For this lecture, I
want to focus on how certain symbols and themes appear repeatedly in art,
evolving over time through a process known as schema and correction.
We’ve discussed this concept before, but here, we’ll explore how these visual
traditions develop and change as they’re reused.
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We're looking at an Italian Gothic piece by Nicola
Pisano. While we’ve covered this work in previous lectures, let’s go over
some key details and terminology again. This piece falls into the Italian
Gothic style, meaning it’s not quite Proto-Renaissance and not yet Renaissance,
but it does contain elements that suggest a shift toward naturalism. If you
look at the figures, their drapery resembles the wet drapery style seen
in classical sculpture. Some of the reclining figures resemble those from the Parthenon
sculptures, which we studied earlier. Their proportions and sense of movement
feel closer to works from the 15th century rather than the 13th century.
The iconography here is consistent with earlier Romanesque
and Gothic traditions, appearing frequently in manuscripts and religious
artworks of the time. We’ve previously looked at Annunciation and Nativity
scenes in other contexts, and here they are combined into a continuous
narrative.
In the upper left corner, the Annunciation is
depicted. The Angel Gabriel approaches Mary to announce that she will
give birth to Jesus. Mary reacts with a slight recoil, her gesture suggesting
movement.
In the upper right corner, a Nativity scene unfolds,
including the Magi, or three wise men, who have arrived to present gifts
to the newborn Christ. These elements, presented together in a single space,
reflect a storytelling method often used in medieval and early Renaissance art.
Some of the
figures in the relief are missing their heads, but you can still make out the
crib with the infant Jesus inside it. In the center of the composition, Mary is
shown reclining. She is the largest figure in the scene, positioned near the
middle, which draws attention to her presence.
In the lower left corner, Joseph is placed slightly off to
the side, almost on the outskirts of the composition. Near him, at the bottom
center, there is a scene of Jesus receiving what appears to be his first bath.
It isn’t quite a baptism in the religious sense, but rather a depiction of an
early bathing ritual.
In the lower right corner, there are figures and animals that
relate to Jesus’ role as the Good Shepherd. All of these moments are
arranged within a single image using a technique called continuous narrative.
This means that multiple events from different times in the story are shown
within the same picture plane, unfolding at once.
Another important concept that connects to these images is typology,
or typological exegesis. This refers to the idea that certain events in
the Old Testament prefigure or foreshadow aspects of Jesus’ life. For example,
depictions of David are often considered typological because
David, as a shepherd and king, is seen as a precursor to Jesus, who is also
called the Good Shepherd. Later in this lecture, we’ll look at an
example of a typology related to Mary.
Annunciation, 1333, 10'x8' Simone Martini,
(central panel)
Lippo Memmi, (Wings) Frame 19th C Anonymous
Late Gothic/Early Renaissance
Now, in the next image, we’re looking at a triptych by
Simone Martini. A triptych is a three-panel painting, usually
used as an altarpiece. In this case, Martini painted the central panel, while
the side panels were done by Lippo Memmi, who was his father-in-law.
Before analyzing the details, let’s first talk a little about
panel painting—how these works were created and the materials used.
Below the image, you’ll see three key terms that will help explain the process.
In Renaissance and medieval churches, including
Romanesque and Gothic styles, altarpieces were often made up of
multiple painted panels. Some were used as devotional objects in private
homes, though this was less common. This particular piece was likely made for a
church and consists of multiple panels.
The term polyptych comes from poly- (meaning
"many") and ptychē (meaning "fold" or
"panel"). In this case, we have a triptych, which means three
panels. If it had two, it would be called a diptych (di- meaning
"two"). One detail to note is that the frame on this piece is
actually from the 19th century. The original frame is lost, but the replacement
is designed in a Gothic style.
Now, focusing on the central panel, we see an Annunciation
scene, which is similar to the one in Nicola Pisano’s work. The Angel Gabriel
is positioned lower than Mary, on the left side of the composition. He offers
an olive branch, a symbol of peace, and wears a wreath of olive leaves, which
also represents peace.
Between Mary and Gabriel is a vessel, which symbolizes
her role as the vessel of God. White flowers, likely lilies,
emerge from it, representing purity. Mary is shown slightly recoiling at the
announcement, much like in Pisano’s relief. A band of text comes from Gabriel’s
mouth, likely in Latin or Italian, stating the Annunciation—the
message that she will bear Jesus.
Mary is seated on a throne, and her head is covered, which is
a symbol of piety. This is similar to the hijab worn in Islamic
traditions today. In her hand, she holds a book. While Renaissance audiences
may have assumed it was a Book of Hours (a Christian prayer book),
historically, Mary, as a Jewish woman, would have been reading the Old
Testament.
Above Mary and Gabriel, in the central section of the tripartite
(three-part) composition, there is an image of a dove floating between a group
of Seraphim. We’ve seen similar depictions of these six-winged angels in
earlier works, like Giotto’s paintings and Bonaventura Berlinghieri’s
Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata. Here, in the center, the dove
represents the Holy Spirit, surrounded by Seraphim who appear to
be guiding it downward toward Mary.
Looking at the details of Gabriel and Mary, there are some
important elements of iconography to note. In Florence and
northern Italy, the cloth trade, particularly in wool and textiles, was
a major industry. Gabriel’s robe has a checkered or tartan pattern,
which may reference the region’s textile production—similar to how modern
product placement works, like when brands appear in TV shows.
Mary’s robe is painted in a deep royal blue, a color made
from ultramarine, which was one of the most expensive pigments available
at the time. The use of this color emphasizes her elevated status.
This Annunciation scene follows traditional artistic
conventions, similar to others we’ve seen. Many polyptychs—multi-panel
altarpieces—were later dismantled, with individual panels separated from their
original context. However, this particular piece remains part of a larger
altarpiece.
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The altarpiece we’re looking at is the Maestà Altarpiece,
created by Duccio di Buoninsegna for the Siena Cathedral. MaestÃ
means "majesty," and the work was commissioned for the high altar. In
the lower part of the altarpiece, known as the predella (a base panel
that runs along the bottom of the altar), there is another Annunciation
scene.
This panel contains many of the same visual elements we just
examined. Gabriel enters from the left, carrying a staff and making a
hand gesture often associated with blessings. He has a halo, as does Mary, who
is seated and slightly recoiling. In her hand, she holds a book, likely a Bible
or Book of Hours. Between them, there is a vessel with white flowers,
once again symbolizing Mary as the vessel of God.
At the top of the panel, a beam of light descends from
heaven, a visual representation of divine intervention. This feature, sometimes
depicted as a golden ray, appears in multiple Annunciation paintings
from this period.
At the top of the panel, you can see a circular shape with a
white dove inside. This represents the Holy Spirit, descending toward
Mary. The way it's visually transmitted down to her is a common element in Annunciation
scenes.
One thing to notice about Duccio’s composition is that
he places the scene within an architectural setting. This introduces an element
of visual illusionism. A key part of this is the column positioned
between Gabriel and Mary, and another in front of Gabriel.
This placement creates a sense that the viewer is outside, looking into the
space. It helps establish depth, similar to how Giotto used figures with
their backs turned in The Lamentation to give the illusion of space.
Here, the foreground is interrupted by architectural elements, making it
clearer that the scene takes place within a structured environment. This
approach, known as intuitive perspective, suggests depth without using
mathematically precise linear perspective, which would not be fully
developed until the 15th century.
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The Annunciation
panel is part of a larger narrative series, rather than the central panel of
the Maestà Altarpiece. These panels function like a sequence of images,
similar to a comic strip, telling different parts of a story.
Comparing Duccio’s Annunciation with Simone
Martini’s version, we see that both share much of the same iconography,
including the use of royal blue and royal red in Mary’s garments.
However, they differ in their approach to illusionism and symbolism. Martini’s
painting emphasizes the symbolic aspects, making it more diagrammatic
and structured. It prioritizes clarity over realism. In contrast, Duccio
is more focused on creating depth and light effects.
One way Duccio achieves this is through chiaroscuro,
the use of light and shadow. A light source, seemingly from the upper left,
rakes across the figures and highlights the drapery folds, making them appear
more three-dimensional. The architectural setting further enhances the
illusion, as light is shown hitting different planes, particularly on the triumphal
arch near Mary. This could even suggest divine light shining down.
One difference between the two works is that Duccio
does not include written text in the scene, whereas Martini does. While
widespread literacy was still limited during the Renaissance, it was
increasing among the educated upper classes. The inclusion of text in Martini’s
painting may be a reference to this growing emphasis on written language.
Now, we can't talk about this without bringing up Giotto
and comparing his work to Duccio. While they were both active around the
same time, it's unclear whether they were direct competitors. However, they
were both working with visual illusionism and using similar iconography.
The image on the left is a panel from the MaestÃ
Altarpiece, showing Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem. This scene,
depicting Palm Sunday, follows a well-established schema—a
traditional compositional layout used in religious art. We’ve seen similar
versions of this in the Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus and in stained
glass windows from earlier periods. The scene
typically includes
Jesus entering the city on a donkey, children climbing trees to watch, and the
apostles following behind. The city of Jerusalem is usually represented
in the background.
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