Late 13thC Painting in Italy
6 January 2005: 1250-1400
Late 13th century Painting in Italy: Assisi & Rome
(provided by S. Sharpe)
Late 13th century Painting in Italy Slide List
Over the next four weeks actually going to consider painting up to 1348 when Black Death wipes out 50% population so dramatic impact on all forms of art.
Our period is going to cover the re-birth of Fresco painting. Between 1270 and 1340s there was a great leap forward in every form of life patronage patters changed, revitalizing of religion, urbanisation creating new and challenging prospects to artists.
Today we are going to consider the work at St. Francesco, Assisi and in Rome.
The life of St. Francis. Son of a rich merchant, b.1184. Has a high old time until religious conversion when takes up vows of austerity and poverty. Renounces worldly goods and seeks approval from Pope to found new religious order. Innocent III not keen but has a dream (don't they all?) that Francis holds up the church (here physically but means spiritually).
GIOTTO di Bondone
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
Legend of St Francis: 5. Renunciation of Wordly Goods Legend of St Francis: 6. Dream of Innocent III
1297-99 1297-99
GIOTTO di Bondone
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
Franciscan friars founded, particularly devoted to the Passion of Christ, emotional intensity. Two years before his death (dies in his early 40s) Francis receives the Stigmata (first saint to do so) so extra special and special link/bond to Christ which is going to be emphasised throughout the stories of his miracles and the representation of his life in art particularly at Assisi. Two years later dies and two years after that (extraordinarily quickly) is canonised.
The Basilica of St. Francis is commissioned as the headquarters of the order and a shrine church. An unusual double church (one on top of the other) design. The Lower Church is barrel vaulted with St. Francis under the high altar (and not accessible to pilgrims). The Upper Church is more gothic. The Basilica of St. Francis is a papal church, though not in Rome, because the Franciscans take a vow not only of personal poverty but collectively so cannot own vast lands like other monastic institutions.
The Lower church decoration as follows apse 17th century, transepts and nave originally 1260s but redone 14th century. Unfortunately, when they redid nave decided to create side chapels so just made holes in the walls and destroyed existing frescoes. Not known who artist was so called Master of St. Francis (1260-80) possibly Franciscan friars who had their own workshop? Two original works:
Scenes from the Life of St Francis:
Francis Preaching to the Birds
Scenes from the Passion of Christ:
Lamentation over the Dead Christ
Stylistically these are quite Byzantine in appearance hard outlines but very dramatic. Emotional gestures as people were encouraged to identify personally with Christ's humanity. Swooning Virgin.
In the Upper Church there was a lot of stained glass (unusual for Italy). The earliest done by northern European artists as no Italian tradition but by xx Italian artists producing stained glass.
14th century window by Taddeo Gaddi?
Fresco everywhere and much contested. In the apse the story of the Virgin and the transepts crucifixions. By Cimabue (not contested).
Cimabue, Crucifix, 1280-83
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
Not sure why they are in such a poor state but know that the lead white used for highlighting has oxidised and so the lightest areas originally are now the darkest. These are vast, monumental scenes, greater than life size.
On the crossing vault are scenes of the evangelists and the cities they went to (labelled). See St. Matthew (who went to Italy). Topographically detailed version of Rome.
Although it is not certain when these were actually done there is some evidence to support late 1270s. Pope Nicholas III would have been the patron, a member of the wealthy and influential Orsini family in Rome and their coat of arms actually appear on the top building of Cimabue's Roman city cannot see here.
St Matthew (detail) 1280-83
CIMABUE
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
So let us turn to Rome and consider the wider picture. The papacy is based here, but not just a religious power but a secular power involved in a struggle with the Holy Roman Empire. In the 1250s Emperor Frederick II dies and after the death of his son the Popes gained ascendancy and thus started a rebuilding plan to demonstrate their prestige. Nicholas III therefore decides to restore papal basilicas.
Two main works were St. Paul's outside the Walls (destroyed by fire 1823) and St. Peter's basilica (demolished to make way for Bramante's new version in the 16th century). Both St. Paul and St. Peter had original 5th century narrative cycles which were then restored by the 13th century artists employed by Nicholas III. Each church had a narrative cycle from the Old Testament down one side of the nave and the New Testament down the other.
Engraving, St. Paul's Outside the Walls
We know that an artist called Cavallini restored the frescos at St. Paul's but none of this work survived (there is 17th century copy of Joseph & Potiphar's wife but cannot find image). Not enough known about him tho' he lived to be 100 and never wore a hat!
Back to Assisi. The next frescoes to be completed are the nave of the Upper Church.
Two tiers at the top cover the Old Testament and face two tiers of the New Testament (thus copying papal basilica decorative schemes) which culminate at the Counter Faηade (opposite the apse). However, a new addition on the lower level is the life of St. Francis which wraps around the scheme on three walls. Thus the final scenes of St. Francis life run in the opposite direction to the Testament scenes.
St. Francis cycle
The St. Francis cycle is very controversial. For a long time all Italians agreed that they were the work of Giotto and everyone else said not but now even dissention among Italian art historians. One of the problems is dating anything from 1270s-1320s but some consensus (though not everyone) says probably under Pope Nicholas IV (1288-92). He was actually a Franciscan friar and had been head of the order. He was also a keen patron of the arts in Rome and thus could be the link. Obviously not finished during his papacy poss. 1295-6.
We know that the biblical scenes were painted chronologically and then the St. Francis cycle. The biblical scenes by Jacopo Torriti.
Creation of the World
1290s
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
The Marriage at Cana
1290s
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
Still Byzantine figures (note headdress of wife in the Marriage at Cana) and in the need to display everything on the table the loss of perspective.
After two bays Torriti stops possibly called to Rome to continue the restoration work being undertaken there. We know he was there in 1291 as signed a mosaic at St. John Lateran (unfortunately almost completely redone in the 19th century). Also did the apse mosaic in Sta Maria Maggiore. Note how he has placed St. Francis alongside the major apostles of St. Paul & St. Peter with no diminution in size (far left).
Coronation of the Virgin
1296, Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome
Back to Assisi. Bay 3 contains the Isaac Master note the contrast of style and use of red colour. Two related scenes. Isaac (poor eyesight) has two sons. Jacob (the younger son) and their Mum collude so that everything passes to Jacob. Esau was hairy so Jacob holds goat hair over his hand when goes in to receive last blessing, thus confusing Isaac. Note how convincingly the scene is set within the architecture which fills the entire pictorial frame.
Scenes from the Old Testament:
Isaac Blessing Jacob
1290s, Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
Scenes from the Old Testament:
Isaac Rejecting Esau
1290s, Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
Isaac is a solid, sculptural figure who may have been inspired by the classical river Gods in Rome (same pose, drapery effect) so the master may have been Roman. He may have been Cavallini. In the 19th century, after a flood, frescoes (c.1290) were discovered in the nun's choir of St. Cecilia's in Rome and attributed to him. They too, have a sculptural feel about them, using colour rather than line to model form (not Byzantine linearity). Cavallini was a contemporary of Arnolfo di Cambio and again Cavallini's work could have been inspired by Arnolfo's solid, robust figures.
River god, Roman sculpture,
Campidoglio, Rome
The Last Judgement (detail of the Apostles)
Pietro Cavallini
1295-1300
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome
Madonna and Child
Arnolfo di Cambio
1296-1302
Museo dell'Opera del
Duomo, Florence
The biblical scenes at Assisi finish at the Counter Faηade whereas the Life of St. Francis continues. But it is here that we can see how cleverly the united the entire scheme is.
In the Testament cycles the Ascension of Christ ascends to heaven, climbing over the window and comes down as the dove (Pentecost). In the Pentecost we have a wonderful, perspectively centred building, viewed from below into the arched vaults. The Pentecost is diagonally above the image of the Legend of St. Francis: Sermon to the birds and to reinforce the close connection between Christ and St. Francis instead of all the birds being on the ground, one is up in the air as if it has carried on down from the Pentecost scene. St. Francis appears to be a direct descendent of the apostles.
Likewise the legend of St. Francis: Miracle of the Spring wherein he is kneeling and praying, from a distance appears to be worshipping and taking part in the Ascension scene diagonally above.
Such planning could not be accidental there are afterall 28 scenes in the St. Francis cycle so who was responsible for such a detailed and iconographically united scheme? The cycle is sometimes proposed as the first painting of the renaissance with its recognisable settings, contemporary figures and new narratives.
Let us examine these: Close observation to real place. The tower is far smaller in the fresco than in reality but the tower was in fact extended in 1320 could it then be of assistance in dating the frescoes? Not necessarily why is the Temple of Minerva shown with five columns when it has always had six? However the grilled windows in the temple are supported by the fact it was actually being used as a prison during the late 13th/early 14th century.
GIOTTO di Bondone
Legend of St Francis: 1. Homage of a Simple Man
1300, Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
Piazza Communale, Assisi
This is the story of St. Francis recreating the nativity scene. In the telling of the story there isn't actually a Christ child but the miracle is that one of the audience does actually see him. Pictorially the narrative takes place inside although in reality(!) it took place outside. However, the interior of the church is very accurately portrayed and we can learn a lot about 13th century church interiors. Across the middle of the church is the rood screen, behind which lay people were confined. Thus we see a crucifix from the back. It is even possible that this particular interior is of the Lower Church.
Legend of St Francis: 13. Institution of the Crib at Greccio
1297-1300, Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
Here is a depiction of a medieval walled town. It is allegorical as not necessarily real demons but representing the role of the Franciscans as peace-makers in the turmoil of 13th century Italian city politics. Note how the Franciscan friars are quite literally on the side of the church.
The female order of Franciscans are called Poor Clares and in one of the many scenes of St. Francis' death we see them mourning him as his body is processed through the town. Very similar iconographically to the lamentation of Christ. Note also the child in the tree which reminds us of the images of Christ's entry into Jerusalem. Always this powerful linking imagery.
Legend of St Francis: 10. Exorcism of the
Demons at Arezzo
1297-99, Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
Legend of St Francis: 23. St. Francis
Mourned by St. Clare
1300, Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
St. Francis didn't tell everyone about his stigmata at the time so naturally people were suspicious of the stories and verification after his death was sought. A knight voiced his doubts and just like Doubting Thomas stories investigates. Again there is realism of architecture as there used to be a beam across the Upper Church. On top of this beam we can see three panel paintings gabled Virgin & Child (of which there are many examples extant), crucifix (which we previously saw from behind) and on the right the archangel Gabriel. But see how he is actually cut out no surviving panels exist so not sure if real or fanciful invention.
Legend of St Francis: 22. Verification of the Stigmata
1300, Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
In Bays three and four the Passion of Christ runs in one direction and the Legend of St. Francis in the opposite. The Death of St. Francis is directly under the Crucifixion. As St. Francis soul is carried up our eyes follow and alight on Christ's death.
