Elena Rossi
The 14th century was a transitional period in European art and culture, with the medieval world evolving to embrace Renaissance ideas in art and literature. During this time, artists like Giotto and Duccio di Buoninsegna, and writers like Dante and Petrarch, gained prominence. Giotto's work in Florence and Duccio's in Siena, such as Duccio's Maesta, an altarpiece, and Giotto's paintings in the Arena Chapel in Padua, are excellent examples of the stylistic shift from the medieval period to the Renaissance. In addition to large altarpieces and frescos, illuminated manuscripts were also highly prized art objects in the 14th century. These were often handwritten books filled with intricate illustrations and representations of three-dimensional space. The paint used in the 14th century was typically egg tempera, made by mixing egg yolk, water, and natural pigments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Period | 14th century (1300s) |
| Art | Paintings, illuminated manuscripts, altarpieces, frescos, sculptures |
| Artists | Giotto, Duccio, Margarito d’Arezzo, Cimabue, Duccio di Buoninsegna, Benozzo Gozzoli |
| Artworks | The Virgin and Child Enthroned, Duccio's Maesta, Margarito d'Arezzo's The Virgin and Child Enthroned, Lorenzetti's murals, Benozzo Gozzoli's "Stories of the Old Testament" |
| Themes | Religion, Renaissance ideas, symbolism, naturalism, space, structure, emotion |
| Techniques | Egg tempera, gesso, ultramarine, azurite, mineral pigments (red ochre, yellow ochre, umber, lime white) |
| Colours | Gold (divinity), purple (royalty), blue (purity), red |
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What You'll Learn
Egg tempera was the standard paint
The 14th century (1300s) was a transitional time in European art and culture, with the medieval world beginning to shift towards Renaissance ideas. During this period, egg tempera was the standard paint used for art, armour, and architecture.
Egg tempera is a type of paint made by mixing pigment with water and egg. The process of creating egg tempera involves separating the egg yolk from the egg white and combining the yolk with natural pigments. The dried protein that remains after the water evaporates binds the pigment to the painting surface. One of the challenges of using egg tempera is that thick layers of paint tend to crack, so artists had to apply the paint in thin layers or glazes. This technique contributed to the highly finished appearance characteristic of medieval paintings.
Egg tempera was widely used in the 14th century, with examples of its use dating back to the 13th century. It was employed in various artistic contexts, including illuminated manuscripts, which were highly prized during this period. These manuscripts featured intricate illustrations and representations of three-dimensional space that influenced the development of Renaissance perspective.
In addition to its use in manuscripts, egg tempera was also used in other forms of art, such as altarpieces and frescos in chapels. One notable example is the Wilton Diptych, where the use of egg tempera on wood was combined with symbolic iconography. The use of symbolism was essential in 14th-century art, as it helped convey meaning to a largely illiterate audience.
While egg tempera was the standard paint of the time, there were also instances of oil painting in the 14th century, particularly in Flanders and England. Linseed oil, for instance, was used in the 13th century for the painting of the Westminster Abbey altarpiece.
The 14th century also saw the continued use of mineral pigments such as red ochre, yellow ochre, umber, and lime white. Ultramarine, a costly and important blue pigment, was used to depict the Virgin Mary, as the colour blue symbolised purity during the Renaissance.
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Gold represented divinity, purple royalty
The 14th century marked a transitional period in European art and culture, with the emergence of Renaissance ideas in visual arts and literature. Painting techniques during this time included the use of ""egg tempera", a standard paint made by separating egg yolk from the albumen and mixing it with natural pigments. This paint was used in manuscripts, architecture, and armour.
Now, let's delve into the symbolism of gold and purple during this period. Gold represented divinity, and its use in art and culture was significant. In the context of religion, gold lettering was used in Gospel manuscripts, and gold cloth was restricted to royalty in certain places, such as England.
Purple, on the other hand, was associated with royalty. The Sumptuary laws of Queen Elizabeth I mentioned silk dyed purple, indicating that this colour was reserved for royalty. The high cost of purple dye, derived from sea snails, further contributed to its exclusivity. This tradition has continued through the centuries, with purple featured in the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
The use of gold and purple in the 14th century extended beyond just the colours themselves. These colours were often associated with specific fabrics and clothing styles. For example, silk was commonly dyed purple, and gold cloth was made with actual gold and silver thread. The exclusivity of these colours and the fabrics they adorned contributed to their symbolic value.
Additionally, the social structure of the time influenced the usage of these colours. In the Roman Empire, purple was restricted to the emperor, and this tradition carried forward, with various restrictions on fabrics and colours in place throughout Europe. The clergy also wore purple, and in religious paintings of the Renaissance, angels and the Virgin Mary were often depicted wearing purple or violet robes.
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Altarpieces were large artworks
In the 14th century, altarpieces were often large and highly prized. They were frequently painted with egg tempera, which was made by separating the egg yolk from the albumen (egg white) and mixing it with natural pigments. This type of paint was standard for centuries and was also used in manuscripts, architecture, and armour.
The winged altarpiece, which emerged in Germany, the Low Countries, Scandinavia, the Baltic region, and Catholic parts of Eastern Europe in the early 14th century, featured hinged outer panels that could be opened or closed to display different images depending on liturgical demands. With the advent of winged altarpieces, a shift in imagery also occurred. Instead of focusing on a single holy figure, these altarpieces portrayed more complex narratives linked to the concept of salvation.
In Italy, the original format of an altarpiece was a detachable, horizontal series of panels hung over the table featuring the Virgin or Christ in the centre, flanked by saints. However, by the 13th century, priests were conducting mass from the front of the altar, and a choir screen blocked the view of the high altar. As a result, altarpieces frequently served as reliquaries at devotional altars. In the 14th century, the polyptych, a tiered structure made of four or more joined panels, was introduced.
In Northern Europe, altarpieces were often made of stone, while in Italy, they were typically executed in wood and painted. English parish churches favoured altarpieces carved from alabaster, featuring scenes from the life of Christ. These were often imported by other European countries.
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Duccio's Maesta was a large work
The 14th century was a transitional time in European art and culture, with the medieval world evolving and Renaissance ideas beginning to emerge in the works of artists and writers. During this period, egg tempera was the standard paint used for art, manuscripts, architecture, and armour.
One of the most significant works of art from this time is Duccio's Maesta, a large altarpiece composed of many individual paintings. Duccio di Buoninsegna, considered the founder of the Sienese style, created this masterpiece with assistants in a studio near Siena Cathedral. The Maesta was commissioned by the city of Siena in Tuscany in 1308 and installed in the cathedral on June 9, 1311, after a grand procession.
The Maesta is unique as it was the first altarpiece to have both a front and back side. The front panels depict a large enthroned Madonna and Child, surrounded by saints and angels, with a predella showing the Childhood of Christ and prophets. The reverse showcases forty-three small panels illustrating the Life of the Virgin and the Life of Christ, topped by six additional panels with angels.
Duccio's Maesta is not just remarkable for its size and complexity but also for its artistic style. It set Italian painting on a new course, moving away from the Italo-Byzantine style towards more direct and realistic representations. Duccio's work influenced his presumed pupil, Giotto, who became known for his naturalistic figures with accurate proportions.
The Maesta played a crucial role in the cultural life of Siena. Its installation was a grand event, with shops closed and a procession of priests, monks, and dignitaries accompanying the artwork to the cathedral. The base of the panel bears an inscription that captures its significance: "Holy Mother of God, be thou the cause of peace for Siena and life to Duccio because he painted thee thus."
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Byzantine influence on paintings
In the 14th century, painters in Europe used "egg tempera" as the standard paint. It was made by separating egg yolk from the albumen (egg white) and mixing it with natural pigments.
Byzantine art, which developed during the Middle Ages in the Byzantine Empire, was almost entirely focused on religious expression. It is known for its mosaics, often featuring flat and frontal figures floating on a golden background, that cover the interiors of domed churches. The icons, which became a favoured medium, were characterised by a less austere attitude, a new appreciation for the decorative qualities of painting, and meticulous attention to detail.
The earliest surviving panel paintings in the West were heavily influenced by contemporary Byzantine icons. Byzantine artistic influence on Europe was in decline by the 14th century, but it continued to be important in the Renaissance in other areas. Byzantine influence was spread by trade and conquest to Italy and Sicily, where they became formative influences on Italian Renaissance art. This influence can be seen in the work of artists like Giotto, whose paintings mark a stylistic shift from the medieval period to the Renaissance.
The Byzantine style also influenced Islamic art, as artists and craftsmen were trained in Byzantine styles. Additionally, Russian icon painting began by entirely adopting Byzantine art, and it continues to be a strong influence within Orthodox art.
The Byzantine era ended with the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, but its cultural heritage had already been widely diffused, particularly through the spread of Orthodox Christianity. Even under Ottoman rule, Byzantine traditions in icon-painting and other small-scale arts survived, especially in Venetian-ruled territories like Crete and Rhodes, where a "post-Byzantine" style incorporating Western influence persisted for two more centuries.
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Frequently asked questions
In the 14th century, people painted with egg tempera, where the pigment was mixed with water and egg before application.
Artists of this time painted on large altarpieces, frescos, and manuscripts.
Some important paintings from the 14th century include Giotto's real paintings at the Arena Chapel in Padua, Duccio's Maesta, Margarito d'Arezzo's The Virgin and Child Enthroned, and Benozzo Gozzoli's frescoes in the Campo Santo.
Common colours included mineral pigments like red ochre, yellow ochre, umber, and lime white. Ultramarine was also an important blue pigment used during this time.
Religious subjects were common, including depictions of the Virgin Mary and religious symbols like the halo and the mandorla. Paintings also served civic purposes, such as Lorenzetti's murals, which portrayed good and bad government.
