14th Century Europe

The Apocalypse???

Or the start of a whole new world?

Proto Renaissance????

Bad times in Europe during late Gothic period

Black Death… what was the impact of the black plague?

Famine?

Black Plague intro

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

• 100 Years War France & England; instability in Germany

• Great Schism in Catholic church w/rival popes

• Famine & plague wiped out almost half the population of Europe

With a few exceptions, although the Rayonnant gothic style continued in the early part of the century, architecture on a large scale eventually halted.

WHY????

Germany did a Church of the Holy Cross with a beautiful Gothic style.

However, the impact of the “Four Horsemen” was huge.

Yet the arts gradually began to flourish….

• Middle class got stronger; more literate & better educated, wanted art & books

• Growing HUMANISM and individualism

• Orientation toward humanity - Dante in literature, Petrarch, studied classical literature from Greece & Rome

• Artisan guilds arose

Rottgen Pieta, or Vesperbild

Wood, 14th century (late Gothic Germany)

Expressivism, suffering and emotion

Possibly influence by tragedies in Europe; plague, famine, wars.

34” high

Pieces like this would influence German expressivism for centuries

Woman mourning a dead child, Kathe Kollwitz, German Expressionist, WW II era

Madonna & Child (Painting), Bernardo Daddi

Tempera & gold on wood panel

1346 (late Gothic, 14th century Florence,Italy)

Tabernacle, Andrea Orcagna

Marble, mosaic, gold, lapis lazuli

Size: n/a

Probably begun 1355, completed 1359

Replacement painting for miracle image of Madonna and Child. Florence - Orcagna member of stone/woodworkers guild

Architectural sculpture to honor Daddi’s painting

Church as Orsanmichele, power & patronage in Florentine Republic

Pilgrimages to this artwork, estates left to this artwork

Place to distribute alms (food, money) to the poor

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Virgin & Child Enthroned, Cimabue

1280 (late Gothic Italy - Florence)

Tempera & gold on wood panel

*Painting shows transformation of Byzantine style

Set precedent (at 12 ft tall) for monumental altarpieces

Byzantine proportions; highlighted drapery with gold.

Space: viewer suspended in front of image

Space: forms delicatedly modeled in light and shade

More naturalistic figures!!!!!!

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Laid groundwork for Renaissance and Giotto…… know this….

Cimbaue, 1080 Giotto,

1308

Virgin & Child Enthroned, Giotto

•Tempera & gold on wood panel

•11 feet high, 1305, late Gothic Italy

•Most likely painted for church in Florence

•Groundbreaking spatial consistency… more realistic modeling of figures and perspective, more natural position of Mary and baby Jesus

•“Giotto outshone the fame of Cimabue, as a great light outshines a lesser” - Vasari

•Vasari also said that Giotto put an end to the “crude” maniera grecia (Byzantine traditions of painting)

•Giotto excelled in narrative painting and bringing in humanism into his artwork

•Major part of Florentine school of painting

Arena Chapel, frescos by Giotto di Bondone

Fresco secco: dry pigments applied after plaster is set (Dry)

Fresco buono: pigments applied while pigment is wet.. Must work quickly before it dries. Artists worked in sections in order to do this; could add details with fresco secco later.

Some pigments unstable in buono form, so had to be done last in secco form.

This period is sometimes called the Proto-Renaissance, or just the late Gothic. Why?

Let’s take another look at Giotto in more detail…. http://smarthistory.org/proto-renaissance.html

Lamentation, Giotto from Arena Chapel, Padua… 61/2 ft by 6 ft section…

Off center composition to emphasize Mary mourning Jesus’ death; diagonal ride from bare tree w/angels in background

Direct, emotional impact of art (Franciscan monks?) - Florentine school of painting

Maesta (Virgin & Child in Majesty), Duccio, Siena Cathedral, 1308-11.

Foremost Siennese painter in Late Gothic period.

Part of huge panel 14’ high; over predella with life of Jesus

Naturalistic, courtly style, brilliant palette of colors flashcard

Florence Cathedral, 1296-1350, designed By artists & artisans, not bulidersBrunelleschi’s dome, bell tower by GiottoPisano, and Talenti

Life of John the Baptist,

Andrea Pisano

Gilded bronze door, Baptistry of San Giovanni, Florence, 1330-36.

Each panel tells story of Life of John the Baptist.

Continues Gothic revival of large scale bronze relief sculptures.

Florence cathedral (Duomo) designed by sculptors and painters.

View of Lorenzetti’s fresco series in Palazzo Pubblico in Siena

Allegory of Good Government in the City, Lorenzetti, 1338, Siennese school

Powerful vision of orderly society, realistic perspective, Security plus gallows,

Also did painting of life in the country

Book of Hours of Jeanne d’Evreux, grisaille and color on vellum, small book 1325.

Monochromatic painting technique (B&W mostly), narrative cycles of Life of Christ, Joys & Sorrows of Virgin, space is like Sienese; by Jean Pucelle

Virgin and Child, 1339

Silver gilt & enamel

Example of “Beautiful” late Gothic style

Artist is unknown

What influences do you see in Mary’s position and the drapery??????

THIS IS SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE RENAISSANCE.

Belonged to Jeanne d’Evreux, given to Abbey Church of Saint-Denis, now in Louvre, Paris

Saint Luke Master Theodoric

Artists began to be known, to sign their work, and to have histories.

Artists were part of guilds which gave apprenticeship, training, and the ability to do large jobs such as Giotto’s frescoes.

This artist developed more of the Beautiful style

Artists now part of middle class; more literatcy, more interest in arts & sciences as well as religion of course.

Beautiful Virgin and Child

Artist unknown

1390

Probably from Church of Augustinian Canons, Stemberk