11/25: Gothic Europe (Italy)

  • Hybrid of late Medieval period and beginning of the Italian Renaissance

  • Exam 2: Wed (12/4), covering everything after Ancient Rome

  • Italy in the 13th and 14th centuries

  • The Italian Renaissance is generally considered to have been fully begun in Florence, Italy around 1400.

    • Renaissance means the rebirth of antiquity.

  • Started around 1250 CE

  • Italy was not a unified country.

    • It was ruled by various powers.

  • Nicola Pisano, Pisa Baptistery pulpit, 1260

    • Nicola Pisano was a sculptor who lived in Pisa.

      • c. 1220-c. 1284

      • Born in Apulia in southern Italy

      • Probably trained in Emperor Frederick II’s court because he spent much of his time in southern Italy

    • The Baptistery was built around the same time as the Pisa Cathedral.

    • Inscription: “In the year 1260 Nicola Pisano carved this noble work. May so gifted a hand be praised as it deserves.”

    • High relief sculptures

      • Christian iconography

    • Consists of five relief panels

      • Different scenes of Christ’s life

    • A lectern carved as an eagle, which symbolizes John the Evangelist

    • Corner-piece that represents fortitude

      • One of the first nude figures seen during this time

        • References statues of Hercules, who demonstrates strength

    • Nativity panel depicts the Annunciation.

  • Roman Sarcophagus, Pisa, Camposanto

    • Across from the baptistery

  • Antique Krater = Presentation, Pisa Baptistery

  • Nicola Pisano figures are solid and weighty with heavy drapery that accentuates their forms.

  • Nicola Pisano had a son named Giovanni, who carved pulpits for two other cathedrals.

    • Giovanni Pisano was more interested in French Gothic than Late Antiquity/Roman art.

  • The Renaissance is often said to begin with Nicola Pisano.

  • Cimabue (artist)

    • Maesta (Majesty) or Santa Trinita Madonna and Child Enthroned, 1280-1290 tempera on panel, 385 × 223 cm

      • Painting

      • Byzantine

        • Gold background = abstract spiritual space

      • More figures and colors than Byzantine icon

      • Architectural throne with Old Testament prophets underneath

      • Angels piled on top of each other in an unrealistic way

        • Not 3-dimensional

      • Drapery with traces of shadow and chrysography (gold lines)

  • Large paintings depicting Mary might have been used as altarpieces, or mounted on beams or screens.

  • Giotto, Ognissanti

    • Giotto was Cimabue’s student.

  • The Arena Chapel, Padua, Italy, painted c. 1305

    • Padua is close to Venice.

      • Northern Italy

    • Fresco

    • Patron: Enrico Scrovegni

      • Enrico Scrovegni was a banker.

        • Usury: sin of charging interest

        • Enrico’s father was also a banker.

          • He was depicted in a circle of Hell in Dante’s Inferno.

            • To atone for his sins and avoid his father’s fate, Enrico commissioned a chapel.

    • The blue pigment in frescoes is made from lapis lazuli.

    • East End depicts the Annunciation

    • West End depicts the Last Judgment

    • Three registers of narration on side wall

      • The Life of Mary

        • The meeting of Anne and Joachim (the Virgin Mary’s parents)

        • Weightiness of figures

        • Naturalism

          • Realistic architecture and lighting

        • Emotion

          • Figures interacting with each other

  • Giotto, Lamentation, from the Arena Chapel, Padua

    • Foreshortening: communicating space

      • Angels zoom in from all angles.

        • In profile

        • Sideways

        • Head on

  • Fresco: painting on wet areas of plaster

    • Giornata: Artists only plastered off spaces they could paint on in a day.

  • Other Giotta Works

    • Envy

    • The Last Judgment

  • Optional Review WS that could help on the exam