Proto-Renaissance Artists
History & Paintings: Cimabue, Giotto, Duccio di Buoninsegna.

Detail from, Life Of Mary Magdalen,
Fresco, Magdalen Chapel, Assisi
(1320) by Giotto di Bondone.

THE RENAISSANCE ERA
For more facts about this period/
movement see these resources:
Early Renaissance Artists (1400-90)
High Renaissance (1490-1530)
High Renaissance Artists
Northern Renaissance (1400-1600)
Northern Renaissance Artists
Spanish Renaissance Artists

Proto-Renaissance Artists (c.1250-1400)

Contents

• Introduction
• List of Proto-Renaissance Artists
• Greatest Paintings of the Proto-Renaissance

Introduction

"Proto-Renaissance art" is a rather vague term which broadly speaking refers to the period in Italy between about 1280 and 1400 - being the century or so which led up to the Early Italian Renaissance (1400-90).

Occurring within the wider era of European Gothic art (c.1150-1375) and International Gothic (c.1375-1450), as well as the Siena School of painting, proto-Renaissance Italian art encompassed illuminated manuscripts, decorative fresco murals, altar-pieces, and ecclesiastical metalwork, as well as sculpture and painting - the latter in mediums like tempera, and even encaustic paint as well as early forms of oils.

PAINTING COLOURS
For details of colour painting
pigments and hues used by
proto-Renaissance and
International Gothic painters,
see: Renaissance Colour Palette.

EVOLUTION OF VISUAL ART
For details of art movements
and styles, see: History of Art.
For the chronology and dates
of key events in the evolution
of visual arts around the world
see: History of Art Timeline.

RENAISSANCE PICTURES
For a list of the most influential
images from the 15th century, see:
Greatest Renaissance Paintings.

PAINTING
For more about the history
of oils, acrylics, watercolour
and other types of painting,
as well as famous painters,
see: Fine Art Painting.
For the history of oils,
see: Oil Painting.

RENAISSANCE SCULPTURE
For details of 3-D plastic artists
in marble, bronze and wood, see:
Renaissance Sculptors (1400-1600).

Development of Proto-Renaissance Art

Painting in Italy during this period began by following the "maniera greca", the Greek style which was developed from Byzantine art at the beginning of the 13th century (c.1200): its centre was Pisa. This Greek style intially featured bold, linear compositions expressing powerful emotions, particularly in the Passion of Christ. Then at the end of the 13th century, Cimabue (Cenni di Peppi) (1240-1302) took a fundamental step towards Renaissance art by introducing more realism into the figures of his frescos, a technique used to a lesser degree by the Sienese painter Duccio di Buoninsegna (c.1255-1319) and significantly enhanced by Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337). This increased naturalism played a significant role in Early Renaissance painting (c.1400-90). At the same time the sculptors Nicola and Giovanni Pisano started to bring a previously unseen naturalism to stone sculpture. Later in the 14th century (trecento), proto-Renaissance Italian artists were influenced to some degree by the decorative idiom of the International Gothic style, and panel painting became more popular.

WORLD'S GREATEST ARTWORKS
For a list of the Top 10 painters/
sculptors: Best Artists of All Time.

SCULPTURE
For information about the
"plastic arts" and 3-D works
in bronze, stone and clay,
along with biographies of
famous sculptors, see:
Sculpture Art.

MEANING OF ART
For a discussion of the types,
values, and significance of the
visual arts, see: Definition of Art.

GREAT EUROPEAN PAINTERS
For biographies and paintings
of the greatest artists in Europe
from the Renaissance to 1800,
see: Old Masters: Top 100.

List of Italian Proto-Renaissance Painters & Sculptors

Among the many masters of proto-Renaissance painting, sculpture, illuminations, metalwork, and other visual arts of the 13th/14th century, were the following:

Agostino Di Giovanni (flourished 1310-1347) Italian Sculptor (Siena)
Altichiero Da Zevio (c.1330-c.1390) Italian Painter (Verona)
Andrea Da Firenze (fl.1343-1377) Italian Painter (Florence)
Andrea Di Vanni D'andrea (c.1332-1414) Italian Painter (Siena)
Angelo Di Nalduccio (fl.1342-1389) Italian Sculptor (Siena)
Antonio Veneziano (fl.1369-1419) Italian Painter (Venice)
Arnolfo Di Cambio (c.1245-c.1310) Italian Sculptor
Avanzi, Jacopo (fl.1363-1384) Italian Painter (Padua)
Barna Da Siena (fl.Mid-14th Century.) Italian Painter (Siena)
Barnaba Da Modena (fl.1361-1383) Italian Painter
Baronzio, Giovanni (fl.c.1344-c.1362) Italian Painter (Rimini)

Bartolo Di Fredi (c.1330-c.1410) Italian Painter (Siena)
Bassa, Arnau (fl.late 14th Century.) Catalan Painter (Barcelona)
Bassa, Ferrer (fl.1324-1348) Catalan Painter (Barcelona)
Beauneveu, Andre (c.1330-1402) French Illuminator
Betto Di Geri (fl.1366–1402) Italian Goldsmith (Florence)
Bonino Da Campione (fl.1350-90) Italian Sculptor
Broederlam, Melchior (c.1355-1411) Flemish Painter (Burgundy)
Buffalmacco, Bounamico (fl.1315-1336) Italian Painter (Pisa)
Bulgarini, Bartolommeo (fl.1337-1378) Italian Painter (Siena)
Calendario, Filippo (c.1315-1355) Italian Sculptor (Venice)
Campin, Robert (Master of Flemalle) (c.1378-1444) Painter (Flanders)
Capanna, Puccio (fl.1338-1348) Italian Painter (Assisi)
Cavallini, Pietro (fl.1273-1308) Italian Painter (Rome)
Cenni Di Francesco Di Ser Cenni (fl.1369-1415) Italian Painter (Florence)
Cenni Di Pepo (See Cimabue)
Cimabue (c.1240-c.1302) Italian Painter (Florence)
Cione, Andrea Di (See Orcagna)
Cione, Nardo Di (See Nardo Di Cione)
Cosma, Deodato Di (fl.Around 1300) Italian Sculptor (Rome)
Cosma, Giovanni Di (fl.1290s) Italian Sculptor (Rome)
Daddi, Bernardo (c.1280-1348) Italian Painter (Florence)
Dalle Masegne, Jacobello (c.1350-1409) Italian Sculptor (Emilia)
Domenico Di Agostino (c.1305-1369) Italian Sculptor (Siena)
Donato (Known 1360-1380) Italian Painter (Venice)
Duccio Di Buoninsegna (c.1255-1319) Italian Painter (Siena)
Embriachi, Baldassare Degli (fl.1390-1409) Italian Sculptor
Francesco Di Vannuccio (fl.1356-89) Italian Painter (Siena)
Gaddi, Agnolo (c.1350-1390) Italian Painter (Florence)
Gaddi, Taddeo (1300-1366) Italian Painter (Florence)
Gano Di Fazio (fl.1302-1318) Italian Sculptor (Siena)
Gentile Da Fabriano (1370-1427) Italian Painter
Gerini, Niccolò Di Pietro (See Niccolò Di Pietro Gerini)
Gherarducci, Don Silvestro Dei (1339-1399) Italian Illuminator (Florence)
Ghissi, Francescuccio (fl.1359-1395) Italian Painter
Giottino (1320/30-After 1369) Italian Painter (Florence)
Giotto Di Bondone (1267-1337) Italian Painter (Florence)
Giovanetti, Matteo (c.1300-1368) Italian Painter (Avignon)
Giovanni And Pacio Da Firenze (fl.1343-1345) Italian Sculptor
Giovanni D'agostino (c.1311-1348) Italian Sculptor (Siena)
Giovanni D'ambrogio (fl.1382-1418) Italian Sculptor (Florence)
Giovanni Da Balduccio (fl.1315-1349) Italian Sculptor
Giovanni Da Bologna (fl.1370-1390) Italian Painter
Giovanni Da Campione (fl.1340-1360) Italian Sculptor (Verona)
Giovanni Da Milano (fl.1350-69) Italian Painter
Giovanni Da Rimini (fl.1292-1309) Italian Painter (Rimini)
Giovanni Dal Ponte (1385-1438) Italian Painter (Florence)
Giovanni Del Biondo (fl.1356-1392) Italian Painter (Florence)
Giusto De' Menabuoi (c.1320-1391) Italian Painter (Padua)
Giusto Padovano (See Giusto De' Menabuoi)
Godefroyd, Etienne (fl.1300s) French Goldsmith (Naples)
Grassi, Giovannino De' (fl.1389-1398) Italian Illuminator (Lombardy)
Grifo Di Tancredi (fl.1271-1303) Italian Painter (Florence)
Guariento D'arpo (fl.1338-1368) Italian Painter (Padua)
Guglielmo Da Modena (See Wiligelmo)
Guglielmo, Fra (c.1235-1310) Italian Sculptor
Hennequin De Liège (See Jean De Liège)
Jacopo Del Casentino (c.1297-1349) Italian Painter (Florence)
Jean De Liège (fl.1361-1381) French Sculptor
Kalandario, Filippo (See Calendario, Filippo)
Landini, Jacopo (See Jacopo Del Casentino)
Leonardo Di Ser Giovanni (fl.1358–1371) Italian Goldsmith (Florence)
Limbourg Brothers (fl.1390-1416) Flemish manuscript illuminations
Lippo Di Vanni (See Vanni, Lippo)
Lorenzetti, Ambrogio (c.1290-1352) Italian Painter (Siena)
Lorenzetti, Pietro (c.1280-1348) Italian Painter (Siena)
Lorenzetti, Ugolino (See Ugolino-Lorenzetti)
Lorenzo Veneziano (fl.1356-1372) Italian Painter (Venice)
Luca Di Tommè (fl.1356–1389) Italian Painter (Siena)
Luca Spinelli, Spinello Di (See Spinello Aretino)
Maitani, Lorenzo (c.1255-1330) Italian Sculptor (Orvieto)
Mariotto Di Nardo (Before 1394-1424) Italian Painter (Florence)
Martino Di Bartolommeo (fl.1389-1435) Italian Painter (Siena)
Maso Di Banco (fl.1320-50) Italian Painter (Florence)
Masolino (Tommaso di Cristofano) (1383-1440) Painter (Florence)
Mates, Joan (c.1370-1431) Catalan Painter
Memmi, Lippo (c.1285-c.1361) Italian Painter (Siena)
Monaco, Lorenzo (1370-1425) Painter (Siena/Florence)
Nardo Di Cione (fl.1343-66) Italian Painter (Florence)
Niccolo Di Buonaccorso (fl.1356-1388) Italian Painter (Siena)
Niccolo Di Pietro Gerini (fl.1366-1415) Italian Painter (Florence)
Niccolo Di Segna (fl.1331-1345) Italian Painter (Siena)
Niccolo Di Tommaso (fl.1350-1380) Italian Painter
Niccolo Semitecolo (fl.1353-1370) Italian Painter (Padua)
Oderisi, Pietro (fl.c.1260-80) Italian Sculptor
Orcagna (c.1308-c.1368) Italian Sculptor (Florence)
Palmerino Di Guido (fl.Around 1300) Italian Painter
Paolo Veneziano (Before 1300-c.1360) Italian Painter (Venice)
Parler, Peter (1330-1399) German Sculptor (Prague)
Pietro Da Rimini (fl.1300-1350) Italian Painter (Rimini)
Pisanello (Antonio Pisano) (c.1394-1455) Painter (Pisa)
Pisano, Andrea (fl.c.1290-1349) Italian Sculptor
Pisano, Giovanni (c.1250-1314) Italian Sculptor (Pisa)
Pisano, Nicola (fl.1258-1278) Italian Sculptor (Pisa)
Pisano, Nino (fl.c.1349-1360) Italian Sculptor (Pisa)
Pucelle, Jean (c.1300-c.1355) French Illuminator
Rublev, Andrei (c.1360-1430) Russian Painter (Moscow)
Scerpswert, Elyas (late 14th-Century) Netherlandish Goldsmith (Utrecht)
Segna Di Buonaventure (1298-1331) Sienese Painter
Serra, Pedro (fl.1363-1399) Catalan Painter (Catalonia)
Martini, Simone (1285-1344) International Gothic/ Sienese Painter
Sassetta (Stefano di Giovanni) (c.1395-1450) Sienese Painter
Sluter, Claus (c.1350-1406) Netherlandish Sculptor (Dijon)
Spinello Aretino (c.1345-1410) Italian Painter
Starnina, Gherardo Di Jacopo (c.1354-1413) Italian Painter (Florence)
Stefano Di Sant'agnese (fl.1360-80) Italian Painter (Venice)
Taddeo Di Bartolo (1362-1422) Italian Painter (Siena)
Theophanes The Greek (c.1340-1410) Greek Painter (Russia)
Tino Da Camaino (c.1285-1337) Italian Sculptor
Tommaso Da Modena (c.1325-1379) Italian Painter (Modena)
Torriti, Jacopo (fl.c.1270-1300) Italian Painter (Rome)
Traini, Francesco (fl.1321-1363) Italian Painter (Pisa)
Ubriachi, Baldassare Degli (See Embriachi, Baldassare Degli)
Ugolino Di Nerio (fl.1317-1339/49) Italian Painter (Siena)
Ugolino Di Vieri (fl.1328-1380) Italian Goldsmith (Siena)
Ugolino-Lorenzetti (fl.1340-60) Italian Painter (Siena)
Vanni, Lippo (fl.1340-1375) Italian Illuminator (Siena)
Vitale Da Bologna (1289-1359) Italian Painter (Bologna)

Greatest Proto-Renaissance Paintings

A selection of the best paintings from the Late Gothic, International Gothic, Siena School and late 14th century styles.

Cimabue (Cenni di Peppi) (1240-1302)
Church of St Francis at Assisi Frescoes (c.1280 onwards).
Maesta (1280-85) Uffizi, Florence.
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Two Angels (1300) Palazzo Pitti, Florence.

Duccio Di Buoninsegna (1255-1319)
Maesta Altarpiece (1308-11) Siena Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.
Stroganoff Madonna (c.1300) Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337)
Scrovegni Chapel Frescoes (1304-6) Padua.

Simone Martini (1284-1344)
Maesta (1315) Palazzo Pubblico, Siena.
Frescoes in the lower church of S. Francesco at Assisi (1320-30).

Ambrogio Lorenzetti (Active 1319-48)
Effects of Good and Bad Government (1339) Palazzo Pubblico, Siena.

Melchior Broederlam (c.1355-1411)
The Annunciation (1393-99) Museum of Fine Art, Dijon, France.

Limburg Brothers - Paul, Jan, Herman (c.1387-1416)
Les Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (1416) Musee Conde, Chantilly.

Lorenzo Monaco (1370-1425)
Madonna Enthroned Between Adoring Angels (1400) Fitzwilliam Museum.
Madonna and Child (1413) National Gallery of Art, Washington DC.

Sassetta (Stefano di Giovanni) (c.1395-1450)
St Francis Altarpiece (1437-1444) Louvre, Paris; and National Gallery, London.

Jacquemart de Hesdin (d.1410)
Annunciation (1400) (illuminated manuscript) Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris.

Jean Fouquet (1420-81)
Melun Diptych (1450-55) Koninklijk Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp.
Portrait of Charles VII of France (1445-50) Louvre, Paris.

Greatest Proto-Renaissance Sculptures

Here is a short selection of the best plastic art from the period 1250-1400.

Gothic Sculpture

Nicola Pisano (1206-78)
Pulpit (1260) Marble, Pisa Cathedral
Pulpit (1265) Marble, Siena Cathedral

Andrea Pisano (1295-1348)
Door of Southern Portal (1330-6) Baptistery, Florence

Filippo Calendario (before 1315-1355)
The drunkenness of Noah (1340-55) Doge's Palace, Venice

Claus Sluter (1350-1406)
Portal of Chapel (1389-94) Chartreuse of Champmol, Dijon

Late Gothic Sculpture

Michael Pacher (1435-98)
St Wolfgang Altarpiece (1471-81) Church of Sankt Wolfgang, Abersee

Tilman Riemenschneider (1460-1531)
The Head Of St Anne (c.1500) Limewood, Hermitage St. Petersburg
St Jakob Kirche Altarpiece (1504) Linden Wood, Rothenburg
Herrgottskirche Altarpiece (1510) Limewood, Cregligen-am-Taube

Gregor Erhart (1469-1522)
Mary Magdalene ("La Belle Allemande") (c.1500) Polychrome limewood, Louvre.

Veit Stoss (1477-1533)
St Mary Altarpiece (1489) Wood, Krakow
Raphael and Tobias (1516) wood, Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nuremberg

Italian Renaissance Sculpture (Early)

Jacopo della Quercia (c.1374-1438)
Fonte Gaia Fountain (1414-19) Marble, Palazzo Pubblico, Siena
Porta Magna (Main Doorway) (1425) Istrian stone, San Petronio, Bologna

Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378-1455)
Jacob & Esau Relief, Gates of Paradise (1425–52) Bronze, Baptistery, Florence

Donatello (1386-1466)
David (c.1440) Bronze, Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence
Il Zuccone (1423) Marble, Museo dell'opera del Duomo, Florence
Equestrian Statue of the Gattamelata (1444-53) Piazza del Santo, Siena

Antonio Pollaiuolo (1432-98)
Heracles & Antaeus (c.1470) Bronze, Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence

Andrea del Verrocchio (1436-88)
David (c.1475) Bronze, Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence
Equestrian Statue of the Colleone (1480-95) Gilded bronze, Venice

Niccolo Dell'Arca (Fl.1462-94)
Deploration of the Dead Christ (1463) Terracotta, Bologna

• For a list of the top painters/sculptors, see: Visual Artists: Greatest.
• For information about fresco painting, see: Art Encyclopedia.