Merchants and Friars Late Medieval Italy I Limbourg

Merchants and Friars: Late Medieval Italy I

Limbourg brothers, The Temptation of Christ, from Les Très Riches Heures (“The Very Sumptuous Hours”) of Duke Jean de Berry, 1413 -1416

Mehun-sur-Yèvre

Duccio di Buoninsegna, The Temptation of Christ, from the so-called Maestà altarpiece for Siena Cathedral, 1308 -1311

Map of Italy ca. 1400

Bonaventura Berlinghieri, Saint Francis Altarpiece, tempera on wood, church of San Francesco, Pescia, 1235 (dimensions: 5' x 3')

The Stigmatization of St. Francis

St. Francis Preaching to the Birds

Franciscan church of Santa Croce (“Holy Cross”), Florence, begun 1294

Santa Croce, Florence

Bonaventura Berlinghieri, Saint Francis Altarpiece, tempera on wood, church of San Francesco, Pescia, 1235 (dimensions: 5' x 3')

maniera greca (“Greek style”)

In order to provide the maximum amount of information, the first saints were painted exactly as they were, showing their appearance, their circumstances and the way they were. (…) The disciples made these painting as to give the clearest notice of the fact; that is, these paintings, and especially the old ones, which originally came from Greece (i. e. , Byzantium), are of great authority. Because there came to live many saints in that place who portrayed such things. <And these paintings were> copied by everyone, from which was drawn great authority, such as one draws from books. Dominican friar Giordano da Rivalto, from a sermon of 1305 preached at the Florentine church of Santa Maria Novella

Cimabue, Virgin and Child enthroned with angels and prophets (Santa Trinità Madonna), tempera and gold leaf on wood, ca. 1280 -1290 (dimensions: 12' 7'' x 7' 4'')

Benedetto da Maiano, Monument to Giotto di Bondone, Florence Cathedral, 1490

O empty glory of human powers, how briefly lasts the green on its top, unless it is followed by an age of dullness! In painting Cimabue thought to hold the field and now Giotto has the cry, so that the other’s fame is dim. Dante, Purgatory XI. 91 -96

(. . . ) Giotto changed the profession of painting from Greek [i. e. , Byzantine style] back into Latin [i. e. , Roman or classical style], and brought it up to date; and he had more finished craftsmanship than anyone has had since. Cennino Cennini, The Craftsman’s Handbook (ca. 1400)

Giotto di Bondone, Virgin and Child enthoned with angels and saints (Ognissanti Madonna), tempera and gold leaf on wood, ca. 1310 (dimensions: 10' 8'' x 6' 8'')