Italy in the 13 th and 14 th centuries We will call this time
period Late Gothic or Italian Gothic
Slide 2
Wheres the power? Wheres the money? Leading merchant families
in trade, manufacturing and banking. These families were the
patrons of art. Florence Venice Pisa Siena
Slide 3
Holy Roman Empire Voltaire (French philosopher) said that the
agglomeration which was and is still called the Holy Roman Empire
was neither holy, nor Roman not an empire. None the less, it was
ruled by an emperor. The ruler was often German during the Middle
Ages.
Slide 4
Francesco Petrarch churchman, scholar and poet He belonged to a
generation of thinkers wo believed in the study of the ancients for
moral clarity and models of behavior. Humanism (planting the seeds
for the birth of a renaissance)
Slide 5
Abbey Church of Fossanova, Italy, 1208 The Cistercian plan
Simple, unadorned No ribs Octagonal tower
Slide 6
Abbey Church Fossanova Franciscan and Dominican monastic orders
These monks dont retreat Minister to lay population Preach to reach
crowds Images are helpful to mission
Slide 7
Basilica of San Francesco, Assisi, Italy, 1228 Highly decorated
Frescos of St. Francis (simple) life Also Old and New Testament
themes Plenty of ribs
Slide 8
Fresco is an art process of painting into wet plaster with
water based paint. When both dry, they have permanently integrated.
Saint Francis Preaching to the Birds, 1290 In Basilica of San
Francesco Birds are all turned in rapt attention Companion cannot
believe her eyes
Slide 9
Franciscan women Worship God as nuns in convents Saint Clare
was an associate of St. Francis. She founded the Order of St. Clare
(for nuns)
Slide 10
Altarpiece of Saint Clare 1280 Tempera on panel 9x5 How
Byzantine is this? Surrounded by tiny narratives of her life
Slide 11
Italian churches in cities Santa Croce
Slide 12
Santa Croce (Holy Cross) Florence, Italy, begun 1295
Slide 13
Interior Santa Croce Nave arcade of pointed arches Wide vs.
tall Trussed open, flat ceiling. Why? Michelangelo is buried here
J441
Slide 14
Santa croce
Slide 15
Santa Croce Florence
Slide 16
Monumental pulpits Nicola Pisano, Pisa Baptistry
Slide 17
Pisano father(Nicola) and son (Giovanni), sculptors in Pisa and
other cities Pulpit in Pisa Baptistry Nicola Pisano J443 Hexagonal
Colored marble classical columns Scalloped arches Sculpted panels,
figures signify virtues Spandrels have relief prophets
Slide 18
Fortitude, by Nicola Pisano Represents Greek god, Hercules Hero
and symbol of Christian virtue of Fortitude Figure holds lion cub
and skin of adult lion. One of his twelve labors On a spandrel
Slide 19
The Nativity Nicola Pisano (father) Giovanni Pisano (son)
Slide 20
Compare Nicola These are both crowded.
Slide 21
Nicola Pisano (father) Angel Gabriel Baby Jesus wrapped in
swaddling clothes Joseph watching Two women wash baby in basin
Combination of annunciation and nativity
Slide 22
Giovanni Pisano (son) 50 years later, same theme, same church
Outdoor scene Deeper cuts cast shadows Audience is of animals and
trees and angels
Slide 23
Florence Cathedral Duomo San Giovanni All of those names apply.
Arnolfo di Cambia, artist, engineer, architect. Statement of the
rich city of Florence. Huge dome Campanile is separate. Compare
with J445
Slide 24
Florence Cathedral, Duomo (dome) and San Giovianni (St. John)
High nave arcade Ribbed groin vaults St. John the Baptist J 446
Huge octagonal dome
Slide 25
Florence Cathedral Baptistry 11 th c. Campanile, designed by
Giotto, has 2 feet separation Duomo finished 100 years later
Slide 26
Florence Cathedral floor plan 3 apses, huge octagonal dome, no
towers on the building.
Slide 27
Baptistry bronze doors, gilded. Designed by Andrea da Pisano
(no kin). Installed in 1336. 28 panels depict the life of John the
Baptist who is the cathedrals patron.. Each panel story in
quatrefoil with ground line
Slide 28
Pisano bronze doors John is baptizing Jesus River Jordan water
ripples cover legs Angel nearby Gold over bronze Dove (Holy Spirit)
J 448
Slide 29
Palazzo Vecchio Palazzo della Signoria In central Florence.
Civic pride. Solid first two floors (high windows, two doors). Tall
tower to be seen from afar. Battlements (turrets) on top. Copy of
David by door.
Slide 30
Palazzo Vecchio
Slide 31
Two political factions. Holy Roman Empire which was composed of
the aristocratic families and the emperor.
Slide 32
Merchant (pro-papal) faction
Slide 33
Trading between Venice and the Byzantine Empire influence.
Madonna Enthroned by Cimabue, 1280-1290 12x7, J 449 Tempera on
panel with wood inlay In the Greek Manner Cimabue is Giottos
teacher Painting in Tuscany
Slide 34
Madonna Enthroned by Giotto Influences: Pisanos and byzantine
art 1310 tempera/p J449 Gold background Eyes on them Modeling
Throne: gothic architecture
Slide 35
Chapel built by banker, Enrico Scrovegni. Called Arena. Near
Roman Arena in Padua, Italy 1305-1306 Barrel vault. Fresco over the
entire surface. Blue with gold stars. Life of Christ in 3
registers. Annunciation to Last Judgement J 450
Slide 36
Palm Sunday (path covered with palms) Christ Entering
Jerusalem, Giotto, 1305, fresco, Arena Figures are modeled to
appear 3-D. Placed at our eye level.
Slide 37
Slide 38
Christ Entering Jerusalem, Giotto Group of Apostles. Upward
slope of welcomers. Christ bridges the two groups.
Slide 39
(Detail, Christ Entry) Fresco surface changes. Only landscape
indicated.
Slide 40
Lamentation (Over Christ), 1305, fresco, Arena Chapel, Padua,
Italy, J 451 Mourners with and w/o halos. Mary at Christs head Mary
Magdeleine at his feet. Hovering angels in distress.
Slide 41
See how the fresco was applied over days? Wall line pulls your
eye to Jesus. Action in bottom half. What with the tree?
Slide 42
Giotto is all the rage! Dante wrote Once Cimabue was thought to
hold the field as painter, Giotto now is all the rage, dimming the
luster of the others fame.
Slide 43
Giotto is really big!
Slide 44
1. Greco Roman changed art forever! 3. it was never the same
after Picasso! 2. Change came to all of the Renaissance artists who
traveled up to see the Giotto frescos in the Arena Chapel.
Slide 45
Siena vs. Florence In Military Economic Cultural Siena took the
Virgin Mary as their patron saint. Dedicated the cathedral to
her.
Slide 46
Siena Cathedral completed 1284 Compound piers Vaulted
ceiling
Slide 47
Siena Cathedral Pointed gables over tympana 3 portals Giovanni
Pisano design and sculpture
Slide 48
Virgin and Child by Duccio 1300, tempera, gold on panel Tender
relationship. Modeling. Mary usually is in blue. Still Siena is in
the Greek manner with the gold.
Slide 49
Madonna Enthroned, center of the Maesta Altarpiece, 1308-1311,
tempera on panel
Slide 50
Holy Mother of God, be the cause of peace to Siena and of life
to Duccio because he has painted you thus.
Slide 51
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Slide 53
Mary is central and largest, wearing blue against gold. All
gaze at her. Drapery is soft and fluid. Faces are individual.
Figures are naturalistic. Communicate with glances. J 454
Slide 54
Somebody is wearing a hair shirt.
Slide 55
Annunciation of the Death of the Virgin, by Duccio, J455, front
of Maesta Altar
Slide 56
Duccio, from the Maesta Altar Gabriel returns to warn Mary of
her impending death. Architectural interior is a new pictorial
device. Two spaces but each is isolated. Vanishing lines find many
vanishing points. No no. We still dont get it.
Slide 57
Christ Entering Jerusalem, Duccio, back of Maesta Altar, J 456,
40x20, tempera/panel 1308-1311 Crowd left with halos Crowd right at
entry All in same scale Awkward arch, wall and door
Slide 58
Slide 59
Annunciation, Simone Martini, 1330, tempera/p J 457 Ave Maria
Gratia Plenum Dominus Tecum means Hail Mary, full of grace, the
Lord is with you. Mary is surprised and pulls away. Doves of the
Holy Spirit are awaiting her decision. Two local patrons on the
sides. Real frame, recently restored, pointed arch cusp.
Slide 60
Lorenzetti Brothers, Pietro and Ambrogio Birth of the Virgin
1342, 6x6tempera/ panel J 448 Siena Cathedral Pietro
Slide 61
Birth of the Virgin Pietro Lorenzetti Triptych. Architectural
setting. Joachim, Marys father. Saint Anne (mother) in bed.
Separated sexes. Mid-wives. Some real, some painted
architecture.
Slide 62
The Allegory of Good Government, in the City, in the Country.
Ambrogio Lorenzetti, in the Palazzo Pubblico (Siena City Hall),
1338-1340 J 459
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Palazzo Pubblico, Siena Italy
Slide 66
Throned figures: Justice/Wisdom and Good/Virtue. 24 Judiciary
figures Depicts a well- ordered city-state. Bustling crowd.
Slide 67
Beyond the pink wall, security, prosperity.
Slide 68
The Triumph of Death, anonymous, fresco, Pisa 1325-1350, J
461
Slide 69
Black Plague Elegantly dressed happen upon 3 decaying bodies in
coffins Lorenzetti brothers perished from plague
Slide 70
Slide 71
Way to Salvation, Andrea da Firenze, 1365-67, 38 feet wide,
Santa Maria Novella, Florence Fresco in Dominican church. Shows
actions of monks to assure your access to heaven. Unfinished
Florence Cathedral
Slide 72
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Slide 74
Middle: St Peter at the gate Aristocrats enjoy sensual
pleasures Dominican monk show path
Slide 75
Slide 76
Northern Italy Venice and Milan Doge elected by the merchants
organizations. Doges Palace, 1340, Venice. No defensive
architectural features.
Slide 77
Doges Palace Diamond patterned stonework Guatrefoils Covered
passageway around the building
Slide 78
Milan Cathedral
Slide 79
High Gothic took 100 years to complete. The government of Milan
is in the hands of a single aristocratic family, the Visconti
family.