierarchic scale -painted for the church of ognissanti in florence as an altarpiece, meaning it had to be big for many people to look at -but more spatial consistency, elaborate architecture, value shifts (chiaroscuro), sculptural solidity -volume instead of harsh lines/folds -more natural pose (holding baby delicately instead of cimabue's awkward pose) -despite flat bckgrnd, objects fully 3D, tunics allow body to show through via value shifts, angels foreshortened --> replaced cimabue's strips of overlapping figures
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Simone Martini, Annunciation, 14th c.,tempera and gold on wood -commissioned for cathedral of Siena as an altarpiece requiring it to be rather large in scale -mary pulling her clothes elegantly, a gesture of nobility in 13th c. paris -influenced by duccio's elegant style: 3D form and graceful continuity of lines, but removed sense of timelessness by instead capturing a moment of emotion and reaction -->Gabriel's drapery behind him suggests he just flew in, words moving from his mouth to mary's ears --> mary recoils and reacts with fear -mary denoted by honor cloth
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