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WORLDS TOP ARTISTS
For top creative practitioners, see:
Best Artists of All Time.
For the greatest portraitists
see: Best Portrait Artists.
For the top allegorical painting,
see: Best History Painters.
WORLD'S BEST ART
For a list of the finest works of
painting and sculpture, by the
world's most famous artists, see:
Greatest Paintings Ever
Oils, watercolours, mixed media
from 1300-present.
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Giotto's reputation as a painter quickly
grew, as did his commissions. By 1301 documents show he owned several
large estates in Florence (apparently he was a good saver!) and that his
workshop had become a leading studio in Italy. But in spite of his fame
and demand for his services, no painting survives to this day that is
documented by him. There is a certain measure of agreement that Giotto
painted frescos at four chapels at the Sta Croce in Florence and the Bardi
Chapel. Some of the frescos are in bad condition, as they were whitewashed
in the 18th century, but despite this, remain impressive to this day.
Several panel paintings
on the Stefaneschi Altarpiece at the Vatican bear Giotto's signature,
but it believed that this is just a trademark confirming it came from
his workshop, rather than a signature of his personal work. On the other
hand, the Ognissanti Madonna, c.1315 (Uffizi Gallery) is not signed, but
the work is such a grandiose spectacular that it is universally accepted
as Giotto's.
Sometime between 1303 and 1310 Giotto executed
his most influential work, the painting of a series of 37 scenes at the
Scrovegni Chapel in Padua. Famous panels in the series include The Adoration
of the Magi, in which a comet-like Star of Bethlehem streaks across the
sky, and the Flight from Egypt. The 19th century English critic John Ruskin
said of Giotto's realism 'He painted the Madonna and St. Joseph and the
Christ, yes, by all means ... but essentially Mamma, Papa and Baby'. In
1311 Giotto returned to Florence where he executed a work of mosaic
art for the facade of the old St. Peter's Basilica and now lost except
for some fragments. Remaining frescos from his later years show that Giotto's
style had become more ornate, which perhaps reflected the new Gothic
style, which was emerging in Europe.
Revered by this time as one of the great
medieval artists,
Giotto was honored with the title of Magnus Magister (Great Master) in
1334 by the city of Florence and was appointed city architect and superintendent
of public works. During this time he designed the famous campanile (bell
tower) on St Peters Square, but died before the work was completed. He
last known completed work is the decoration of Podestà Chapel in
the Bargello, Florence.
Giotto died in January 1337, but there
is some controversy over the exact location of his grave. In 1970, bones
were discovered underneath the paving of the Church of Santa Reparta (where
his biographer claims he was buried). Forensic examination confirms that
they were the bones of a painter (a range of chemicals including arsenic
and lead, both commonly found in paint, were discovered in the bones).
The front teeth were worn in such as way as to be consistent with holding
a brush between the teeth. A reconstruction of the skeleton shows a man
with a very large head, large crooked nose and one eye more prominent
than the other. The bones were of a small man, only about 4 foot tall
who suffered from a form of dwarfism. This would be consistent with a
picture in one of the frescos at the church of Santa Croce of a dwarf-like
figure which is supposed to be a self portrait of Giotto. His biographer,
who was a friend of Giotto, says 'there was no uglier man in the city
of Florence'. The body was reburied with honour near the grave of the
Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi.
Although Giotto lacked technical knowledge of anatomy and perspective
that painters in futures year were to learn, he had grasped something
far more important. He grasped human emotion, and was able to portray
this is a powerful and meaningful way. He managed to convey, stress, soul-searching,
grief and joy through his paint brush, and it was this gift he passed
onto future masters of Renaissance art
such as Mantegna, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci,
Giusto de'Menabuoi, Jacopo Avanzi, Titian and Altichiero. Italian painter
Cennino Cennini wrote in about 1400 that `Giotto translated the art of
painting from Greek to Latin.'
Works by Giotto can be seen in the best
art museums across Italy.
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