Art of the Western World Exam
1) What are the characteristics of Late Gothic painting, as represented by Duccio, Cimabue, and Giotto? Describe at least 3 works, including artist, approximate dates, subject, medium, style, location, etc. In what ways was Giotto groundbreaking?
Late Gothic painting is best characterized by a movement away from the Byzantine style, including a use of depth and a focus on Naturalism, or a use of subjects that were not based in the spiritual world. Widely regarded as one of the forefathers of the Late Gothic period, Cimabue was known for challenging some of the major rules of the Byzantine era. He was among the first to play with the depth of his artwork, as depicted in Madonna Enthroned with Angels and Prophets, which is a tempera and gold leaf on wood, c. 1280-1290 and is located in the Santa Trinitià in Florence. The focus of the piece, Madonna on her throne, is shown as receding into the background to give the viewer a sense of proportion and depth. This is also shown by the overlapping of the angels on either side of the throne, to show that they are standing one behind the other instead of all on top of each other, as was seen in Byzantine style paintings. Cimabue also began to demonstrate the depth in the clothing of Madonna by accenting the folds in her robes with gold leaf.
Giotto, a student of Cimabue’s, is also considering one of the earliest break out painters of the Late Gothic style. Giotto was well known for his groundbreaking approach to Naturalism, basing his paintings on his observations of the world around him instead of the spiritual ideal that many of his mentors and predecessors depended on. His depiction of the same scene as Cimabue, Madonna Enthroned (Tempera and gold leaf on wood, ca. 1310, located in the Church of Ognissanti, Florence), is drastically different from that of his teacher’s in that you can see a depth in the faces of the subjects and there is more detail given to the perspective of the angels surrounding the throne.
Late Gothic painting is best characterized by a movement away from the Byzantine style, including a use of depth and a focus on Naturalism, or a use of subjects that were not based in the spiritual world. Widely regarded as one of the forefathers of the Late Gothic period, Cimabue was known for challenging some of the major rules of the Byzantine era. He was among the first to play with the depth of his artwork, as depicted in Madonna Enthroned with Angels and Prophets, which is a tempera and gold leaf on wood, c. 1280-1290 and is located in the Santa Trinitià in Florence. The focus of the piece, Madonna on her throne, is shown as receding into the background to give the viewer a sense of proportion and depth. This is also shown by the overlapping of the angels on either side of the throne, to show that they are standing one behind the other instead of all on top of each other, as was seen in Byzantine style paintings. Cimabue also began to demonstrate the depth in the clothing of Madonna by accenting the folds in her robes with gold leaf.
Giotto, a student of Cimabue’s, is also considering one of the earliest break out painters of the Late Gothic style. Giotto was well known for his groundbreaking approach to Naturalism, basing his paintings on his observations of the world around him instead of the spiritual ideal that many of his mentors and predecessors depended on. His depiction of the same scene as Cimabue, Madonna Enthroned (Tempera and gold leaf on wood, ca. 1310, located in the Church of Ognissanti, Florence), is drastically different from that of his teacher’s in that you can see a depth in the faces of the subjects and there is more detail given to the perspective of the angels surrounding the throne.