Italian Art After the Black Death: 14th century Italy Luxury Arts in the Late Gothic era

Black Death Theory (Millard Meiss)

that the Black Death triggered a cultural response of 'guilt, penance, and religious rapture' that expressed itself in art in the form of regressively abstract style and conservative iconography, religious forms

Book of the Hour

a type of devotional prayer book, highly popular in the later Middle Ages, containing prayers to be recited at specific times throughout the day. These were personalized, illuminated manuscripts, meant for laypeople rather than clergy, that served as both a spiritual guide and a status symbol.

Court style

art produced for a royal or aristocratic court, characterized by elegance, sophistication, and a focus on grand themes, opulent materials, and the display of power and status

fleur-de-lis

a stylized, three-petaled flower, most famously a symbol of the French monarchy, representing virtues like purity, power, and the Holy Trinity

Relic

relic is a physical object from the past, typically a fragment of a saint's body, a possession of a saint, or something they touched, that is venerated for its spiritual significance. Believed to retain the power of the holy person it is associated with, relics hold great importance in religious contexts, often displayed in ornate containers called reliquaries and serving as focal points for prayer, pilgrimage, and belief in miracles

reliquary

an ornamental container or shrine designed to hold sacred relics, such as the physical remains, clothing, or personal belongings of saints or other holy individuals

grisaille

a painting technique that uses monochromatic tones, typically in shades of gray, to create an underpainting that establishes the foundation for value, form, and composition before the final layers of color are applied, painting executed entirely in shades of black and grey or of another neutral greyish colour

Who made this piece

Bartolommeo Bulgarini

When where and what was this piece made

tempera on wood, Siena Cathedral, c. 1350

What is the name of this piece

Adoration of the Shepherds (central panel of the St. Victor Altarpiece)

What is the name of this piece

Virgin and Child

When where and what was this piece made

silver-gilt and enamel, Paris, 1324-

What is the name of this piece

French Ivory Chest with Scenes from Courtly Romances,

When and where was this piece made

Paris, 1330-1350

Who made this piece

Jean Pucelle

What is the name of this piece

The Hours of Jeanne d’Evreux

When and where was this piece made?

Paris, ca. 1324-1328