GiottodiBondoneGiottodiBondone(1267-1337).Florentinepainterandarchitect.Outstandingasapainter,sculptor,andarchitect,GiottowasrecognizedasthefirstgeniusofartintheItalianRenaissance.Giottolivedandworkedatatimewhenpeople'smindsandtalentswerefirstbeingfreedfromtheshacklesofmedievalrestraint.Hedealtlargelyinthetraditionalreligioussubjects,buthegavethesesubjectsanearthly,full-bloodedlifeandforce.Theartist'sfullnamewasGiottodiBondone.Hewasbornabout1266inthevillageofVespignano,nearFlorence.Hisfatherwasasmalllandedfarmer.GiorgioVasari,oneofGiotto'sfirstbiographers,tellshowCimabue,awell-knownFlorentinepainter,discoveredGiotto'stalents.Cimabuesupposedlysawthe12-year-oldboysketchingoneofhisfather'ssheeponaflatrockandwassoimpressedwithhistalentthathepersuadedthefathertoletGiottobecomehispupil.AnotherstoryisthatGiotto,whileapprenticedtoawoolmerchantinFlorence,frequentedCimabue'sstudiosomuchthathewasfinallyallowedtostudypainting.TheearliestofGiotto'sknownworksisaseriesoffrescoes(paintingsonfresh,stillwetplaster)onthelifeofSt.FrancisinthechurchatAssisi.Eachfrescodepictsanincident;thehumanandanimalfiguresarerealisticandthescenesexpressiveofthegentlespiritofthispatronsaintofanimals.Inabout1305and1306Giottopaintedanotableseriesof38frescoesintheArenaChapelinPadua.ThefrescoesillustratethelivesofJesusChristandoftheVirginMary.OverthearchwayofthechoirisasceneoftheCourtofHeaven,andaLastJudgmentscenefacesitontheentrancewall.Thecompositionsaresimple,用心爱心专心thebackgroundsaresubordinated,andthefacesarestudiesinemotionalexpression.VasaritellsthestoryofhowPopeBonifaceVIIIsentamessengertoGiottowitharequestforsamplesofhiswork.Giottodippedhisbrushinredandwithonecontinuousstrokepaintedaperfectcircle.Hethenassuredthemessengerthattheworthofthissamplewouldberecognized.Whenthepopesawit,he"instantlyperceivedthatGiottosurpassedallotherpaintersofhistime."InRome,Naples,andFlorence,Giottoexecutedcommissionsfromprincesandhighchurchmen.IntheBargello,orPalaceofthePodesta(nowamuseum),inFlorenceisaseriesofhisBiblicalscenes.AmongthebystandersinthepaintingsisaportraitofhisfriendthepoetDante.TheChurchofSantaCroceisadornedbyGiottomuralsdepictingthelifeofSt.Francis.In1334thecityofFlorencehonoredGiottowiththetitleofMagnusMagister(GreatMaster)andappointedhimcityarchitectandsuperintendentofpublicworks.Inthiscapacityhedesignedthefamouscampanile(belltower).Hediedin1337,beforetheworkwasfinished.Giottowasshortandhomely,andhewasagreatwitandpracticaljoker.Hewasmarriedandleftsixchildrenathisdeath.Unlikemanyofhisfellowartists,hesavedhismoneyandwasaccountedarichman.Hewasonfamiliartermswiththepope,andKingRobertofNaplescalledhimagoodfriend.Incommonwithotherartistsofhisday,Giottolackedthetechnicalknowledgeof用心爱心专心anatomyandperspectivethatlaterpainterslearned.Yetwhathepossessedwasinfinitelygreaterthanthetechnicalskilloftheartistswhofollowedhim.Hehadagraspofhumanemotionandofwhatwassignificantinhumanlife.Inconcentratingontheseessentialshecreatedcompellingpicturesofpeopleunderstress,ofpeoplecaughtupincrisesandsoul-searchingdecisions.ModernartistsoftenseekinspirationfromGiotto.Inhimtheyfindadirectapproachtohumanexperiencethatremainsvalidforeveryage.TheMourningofChristGiottoisregardedasthefounderofthecentraltraditionofWesternpaintingbecausehisworkbrokefreefromthestylizationsofByzantineart,introducingnewidealsofnaturalismandcreatinga...
