Cimabue, Santa Trinita Madonna & Giotto's Ognissanti Madonna
Summary
TLDRThe video compares two Proto-Renaissance masters, Cimabue and Giotto, through their paintings of the Madonna Enthroned. Both pieces, displayed at the Uffizi in Florence, highlight the shift from medieval to Renaissance art. Cimabue's work, characterized by a linear, symbolic style, contrasts with Giotto's more substantial, human-focused depiction. The discussion explores the artists' techniques, such as the use of egg tempera and gold leaf, and how Giotto's work reflects early Renaissance ideas by emphasizing perspective and the human presence.
Takeaways
- π¨ Cimabue and Giotto are two prominent Proto-Renaissance masters known for their Madonna Enthroned paintings.
- ποΈ Both paintings were originally altar panels, with Cimabue's piece being over 12 feet tall and Giotto's more than 10 feet high.
- π°οΈ Cimabue is credited as the first artist to transition away from medieval styles toward a more human-focused Renaissance style.
- ποΈ The flat gold backgrounds in both paintings symbolize a divine, heavenly space, with no earthly realm depicted.
- ποΈ Cimabue's Madonna is characterized by elongated features, linear drapery, and a symbolic representation rather than a realistic one.
- πΌ Giotto's painting marks a significant shift with more substantial and realistic depictions, including angels placed behind each other, creating depth.
- π Giotto introduces a single perspective, situating the viewer in a specific position relative to the figures, emphasizing human presence.
- π Giotto's use of light and dark modeling creates a sense of volume and solidity, contrasting with Cimabue's more linear approach.
- π Both paintings reflect the cultural and artistic transitions of the late 13th and early 14th centuries, responding to changing views on the human and divine.
- ποΈ Despite the differences, both paintings adhere to a tradition of representing holy figures, emphasizing their universal and timeless nature.
Q & A
Who are the two artists being compared in the video?
-The video compares two Proto-Renaissance masters, Cimabue and Giotto.
What is the common subject of the two paintings being discussed?
-Both paintings depict the Madonna Enthroned, a common religious subject featuring Mary, the mother of Christ, holding the Christ child, surrounded by angels.
Where are the two paintings currently located?
-Both paintings are located in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.
What is the significance of the large size of these altar paintings?
-The large size, with Cimabue's painting being over 12 feet tall and Giotto's over 10 feet tall, was meant to make them visible from the full distance of a church nave.
How does Cimabue's style reflect the transition from medieval to Renaissance art?
-Cimabue's style shows the first steps away from a medieval, more symbolic approach towards a more human-focused Renaissance style, though it still retains some medieval elements like elongated figures and a linear approach to drapery.
What technique did both artists use for these paintings, and how does it affect the style?
-Both paintings were done in egg tempera on wooden panels, a medium that dries quickly and doesn't blend well, leading to a more linear and detailed style.
How is space and perspective treated differently in Cimabue's and Giotto's paintings?
-Cimabue's painting shows multiple viewpoints with some inconsistency in perspective, while Giotto introduces a more cohesive space with a single viewpoint, anticipating the development of linear perspective.
What are some key differences in the depiction of the Madonna in the two paintings?
-In Cimabue's painting, the Madonna appears elongated and defined by lines, whereas in Giotto's, she looks more massive, with her form modeled through light and shadow, giving a more three-dimensional appearance.
How do the angels differ in the two paintings?
-In Cimabue's painting, the angels are stacked in a flat, almost identical arrangement, while in Giotto's painting, the angels are placed behind one another, with some even partially obscured, creating a sense of depth.
What cultural and artistic changes does Giotto's painting reflect compared to Cimabue's?
-Giotto's painting reflects a shift towards a more human-centered approach, with an emphasis on realistic space and the physical presence of the figures, marking the beginning of the transition into the Renaissance.
Outlines
π¨ Comparing Cimabue and Giotto's Madonna Enthroned Paintings
The video begins with an introduction to a comparison between two Proto-Renaissance masters, Cimabue and Giotto, through their paintings of the Madonna Enthroned. Both artworks, originally large altar paintings, are housed in the Uffizi in Florence. Cimabue's painting is over 12 feet tall, designed to be seen from a distance, while Giotto's is slightly smaller at over 10 feet. Cimabue is highlighted as a pioneer, moving away from medieval styles towards a more human-focused Renaissance approach, influenced by the pressures from the Byzantine Empire and the arrival of Eastern artists in Italy.
β¨ Symbolism and Techniques in Cimabue's Madonna Enthroned
The discussion shifts to the symbolism and artistic techniques used in Cimabue's painting. The painting depicts a traditional religious subject: Mary holding the Christ child, surrounded by angels, with a gold background signifying a divine realm. The artwork uses egg tempera, which creates fine lines but lacks blending capabilities, contributing to its linear appearance. The gold leaf, burnished and tooled for texture, symbolizes the light of heaven. The figures, particularly Mary, exhibit elongated proportions, reflecting a blend of medieval and Byzantine influences, focusing on idealized forms rather than realistic human representation.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Proto-Renaissance
π‘Madonna Enthroned
π‘Altar paintings
π‘Tempera painting
π‘Gold leaf
π‘Medieval style
π‘Byzantine elements
π‘Perspective
π‘Modeling
π‘Old Testament prophets
π‘Renaissance
Highlights
Comparison between two Proto-Renaissance masters, Cimabue and Giotto, focusing on their paintings of the Madonna Enthroned.
Both paintings are large altar panels, with Cimabue's being over 12 feet tall and Giotto's over 10 feet, originally meant to be seen from the distance of a church nave.
Cimabue is regarded as the first artist to transition away from the medieval style towards a more human-focused Renaissance approach.
The discussion includes a theory on the Renaissance's roots, suggesting influence from Byzantine artists fleeing pressure from Islam in the east.
Both paintings feature the standard religious subject of Mary holding Christ, surrounded by angels, saints, and prophets, with extensive use of gold leaf.
Egg tempera is highlighted as the medium used, known for its linear quality and quick-drying properties, which influence the style of the paintings.
Cimabue's Madonna is noted for its elongated, symbolic features, reminiscent of medieval and Byzantine traditions.
Giotto's Madonna is depicted as more substantial and realistic, with a focus on modeling light and shadow to create a sense of volume and depth.
The angels in Cimabue's painting are stacked and lack interaction with gravity, while Giotto's angels are more spatially aware, overlapping and creating a sense of depth.
Giotto's work shows a clear evolution towards naturalism, with a more accurate portrayal of human form and space compared to Cimabue's more stylized approach.
The prophets in Cimabue's work are positioned in an unrealistic space, while Giotto situates them more naturally within the composition.
Giotto's use of perspective is more advanced, with a single viewpoint that places the viewer just below Christ, enhancing the sense of presence and humility.
The discussion reflects on the continuity and tradition in representing holy figures, noting that originality in this context was not seen as negative but as part of a universal, timeless expression.
Giotto's work is recognized as responding to cultural shifts, placing greater emphasis on the human and the here and now, which foreshadows the full bloom of the Renaissance.
The transcript emphasizes the gradual shift from medieval symbolic representation to a more human-centered, realistic portrayal that characterizes the early Renaissance.
Transcripts
Voiceover: So we were going to do a comparison
of two great Proto-Renaissance masters,
Cimabue and Giotto and compare them by looking at
two paintings of the Madonna Enthroned
so exactly the same subject.
Voiceover: These are both in the Uffizi in Florence,
but originally, of course, they were altar paintings,
panels which are very large.
In fact, the Cimabue is -
Voiceover: More than 12 feet.
Voiceover: Yeah, it's 12 feet tall, it's huge,
and that was so that it could be seen
the full distance of the church nave.
Voiceover: And the Giotto too is more than 10 feet high.
Voiceover: The Cimabue is a little earlier
and Cimbue is the very first artist
that Vasari talks about at the very beginning
of this incredible tradition of Italian painting.
Voiceover: So Cimbue is really seen to make
the first step away from a medieval style
toward a more human focused Renaissance style.
Voiceover: Yeah, and there's a lot of controversy
and interest in terms of why the Renaissance
has its roots at this particular moment
in this particular place.
I mean, why in Florence and why right here
at the end of the 13th century?
And one of the theories that's been put forward
is pressure that was being felt in
the Byzantine Empire to the east by Islam
and some of the artists perhaps fleeing
the great traditions of the east and coming to Italy
and perhaps prompting it to think beyond
the traditions of the medieval.
Voiceover: The first thing to say is that
this is just a really standard subject
that we see all the time, Mary, the mother of Christ,
holding the Christ child, surrounded by angels,
and/or saints and prophets, lots and lots of gold.
These are tempera paintings on wooden panels.
Voiceover: It's egg tempera and it's using minerals
that are suspended in that egg media.
It's good for little lines.
It doesn't blend well, it dries quickly,
and so there's a really linear aspect
to this painting which may in some respects
result from the tempera.
This is gold that's been flattened out.
Voiceover: Pounded very thin. Voiceover: It's a very-
thin gold leaf and, in fact, even tooled,
that is to say patterns have been pounded in
to make it even more interesting.
Voiceover: And it's been glued onto the wooden panel.
Voiceover: It's been burnished
and sometimes there's a kind of clay layer underneath
which you can sometimes see a little reddish,
but the gold itself is really meant as
this ornamental reflective material that
had a symbolic quality in that it was
meant to reflect the light of heaven.
Voiceover: Neither of these are set
in any kind of earthly realm.
The flat gold background indicates a kind of
divine, heavenly space for these figures to occupy.
Voiceover: And that makes sense when
you think of the Cimbue because the Madonna,
for instance, she's so - I guess maybe because
she's defined by line, if she stood up,
she would be so tall.
Voiceover: She would be very elongated
and her drapery is defined by line primarly
and not as much by modeling from
light to dark although a little bit.
Voiceover: There are some distinct medieval
or Byzantine elements that are still visible here.
Her fingers are very long, her mouth is very small,
the nose is very long, a kind of symbolism of the body,
not a representation of a real person so much
as a representation of a kind of ideal heavenly form.
Voiceover: The angels are all stacked kind of -
Voiceover: It's a good thing -
they have wings, isn't it?
Because what are they standing on?
Voiceover: I don't know, but we do begin to get
some sense of the beginnings of an illusion
of space in Cimabue.
Voiceover: She's got a little modeling under her chin
and you're right, the throne on which she sits
does sort of receive - except here's the funny thing.
When you look at the throne carefully,
it looks as if we're looking across at the Virgin Mary
but we're looking down at the seat
on which she's seated and in some ways
we're also looking up at her.
There's not a single perspective or point
in which the viewer is situated.
Voiceover: We have sort of multiple viewpoints
and that's something that, of course,
will disappear more than a century later
when we get to Brunelleschi
and the early Renaissance.
Voiceover: But I'm not comfortable with
the idea that Cimabue couldn't do it.
Voiceover: No.
Voiceover: So what about the four figures underneath?
Voiceover: It's interesting that they're
behind there to show some illusion of space.
Voiceover: And it kind of frames them as well.
Voiceover: It does and they're adorable
down there, those prophets.
You can always tell the prophets
'cause they're holding scrolls.
Voiceover: Okay, so these are Old Testament prophets.
Voiceover: Right, who would have predicted
the coming of a Messiah, of a Christ.
Voiceover: And here in the Catholic tradition,
of course, that would have been understood
as Christ, as you said.
Voiceover: Let's look over now at the Giotto
because things have really changed.
The Madonna just looks so massive,
and bulky, and look at how her hips and her thighs -
Voiceover: And her knee -
Voiceover: Yep.
Voiceover: Her breasts and her knees.
Voiceover: And look at how differently
the drapery is indicated.
Instead of by these tiny lines, right,
we now have real modeling from light to dark
to indicate her knees and her lap,
and even how the drapery pulls across
her chest and her breasts.
Voiceover: Looking back at the Cimabue now,
the Madonna looks so thin,
almost as if she's a paper cutout,
and the Giotto looks so substantial, so solid.
It's also interesting if you compare the angels
because in the Cimabue, in the earlier painting,
the angels are stacked up,
they don't sort of respond to gravity,
and they're also all very similar.
They're sort of an idealized face.
But if you look at the angels in the Giotto rendering
from a few decades later,
actually what's really interesting is Giotto
was willing to put the angels in back of each other,
even obscuring their faces.
Voiceover: And the way that they sort of
seem to go back behind the throne,
he's peeking his head through in the back there.
Voiceover: And yeah, the prophets aren't in
some sort of impossible basement now.
Voiceover: And look at how much more modeling
is in her face and in her neck.
Voiceover: There's one aspect of the painting by Giotto
that I think is really significant and really interesting.
In the Giotto, there's a very particular
single point that the viewer is looking at this from.
If you look, for instance, at the steps
moving up to the Virgin, you're looking down
at the top of the step clearly
so you know your eye is above that.
But you're also looking up at the ceiling of the throne
so you're somewhere in between
and, in fact, you're looking down at the seat,
but you'll notice that just where
the prophets' chins are, that's where everything
sort of is exactly horizontal so that's
the line at our height and that makes sense
because that would put us just below Christ,
a nice humble position.
There's a kind of left-right axis too
which is to say that I think we can see
a little bit more of the right window
so I think we're facing Christ.
Voiceover: This begins to situate the viewer.
Voiceover: This is not linear perspective.
Voiceover: It's kind of a more awareness of
the human presence in front of the painting.
Voiceover: I think that's exactly right.
Voiceover: You know, one of the things that
I like to think about is how similar these
two images are despite their differences
and the ways in which the understanding
of originality was so entirely different
than in our own culture.
Voiceover: Right, so this is not so much
derivative in a negative sense as we might think.
Voiceover: In fact, there was a real tradition
of the ways that you represent these figures
because these are holy figures.
Voiceover: That makes sense and also
this is very universal.
This is something that then says
it transcends time, it transcends space.
Voiceover: Right, but even within that,
Giotto is still creating this new image because obviously
things are beginning to change in the early 1300s.
Voiceover: But he must be responding to cultural changes.
That is, putting an emphasis on the here and now.
Voiceover: And on the human, right.
Voiceover: In a way that will, of course,
blossom into the Renaissance.
Voiceover: Exactly.
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