FORM AND NARRATIVE IN THE ART OF GIOTTO

Abstract

One of the most influential painters in the history Giotto di Bondone is famous for the manner in which he changed the art world. His realistic depiction is largely the result of the form that he employed for the narratives that he portrayed in his paintings. His unique style and naturalism is what makes him stand out from other painters of the time. The paper focuses on the form and narrative found in the art of Giotto and presents how these two contributed in making him one of the leading and influential painters in the history of art.

Abstract2

3

Introduction4

Discussion4

Style of Giotto4

Works of Giotto5

Narrative in the Art of Giotto6

Form in the Art of Giotto11

Recognition of Giotto's works14

Conclusion14

Bibliography15

Form and Narrative in the Art of Giotto

Introduction

One of the renowned Florentine painters of his generation Giotto di Bondone (1266/7-1337) brought a revolution in painting through his unique style of the time. He set the Italian Renaissance art on a course that it followed for centuries. Italy disclosed a new world of form in Giotto while unlike his predecessors' flat paintings, his paintings involved human figures giving an impression of sculptures placed within a convincing illusion of space. Not only this, but he also dramatized religious narratives with a thorough understanding of human behavior in a manner that was exemplary and difficult for anyone to surpass. The paper thus focuses on the form and narrative found in the art of Giotto and presents how these two contributed in making him one of the leading and influential painters in the history of art.

Discussion

Style of Giotto

Giotto had a unique style of painting which was in the initial days of his work influenced by Cimabue but later on he moved away from the traditional style of unrealistic figures to come up with a new and unique style of the times and gave rise to the movement of naturalism. He adhered to this new style for the rest of his career and became famous for that. His style included placing great emphasis and giving particular importance to painting things as they are, and thus, he was the first to portray gestures, expressions and movement of humans and other objects in art. His use of space and careful planning to maximize the impact of the painting and in giving the spectators a sense of involvement makes him stand out in the artists of the age. The manner in which he places the subjects in the painting serves to attract the viewer and make him feel a part of the painting.

Not only the compositional style of Giotto was unique but the use of color was also different from the one that was generally favored in those times. He gave real colors to the clothing, hair and faces of the subjects and let go off the accepted standard that made use of dull, nondescript details with the only emphasis on the work's sanctity. For conveying of emotions he made use of all the colors which ...