Painting in Florence and Siena After the Black Death: The Arts, Religion and Society in the Mid-Fourteenth Century

by Millard Meiss

Book Overview

The first extended study of the painting of Florence and Siena in the later 14th century, this book presents a rich interweaving of considerations of connoisseurship, style, iconography, cultural and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B000B6EM66
• Release Date: January 1964
• Publisher: Harper and Row
• Length: 195 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Art changes after the Black Death

Andrea Da Firenze, Spanish Chapel of Santa Maria Novella, "Christian Learning" 1365-67. Fig. 95, Old and New testament figures mixed on top tier. Often Old Testament figures have a New Testament saint associated with them. 3 Figures of heretics at feet of St. Thomas Aquinas. 7 Virtues are floating above them. From left to right are,3 up top are Faith, hope, and charity. 4 below are temperance, prudence, justice and fortitude. Row below, left to right are 7 theological sciences, 7 liberal arts is: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music, logic, rhetoric, grammar. Firenze is anal retentive painter and very orderly in his composition. Painting by Andrea Da Firenze Florentine school active, 1343-77 painting entitled "The Way of Salvation." Triumph of the Dominicans. In chapel of Cappella Spagnuolo, Santa Maria Novella, Florence, it is Dominican whose habits are black and white. Has 4 beasts representing the Gospels. Dominicans portrayed as teaching to the masses, giving absolution, St.Peter at the gates. Nude people in trees represent lust in church art. Figures are sized to show status. 3 Kings to right of Pope, Cardinal to the left. 3 Jews shows how Dominicans are responsible for trying to convert Jews, dogs depicted black and white like the habits because they are known as Domini Cannae, "Hounds of God" which is what the word Dominican means, they are attacking wolves who represent heresy. From 1231 on Dominicans are in charge of the Inquisitions in Europe. This painting is done to celebrate and teach of their successes. 1498, picture of landscape of city square of Florence, plague kills 70% of population. Paintings "Palazio Vechio which is the city hall. Signori have 2-month terms, they live there and don't get visitors so that they can't be bribed. Housing is densely packed walled city. Florence is known for Sodomy. 14 century artist and most famous painter is Giotto. He worked in wet fresco. Arena chapel in Padua "Joachim Expelled from the Temple" Fig. 35. 1305-12. Figures are real, they have weight and are standing on a surface. Figures are full and not emaciated like Middle Ages figures. Still people not to scale to surroundings. Giotto is considered the "Master" by his contemporaries. Uses good skin tones, figures have depth. He shows emotion and physicality, it foreshadows Renaissance of man in image of God. Giotto's "Madonna" Enthroned Uffizi, Florence Fig. 10. is more realistic, looks like she is sitting and not floating. People are looking at Madonna, real sense of depth. There is real veneration of Virgin before the plague. Panel painting is big in Italy. Tempura (egg yoke) painting is used on wood panels allot. Giotto's "Death of St. Francis" 1330's Art historians say it may be first Rennaisance painting. Figures very real, full figures, expressive faces, lots of emotion in painting. St. Francis had stigmata, monks, kissing his wounds. Giotto di Bondone (Colle di Vespignano, near Florence 12