Giotto Di Bondone Ognissanti Madonna

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Ognissanti Madonna In the early years of the Italian Renaissance no other artist made a bigger impact then Giotto Di Bondone (c. 1267–January 8, 1337). Giotto was a painter and architect from Florence Italy. He is often credited of being the father of the Renaissance. The frescoes in the Arena Chapel, Padua are famously accredited to Giotto. One of his other well know paintings is Madonna Enthroned, also known as the Ognissanti Madonna ( c. 1310 ). The painting is thought to be painted for the Church of Ognissanti (All Saints), Florence. The painting was commissioned by an order called the Humiliati, they were known for the humble, indigent lifestyle (Ognissanti). The painting is a Tempera on panel and it was over ten feet tall (128 in × 80 in). Humiliati intended the art work to be originally used as an altarpiece. At the time of him painting the Madonna Enthroned he was a well-known artist. He had already produced significant works of art. The painting is a display of a Christian subject or the Maestà a common theme of that time. The Madonna Enthroned shows an enthroned Mary holding a baby Jesus circled by different angels and saints. The painting was not similar to any other at the time. Mary was painted in a monumental and extreme physical way. Before this time painting where generally light and delicate and in this painting Giotto would make the Madonna solid. Giotto also uses realism in this painting. The fabric folds are more realistic than other painting in the past. He uses a new concept of modeling. One technique he used was light and shadow, where the turn of the body is shown better by the transition from lights to shade (Giotto). Giotto also displayed a beautiful array of colors. The light and shadow concept is shown around the area of her neck and the breast, how the drapery is pulling toward the Crist Child. You can also see it in the angels
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