Entry 10

Tabernacle, Cavalcanti Annunciation (1433-1435)

Donatello

Santa Croce, Florence

Stone

approximately 6'x6'

This beautiful stone representation of the Annunciation was commissioned by Nicolo Cavalcanti for a now-destroyed chapel in Santa Croce. Donatello gave a unique interpretation of the Annunciation through this piece. The gold detailing subtly accents the background, as well as the garments worn by Mary and Gabriel. Unlike many paintings of this scene, Mary and Gabriel fill the frame almost completely. Donatello most likely intended this to show their importance in this scene, and to reduce distractions due to background or things Mary might be holding that are present in so many other depictions of the Annunciation. In addition, this type of life-size depiction pulls the viewer into the scene, so to speak. This is especially important in a stone relief, where the artist cannot use color to make the scene more realistic. Both figures are tilted towards the front, to continue to draw the viewer into the scene. The warmth of the gold contrasts interestingly with the cold stone, intriguing the viewer and causing the eye to linger on this magnificent piece of art.

Resources

Santa Croce information placard

Entry 6

Psalter No. 13 (15th century)

Girolamo da Cremona, Venturino da Milano

Piccolomini Library, Duomo Cathedral, Siena, Italy

Illuminated manuscript

approximately 36 square in

This particular manuscript page contains a depiction of the Annunciation. Vivid colors adorn the border of this image, while the colors in the picture, such as the pink of the angel's wings and Mary's gown, are complementary. As in many other depictions of the Annunciation, God the Father can be seen at the top left corner. In this particular image, a dove, which represents the Holy Spirit, seems to be floating down to Earth on the breath of God. The figures of Mary and the angel Gabriel embody the more realistic Renaissance style of depicting the human figure. Mary is leaning to the left, and her dress falls in such a way to give her a figure, rather than a flat, dimensionless body. Gabriel has clear legs and an arm that appears to have real bones and flesh beneath his simple garments. Unlike the Tisi painting of the Annunciation, in which the angel wears garments adorned with gold trimmings, in this depiction Gabriel is dressed in a simple white garment. As he bows to Mary, he offers her a lilly. Lilies symbolize purity and chastity, which is appropriate given that Mary was a virgin mother. Mary is depicted here with a golden halo around her head. The halo was a typical medieval device; it usually indicated sainthood or holiness.

Entry 5

Last Judgement (1367)

anonymous Venetian artists

St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague, Czech Republic

mosaic

approximately 27 square meters (section)

This photograph is of a section of a large mosaic which adorns the side of the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague. Angels reach into coffins, assisting the dead to rise from the grave and go to be with Christ in glory. The center panel (not pictured) is adorned with the figure of Christ being adored by king Charles IV, who ordered construction of the cathedral, and various saints. The far right panel shows Satan and sinners in hell. Because this mosaic was created in the late 1300s, the figures seem to be in an almost transitional style. While they lack the flat forms popular in Byzantine art, they also fall a bit short of the literal and realistic depiction of the human form that became popular during the Renaissance. Each angelic figure, as well as the saints already risen, has a halo around their heads; however, the dead rising from their graves do not. In addition, the dead are naked, while the angels are clothed in rich garments. These details may be intended to demonstrate the superiority of heavenly beings over earthly ones. The implication is that the dead who are rising will soon be clothed in heavenly garments and have their own halos. Both symbolically and visually, this mosaic makes a stunning addition to a massive and beautiful cathedral.

Resources

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/47319

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/czech-republic/prague-cathedral

http://www.hrad.cz/en/prague-castle/guidepost-for-visitors/st-vitus-cathedral.shtml

http://www.prague.net/st-vitus-cathedral

Entry 3

Annunciation (early 16th century)

Malozzo da Forli

Pantheon, Rome, Italy

Fresco

approximately 3ft by 6ft

The Pantheon, home to Malozzo da Forli's Annunciation, demonstrates a great deal about ancient Roman culture. This gargantuan structure, originally a pagan temple, seems to dwarf the surrounding buildings. The size and majesty of the Pantheon perfectly demonstrates the Romans' love of power. They highly valued the power and majesty of the state and the empire, and they built grandiose buildings to proclaim the grandeur of the empire. Another ancient Roman attribute can be seen in the columns supporting the front porch of the church. These columns came from Egypt to adorn the Pantheon's portico; an Egyptian obelisk is placed in the square in front of the Pantheon. Using Egyptian objects in the design of a great Roman temple recognized Rome's mastery over what was previously one of the greatest powers in the world. In addition, the oculus, a hole in the ceiling with a diameter of 27 feet, is an engineering triumph that exemplifies the "adopt and adapt" principle. The builders of the Pantheon took current dome technology and made it larger, sturdier, and more fantastic. Although this structure was built originally to honor the Roman gods, this fresco depicts a specifically Christian image. While this may seem confusing, this fresco is much younger, and is a testimony to how, ironically, many centuries after the Pantheon was built, early Christians adopted it and adapted it into a Christian church; it continues in that function to the modern day.

Resources

Ramage, Nancy H. and Andrew Ramage. Roman Art (Fourth Edition). Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. Print. pp 219-222.

http://www.monolithic.com/stories/the-pantheon-rome-126-ad

Photo taken from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Annunciation_Melozzo_da_Forli_Pantheon.jpg

Entry 2

Speranza (1427)

Donatello

Battistero di San Giovanni, Siena, Italy

Bronze

52 cm

In Italian, speranza means hope. This is a particularly apt title for this work, since it is located in a place for baptisms, symbolically recognizing the hope felt by generations of new believers. The sculpture is located on the left side of the baptismal font itself; other bronze reliefs and sculptures depicting scenes from the life of John the Baptist adorn the rest of the baptismal font. The baptistry was built in the early 14th century behind the cathedral itself. Camaino di Crescentino designed the building itself, while Domenico D'Agostino started, but never finished, the Gothic facade on the exterior of the building. The inside of the baptistry is divided into a nave and two wide side aisles which are separated by Gothic arches. Frescoes on the ceiling portray various scenes from the life of Christ, such as the fresco depicting Christ Washing the Apostles' Feet by Pietro degli Orioli. Other scenes depicted include the descent of the Holy Spirit to Earth, the Annunciation, and the final Judgement of mankind. However, the focal point of the baptistry is the baptismal font itself. This font is made of marble, enamel, and bronze, used for Hope as well as the relief panels of John the Baptist.

Resources

http://www.lib-art.com/artgallery/9161-hope-donatello.html

http://guide.travelitalia.com/it/guide/Siena/2300/ (translated using Google translate)

http://www.operaduomo.siena.it/english/battistero01.htm

Entry 1

The Annunciation (1528)

Benvenuto Tisi, aka Il Garofalo

Capitoline Museum, Rome

oil on canvas

approximately 6'x4'

Benvenuto Tisi, also known as Il Garofalo, was born in Ferrara, Italy, in 1481. He studied under a variety of different teachers, including Boccaccino and Romano. These teachers added elements of strong Venetian coloring and a classical, stylized emphasis to his style of painting. This particular painting exemplifies both of these stylistic elements; the coloring is vivid, and the figures depicted have classical features. Mary is dressed in simple clothing, while Gabriel wears rich colors and gold embellishment, including golden footwear. A faint halo surrounds Mary's head, as in many other works of art. God the Father looks on from the top left corner of the painting, while the baby Jesus, carrying a cross, looks as if He is beginning His descent to Earth. A dove, representing the Holy Spirit, is captured mid-flight. On the lower right side of the painting, a cat and a hearth imply that Mary lives a simply, homely life, while the angel Gabriel offers her white lilies, symbolizing her purity. Two columns split the painting; these could serve as both separation between Mary's earthly life and the heavenly beings, and also it could symbolize the church and how important this scene is to the church.

Resources

http://www.artexpertswebsite.com/pages/artists/garofalo.php

http://mwurtz.blogspot.com/2010/02/capitoline-museum.html

http://www.teleflora.com/about-flowers/lily.asp