Context
As demonstrated by Villard de Honnecourt, the late Gothic Italian artists began to demonstrate a humanist intent toward naturalism and observation. Under this notion, individual artists began to become well known for their talents as they produced and signed commissions while being sought specifically for their stylistic contributions.
This era comes just before the invention of moveable type by Guttenberg, which eventually allowed for the dissemination of knowledge in a much more rapid fashion. This is also the period before Georgio Vasari, whose "Lives of the Artists" titled the Gothic era as garish in comparison to the movements of the Renaissance following the accomplishments of Giotto. Stylistically, these last two centuries in Italy before the Renaissance demonstrate this constant movement toward naturalism and humanistic thought. The Proto-Renaissance was thus a "rebirth" of classical ideals that later gave way to the modern era. Guttenberg's moveable type soon would allow for publishers to reprint not only the bible, but other stories that were once forgotten or only read in specific social circles.
The rise of Humanism, strengthened by these early philosophical stories and texts began to give rise to a code of civil conduct, a new theory on education and a push for scholarly discipline. Humanism focuses on the concept of the individual within society and the use of one's own senses toward knowing. More artists seek recognition beyond their guilds and become widely known for their efforts. The enthusiasm for antiquity that was already evident in Italy began to spread across Europe. The surge of vernacular literature also gave rise to a more uniform language while Latin remained the official language of Catholic religion. Artistically, Medieval style and conventions still dominated, but there is a more formal attempt to break away from such conventions during the 13th and 14th century.
These years gave rise to city states as empires broke up and latched on to the rise of cities in the Romanesque and Gothic eras. In Italy, each city state was governed by executive bodies, councils, and special commissions. Each kingdom had its individual sources for revenue and support and all began to see an age of economic prosperity. Politics were often tied directly to religion and the Catholic Church that encouraged many religious commissions.
In 1305 the Great Schism occurred in the Catholic Church. The Great Schism refers to n event were a French pope was appointed and settled in Avignon as other subsequent French popes did. This caused a divide in the religion as Italians believed that the center of the Catholic Church should remain in Rome and the Vatican. This tension led to propagandistic commissions on both sides in an attempt to sway parishioners
Though all of this great progress occurred during this time, The late Medieval era and the Proto-Renaissance witnessed and documented diseases never before witnessed in human civilization. During the 1340's the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) eliminated 25-50 percent of Europe's population in only around five years. These events led many to either move more closely to the Church to seek salvation or seek answers though a growing academic interest.
Sculpture: There was an interest in classical sculpture throughout the middle ages.
Painting:
NOW IN THE YEAR 1276, in the country of Florence, about fourteen miles from the city, in the village of Vespignano, there was born to a simple peasant named Bondone a son, to whom he gave the name of Giotto, and whom he brought up according to his station. And when he had reached the age of ten years, showing in all his ways though still childish an extraordinary vivacity and quickness of mind, which made him beloved not only by his father but by all who knew him, Bondone gave him the care of some sheep. And he leading them for pasture, now to one spot and now to another,was constantly driven by his natural inclination to draw on the stones or the ground some object in nature, or something that came into his mind. One day Cimabue, going on business from Florence to Vespignano, found Giotto, while his sheep were feeding, drawing a sheep from nature upon a smooth and solid rock with a pointed stone, having never learnt from any one but nature. Cimabue, marvelling at him, stopped and asked him if he would go and be with him. And the boy answered that if his father were content he would gladly go. Then Cimabue asked Bondone for him, and he gave him up to him, and was content that he should take him to Florence.
There in a little time, by the aid of nature and the teaching of Cimabue, the boy not only equalled his master, but freed himself from the rude manner of the Greeks, and brought back to life the true art of painting, introducing the drawing from nature of living persons, which had not been practised for two hundred years; or at least if some had tried it, they had not succeeded very happily. Giotto painted among others, as may be seen to this day in the chapel of the Podestà's Palace at Florence, Dante Alighieri, his contemporary and great friend, and no less famous a poet than Giotto was a painter.(Vassari)
We see the high pedestal that Vassari places this artist in relation to the transition from the Gothic era to the Renaissance. Vassari notes the naturalism that is demonstrated from observation. He also presumes Cimabue to be his teacher and it is also presumed that he could have been influenced by many different styles or people, but the outcome is a major shift in expression. According to Vassari, Giotto is almost solely responsible for displacing Byzantine style, establishing painting as a major art form, and restoring a naturalistic approach which had been abandoned. This also expressed the dominance of sight for gaining knowledge of the world which pushed the early scientific revolution.
Pietro Lorenzetti, The Birth of the Virgin (1342): Lorenzetti was also a pupil of Duccio. His work demonstrates a search for convincing spatial illusions. This was painted for a Cathedral as part of a series honoring the Virgin Mary. The painting seems a sort of diorama of the narrative. Characters are even cut by the architecture giving mor sense of a space. This was a large step in integrating architectural illusionism with the figure.
Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Peaceful City (From: Effects of Good Government in the City and in the Country) (1338-1339): Ambrogio was the brother of Pietro and also a student of Duccio. These paintings were done as a part of a series of frescos that are in the public house of Siena, Italy. The series represents the effects of good and bad government done as a sort of reminder by those in charge to keep with the program. The mural project gave the artist the chance to study everyday life and use it as metaphor. It also gave the artist the chance to practice new ideas of perspective in depicting the cityscape and landscape in the paintings of the effects on the country.
Architecture
This module was produced by Professor Josh Yavelberg utilizing a mixture of open educational resources and notes from:
Kleiner, Fred. Gardner's Art through the Ages: The Western Perspective,|. Vol. 2. Cengage Learning, 2013.