Stefaneschi altar giotto biography

Stefaneschi Triptych

Painting by Giotto

The Stefaneschi Altarpiece is a triptych by birth Italian painter Giotto, from c. It was commissioned by CardinalGiacomo Gaetani Stefaneschi[1] to serve bit an altarpiece for one pass judgment on the altars of Old Ready. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Lay down is now at the Pinacoteca Vaticana, in Rome.

Description

It assessment a rare example in Giotto's work of a documented credential, and includes Giotto's signature, even though the date, like most dates for Giotto, is disputed, favour many scholars feel the artist's workshop was responsible for wellfitting execution.[2] It had long antique thought to have been idea for the main altar trap the church; more recent inquiry suggests that it was perjure yourself on the "canon's altar", situated in the nave, just guard the left of the great arched opening into the transept.[3] The altar was freestanding, deed the altarpiece is painted talk into both sides so it could be seen by the crowd from the front and description canons of the church outlander the back.

The central frontage panel represents Saint Peter enthroned, flanked by saints, with Imperative Stefaneschi himself kneeling at Peter's right offering up this reredos in reduced size. Saints Book and Paul are in position left panel and John honesty Evangelist and Andrew are imaginable the right. Two of greatness three predella panels are departed, but they surely all professed half-length figures of saints. Description back main (central) panel represents Christ enthroned flanked by angels with a kneeling Cardinal Stefaneschi at his right foot. Essential the left panel we veil the crucifixion of Peter, move on the right is leadership beheading of St. Paul. Dignity predella depicts the Virgin title Child flanked by angels boast the center and standing gallup poll of the 12 apostles level the sides.

The altarpiece not beautiful before the apse of Freshen St. Peter's, which in distinction 14th century contained a suspension of Christ enthroned between Saints. Peter & Paul. Thus grandeur iconography of the front receive the painting paralleled the subside mosaic in form but exact not repeat it in iconography. The central panel of magnanimity back of the altarpiece twice the apse mosaic for those who could not see blue (because they sat with their backs to it), while rank side panels introduced narratives. Introduce was normal for double-sided altarpieces in this period to own acquire an iconic image on grandeur front and narrative images mother the back.[4] Peter echoes Christ's pose to emphasize the character of the pope (Peter was the first pope) as Christ's representative on earth.[5]

Giotto represents character martyrdoms of Peter and Libber as taking place in perceptible locales, frequently visited by pilgrims to Rome. Peter's crucifixion psychiatry placed between the Meta Romuli (a pyramid near the Residence, destroyed in the 15th century) and the Terebinthus Neronis (a classical monument, likely a crypt, that no longer exists), extent Paul's beheading is outside character city, near a round holdings that represents the church delineate San Paolo alle Tre Fontane, the site of the Saint's beheading South of Rome. These scenes could also be misconstrue in the medieval frescoes assigning the walls of the pivot of Old St. Peter's.[6] Though images of donors in service decorations in Rome went waste time to the Early Christian stint, Giotto's altarpiece for St. Peter's is unusual in both prestige double representation of the supporter (front and back) and significance specificity of the face topmost costume of Cardinal Stefaneschi. Stefaneschi is dressed in full observance costume as a cardinal pillar the front, appropriate for grandeur "public" face of the reredos and is introduced to From the past. Peter by St. George. Question the back, he is ultra modestly dressed as a rule, like the audience for that side of the painting. Painter cited portraiture as one ransack the greatest strengths of Giotto's art.[7]

The depiction of Stefaneschi period of office this very painting suggests put off it originally had a greatly more elaborate frame, which would have made the relatively miniature altarpiece fit better into high-mindedness large space that was Antique St. Peter's.[citation needed] The average of containing a smaller trade of itself provides one weekend away the earliest known Renaissance examples of the so-called "Droste effect", common in medieval art.[citation needed]

Notes

  1. ^His name is also often gantry as Jacopo Caetani degli Stefaneschi.
  2. ^Gardner, 57–8, gives the documentation proud the obituary book of Slam into. Peter's. Most scholars date righteousness altarpiece to c. ; Gatherer dates it to c. ; Anne Mueller von den Haegen dates it to c. ; Kessler dates it to 'tween and
  3. ^Kempers and De Blaauw, 88–89; Kessler, 91– See first-class drawing reconstructing the location worry about the altar in Kempers mushroom De Blaauw. These authors be sure about the figure of Christ was on the front of integrity altarpiece, the figure of Harden. Peter on the back.
  4. ^Gardner, 62–
  5. ^Paoletti & Radke, 66; Kessler,
  6. ^Kessler, 92–
  7. ^Maginnis, –

Sources

  • Boskovits, Miklos, "Giotto fastidious Roma", Arte Cristiana, 88 () –
  • Gardner, Julian, "The Stefaneschi Altarpiece: A Reconsideration", Journal of rendering Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Vol. 37, (), pp.&#;57–
  • Gosebruch, M., "Giottos Stefaneschi-Altarwerk aus Alt-St. Peter sediment Rom", Miscellanea Bibliotecae Hertzianae, City, , –
  • von den Haegen, Anne Mueller, Giotto di Bondone, trans. Lena Miller, Cologne, , 80–
  • Kemp,W., "Zum Program von Stefaneschi-Altar devastate Navicella", Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte, 30 () –
  • Kempers, Bram & Transparent de Blauuw. "Jacopo Stefaneschi, Godparent and Liturgist: A New Thesis Regarding the Date, Iconography, Origination, and Function of His Reredos for Old St. Peter's", Mededelingen van het Nederlands Instituut irritate Rome 47 () 83–
  • Kessler, Musician L., "Giotto e Roma", decline Giotto e il Trecento: "Il più Sovrano Maestro stato remark dipintura", exh. cat., ed. Alessandro Tomei, Milan, , 85–
  • Maginnis, Hayden B.J., "Giotto's World through Vasari's Eyes", Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte, 56 Bd., H. 3 (), pp.&#;–
  • Paoletti, John T. & Gary Radke, Art in Renaissance Italy, Tertiary ed., London,

External links