Born near the Republic of Florence, Giotto di Bondone was one of the pioneering artists and architects of the Italian Renaissance during the thirteenth century. Born to a family of peasants, Bondone was found by Cimabue and trained under his apprenticeship for ten years. Giotto became one of the most in-demand artists during his time because of the humanistic essence that he imbued in his paintings, its naturalism, and three-dimensionality. Giotto is thought to be one of the first artists to break away from the Byzantine art style and indulge in portraying holy figures with an emotional and natural expression. He also introduced drawing from life, which changed the course of Western art perpetually.
Early Life
Giotto was born to a farmer’s family near the Republic of Rome. His father’s name is believed to be Bondone, who was a local blacksmith and a farmer. There are discourses about Giotto’s real name, as it could have been an abbreviation of Ambrogiotto or Angelotto. However, the artist is popularly known as Giotto. According to records, Giotto was discovered by Cimabue, a distinguished artist from Tuscany, when the former was only ten years old. He was found drawing pictures of sheep on a rock; because of their remarkable life-likeness, Cimabue invited Giotto to be his apprentice. Vasari, in his works, mentions one instance of Giotto under Cimabue’s apprenticeship; accordingly, one time during Cimabue’s absence, Giotto painted such a realistic fly on one of the former’s paintings that his master tried shooing it off for a while. It was then that he realised that the fly was painted and not real.
Themes
Giotto was celebrated for his allegorical, religious, and life-like treatment of the subject matter. Most commonly revisited themes in his works, whether they were panels, frescoes, sculptures, or mosaics, include the Life of Christ, the Life of the Virgin Mary, the Life of St. Francis, and the Last Judgement. Bondone was also famously known for painting portraits with an unparalleled likeness.
Impact
Giotto’s influence on the creative world is unmatched. He diverged from the flat, elongated, and grey depictions of the Byzantine style and styled his paintings with remarkable three-dimensionality, naturalness, emotional expressions, and lively colors. He revived the practice of painting from observation, which was not a widely used practice back then. This allowed him to capture the realistic qualities of his subjects. The practice of painting from life had an unprecedented impact on Western Art. Giotto used thinner and lighter paint than the Byzantine artists and broke away from the practice of using a plain palette. Giotto is also credited with the strategic use of framing in his paintings; this allowed him to direct the viewer’s focus and also encourage the indirect understanding of emphasis in his pieces. The value of three-dimensionality as well as the focus on figures were highlighted with this practice.
Notable Patrons
Giotto was a well-travelled artist. He was active in various places, including Florence, Assisi, Rome, Padua, Rimini, Naples, and Milan. Accordingly, his notable patrons are also spread across these cities. These include the Scrovegni family of Padua, the Franciscan order of Assisi, the Papacy, the Bardi and Peruzzi families in Florence, King Robert of Naples, and the Commune of Florence.
Signature Works
Some of his prominent works are –
– The Scrovegni Chapel frescoes (Padua): Painted in the fourteenth century, this master cycle of frescoes covers the life of the Virgin, the life of Christ, and the Last Judgment.
– The Bardi Chapel frescoes (Florence): Scenes from the life of St. Francis, including The Death of St. Francis and St. Francis Renouncing His Worldly Goods.
– Peruzzi Chapel frescoes (Florence): Scenes from the lives of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.
– Ognissanti Madonna (Madonna Enthroned): A large altarpiece (now in the Uffizi, Florence) showing the Madonna and Child enthroned among saints and angels.
– Crucifix, Santa Maria Novella (Florence): A large painted wooden crucifix, notable for depicting Christ’s body with anatomical weight and sagging realism.
– Badia Polyptych: An altarpiece painted for the Badia Fiorentina in Florence (now in the Uffizi), showing the Madonna and Child with saints in gold-ground panel format.
– Stefaneschi Triptych: A double-sided altarpiece made for Old St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, commissioned by Cardinal Jacopo Stefaneschi – painted to be viewed from both the nave and the apse.