Vasari famously wrote that Giotto "recovered the true method of
painting, which been lost for many years before him," and indeed he
is traditionally considered a founder of the Italian Renaissance.
Producing a series of commissioned works for the church and upper
classes in his native Tuscany and surrounding regions, Giotto
changed the course of European art by breaking away from the rigid,
stereotyped figures of the Byzantine and Giotto medieval
traditions. His innovation was to give his characters natural
movement and expression. His great fresco cycles, such as the lives
of the Virgin and Christ in the Scrovegni or Arena Chapel, Padua,
are populated with realistic depictions of three-dimensional
figures; secondary characters, both comic and tragic, display the
range of the painter''s wit and invention. And Giotto''s treatment of
perspective was just as revolutionary as his approach to the human
form. The dramatic power of his scenes is heightened by the
convincing illusionistic spaces in which he places them. In this
authoritative survey of Giotto''s life and work, Professor Francesca
Flores d''Arcais draws on an impressive range of sources, from
fourteenth-century documents to the most recent art - historical
investigations. Her research leads her to important re-attributions
of Giottesque paintings and to new conclusions regarding the
execution and dating of both famous and lesser-known works. This
second edition also includes a discussion of the earthquake of
September 29, 1997 that damaged the frescoes of the Upper Basilica
of San Francesco in Assisi - some of which are attributed to the
artist in the early phase of his career - and the restoration
effort that followed. More than three hundred illustrations, most
in full color and some on double gatefold pages, reproduce all of
Giotto''s important frescoes in exquisite detail, as well as his
moving crucifixes and jewel-like polyptychs. These illustrations
are based on new photography of Giotto''s paintings, many of which
have recently been restored to their original brilliance, making
this the definitive monograph on the greatest of trecento
masters.
關於作者:
Francesca Flores d''Arcais is a professor of
medieval and modern art history at the School of Letters and
Philosophy of the University of Verona, Italy. She is the author of
a number of works and is a recognised expert on the work of Giotto.
Elio Ciol born 1929 has established his place over a long career
one of Italy''s pre-eminent art photographers. His work has won
major international awards including the Kraszna Krausz, World
Press Photo and Foto Padova prizes, and is held by institutions
including the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, Victoria
Albert Museum London and the Musee de la Photographie
Charleroi.