Giotto italian renaissance painter

Giotto italian renaissance painter

Have you ever heard of a painter named (Giotto)? He was known as one of the greatest painters during the period of the Italian Renaissance. Although little is known about his early life, scholars believe that he was born in the year 1266. It's possible that he could have come from a wealthy family but since his father was a farmer, they were most likely peasants who lived and worked on a nobleman's land. Scholars know that (Giotto) went to work as a shepherd when he was a young boy, perhaps to help out the family. giotto paintings

According to Vasari, an historian, when (Giotto) would take his sheep to the pasture to graze he would often sit sketching out pictures on a flat rock with a piece of burnt wood. One day while the young artist was at work a man named Cimabue approached him and stood admiring his artwork. Cimabue asked if (Giotto) would like to come to Florence with him to serve as his apprentice.

Cimabue was known as the finest painter in Italy and he asked Giotto's father if his son could study under him. Can you imagine how excited young he must have been? He must have felt like David the shepherd when he was approached by the prophet to become Israel's king. Some art historians do not believe that (Giotto) was approached by the famous artist but whether it is true or not, (Giotto) went to Florence where he became a famous artist. paintings by giotto

He married when still a young man and he and his wife had six children, producing an even number of three boys and three girls. Writers of the Renaissance tell us that (Giotto) had a keen sense of humor and would go about making jokes. He seems to have been quite wealthy by this time and enjoyed traveling. In between his journeys he lived with his family on their own land. giotto padua

At that time different styles were being used by artists. He painted paintings on plaster made in watercolors. When the paint flowed into the plaster it gave the watercolors a rough texture. He made mosaics, which were miniature pieces of colored glass and stone pressed into an adhesive material. He was also a sculptor and an architect. Over the years when one of (Giotto's) pieces would crack, chip or fade, other artist would try to correct them by making repairs over top of the original. That is why some art historians are concerned that many times only small pieces are left that was actually done by him. giotto painting

His Work:

(Giotto) worked for many wealthy people and some of his earliest works are believed to be 28 frescoes in the Church of Saint Francis in Assisi. In 1298 he went to Rome and made a mosaic which can still be seen in Saint Peter's Cathedral. During the years of 1303-1306 he painted his fresco of The Virgin Mary. This majestic work was done for the Arena Chapel in the Scrovegni family's home. This chapel stands on the spot where a Roman amphitheater once stood. giotto glass wine

As the years went by (Giotto) became a famous painter not only in Italy but worldwide.He received numerous honors and lived and worked in the court of King Robert of Naples. Here he was well received and had many privileges that historians wrote about and although much of his work was done here no trace of it remains.

Around 1334 He returned to Florence and was appointed chief architect and designed the bell tower of the cathedral there. Before (Giotto's) works, most paintings looked flat and artificial but he had a way of painting people and scenery with such depth that it made them look real. With his new technique the people in his paintings look solid and the landscapes fall in behind them. His religious paintings show saints and other religious figures doing something or appearing as real people instead of posing in a fixed position. Instead they appear to be real people actually doing something.

In the picture of the Virgin Mary, a real mother is holding her child. Later when many painters had studied perspective, all painting took on a rounded look and much of it had even more depth than (Giotto's). Once the young (Giotto) had been an apprentice but now he had his own workshop where he trained young lads under an apprentice program. His students carried on his artistic style. Some scholars believe that some work done by Giotto's students was actually credited back to him. His work has been quite difficult to study and even today scholars cannot be sure of exactly which part of his paintings and mosaics he worked on and which part he only assisted. In 1336 (Giotto) was working on the bell tower in Florence when he died. Down through the centuries his work still continues to be admired and studied.