Masterpieces of the Italo-Gothic Period: Giotto, Bassa, and Serra

Posted on Jan 24, 2025 in Arts and Humanities

Giotto’s *The Resurrection of Lazarus*

Key Details

  • **Artist:** Giotto di Bondone
  • **Century:** 14th
  • **Style:** Italo-Gothic
  • **Technique:** Fresco
  • **Current Location:** Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy

Analysis

Giotto is considered the father of Gothic painting. This work belongs to the period classified as the Gothic Renaissance or its decline, but it demonstrates a profound Gothic style. It is a fresco, but the artist requested that the name of his father be cleared.

The subject is the resurrection of Lazarus. Lazarus’s sisters are asking Jesus for help to resurrect their brother. Giotto creates an aerial perspective (landscape) and spaces between the figures. The figures are no longer flat; they have volume. The bodily gestures are expressive. Other notable features include:

  • Gothic country – the haloes
  • Byzantine eye layout
  • Jesus is no longer the central point, nor is he larger than other figures
  • Pastel colors are prominent
  • Beside Lazarus is the father of the molestation of women, with Lazarus’s body showing expressive decomposition
  • Barefoot Jesus – a divine tribute
  • A feeling of playing with color and volume

Bassa Ferrer’s *Altarpiece of Saint Michael***

Key Details

  • **Artist:** Bassa Ferrer
  • **Century:** 14th
  • **Style:** Italo-Gothic
  • **Technique:** Oil
  • **Current Location:** Monastery of Pedralbes, Barcelona, Spain
  • **Type:** Mural

Analysis

Bassa Ferrer traveled to Italy to learn painting, and upon his return, he established his workshop in Barcelona. This altarpiece, commissioned and completed in eight months, is an example of his Italo-Gothic style. Although the paintings are technically considered to be of poor quality, they exhibit several key characteristics:

  1. Expressiveness in the faces (not hieratic) and gestures
  2. Narrative sense in the painting
  3. Predominance of color over drawing; colors applied before drawing
  4. Introduction of architectural and landscape elements
  5. Exploration of perspective to create a sense of depth
  6. Creation of volume and corporeality (figures are not flat) through color distribution, not light

The altarpiece is divided into two sections:

  • **Top:** Life of Jesus
  • **Bottom:** Life of the Virgin Mary (Saint Joseph is not prominent)

Pere Serra’s *Altarpiece of the Holy Spirit***

Key Details

  • **Artist:** Pere Serra
  • **Century:** 14th
  • **Style:** Italo-Gothic
  • **Technique:** Tempera
  • **Current Location:** Church of Santa Maria de Manresa, Spain

Analysis

This altarpiece was a commission for Serra exclusively, who had a workshop in Barcelona. It was commissioned by a patron of the guild of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the central figure. The altarpiece was originally intended to be in the same chapel. The lower part of the altarpiece, the *jamba*, suffered a fire in the 18th century. The *jamba* is from another altarpiece by Lluis Borrassa.

The altarpiece is a wooden structure with tempera. The streets are organized with kings and bishops drawn, and the spaces between the streets, or *entrecarrers*, contain scenes. The penthouse does not have scenes but figures of saints.

The central scenes, from top to bottom, depict:

  • The Coronation of the Virgin as Queen
  • After her death, the Virgin reappears before the Apostles with the Holy Spirit, who gives them the gift of speaking in any language (glossolalia)

Compositional elements include:

  • The Virgin is depicted as a giant figure
  • She appears on the trunk
  • An open book signifies that she receives knowledge
  • Gold background, an Italo-Gothic influence
  • Isocephaly – all female figures are equal
  • Expressive hands, very well-defined

The altarpiece features innovative scenes from the Old and New Testaments:

Left Scenes:

  1. God creates the world
  2. Creation of Adam
  3. The Annunciation
  4. The Nativity
  5. Arrival of the Three Wise Men
  6. The Virgin takes her child, Jesus (Presentation)

Right Scenes:

  1. The Baptism of Jesus
  2. The Transfiguration – when Jesus returns resurrected and gets married
  3. The final resurrection of Jesus to Heaven
  4. The appearance of Jesus to the Apostles
  5. The Ascension of Jesus to Heaven
  6. The illumination of the Apostles, starting with Peter

While some aspects, such as the hands and feet, are very accomplished, the painting is generally considered to be of poor quality. There is no perspective in the narrative. Drawing is placed ahead of color (red, yellow, and blue), and the painting is flat.