Christopher Giotto Accomplishments

927 Words4 Pages

As an old master, Giotto was an active painter during Proto-Renaissance and is considered as one of the pioneers of Renaissance painting style. Giotto is best known for naturalistic paintings in Fresco (Galli, 2007). He majorly dwelt on painting traditional religious subjects, but he gave them an earthly and full blood life. As well, it is Giotto who brought the break through from the symbolism of Byzantine art style that had dominated the 13th and 14th centuries to realism era. Unlike the previous painters, Giotto’s artwork gave religious painting realism, real emotions and a three-dimensionality (Corrain, 1995). There are some paintings that Giotto did, but the major ones include paintings on the Arena Chapel in Padua, Kiss of Judas, the …show more content…

However, he kept experimenting tight brushwork to create subjects that were more realistic than the paintings of his time. For instance, the painting of the frescoes of St Francis at the Assisi Church is an illustration of desire to change to realism. It is also noted that he is the pioneer of representational painting. Giotto decided to be painting his religious subjects in a solid and classicizing manner, while arranging them as if the viewer had a hand in the arrangement. This tone was unique and exceptional during Giotto’s time. Towards the end of his career, Giotto’s style kept on improving (Corrain, 1995). In his paintings at Peruzzi Chapel and Santa Croce Chapel, Giotto brought out the true Renaissance style through the use of chiaroscuro and manipulation of perspective. He used color, form and composition in a manipulative way making his style more ornate. This is an aspect that brought the difference between him and his …show more content…

His carefulness in choosing effects of light and shade breathed realism to his subjects. He shades more light where necessary especially the face. He understood that the face captured much attention from the viewer. Giotto also used shade and light to depict different settings. This was a unique style from the traditional sacred backgrounds. Through Giotto’s new adventures, his subjects gained life while on the wall. For instance, in his work ‘The Crucifixion’, Giotto did not paint the subjects in a flowy way but as real as possible. Through the use of light and shade, he managed to have subjects with form and weight. What is more, this painting has an element of laws of gravity. It is evident that the use of light and shades has emphasized the curves, muscles, bulk, and other body lines of Jesus in the portrait bringing the aspect of reality and life to it (Nagel,