Antonia Dodd-Noble
What are the principle characteristics of Florentine painting as reflected in the works of Masaccio? With reference to at least 3 specific examples.
The Italian Renaissance was one of the most productive periods in the history of art, with large numbers of outstanding masters to be found in many centres and in all the major fields painting, sculpture, and architecture. In Florence, in the first half of the fifteenth century, there were great innovators in all these fields, whose work marked a beginning of a new era in the history of art. These innovators included Masaccio in painting,
It was Masaccio (1401-28) who, in his brief and amazing career, was the real successor of Giotto and revolutionized Florentine painting. He too gave his figures a grave and noble dignity. His frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel of the church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence did much to determine the course of painting from that time on.
There are eight main classical characteristics of Florentine art, which are displayed by both Masaccio and other artists are clearly displayed in a variety of paintings of which I shall go into more detail of three of them, although I will briefly refer to the other eight for a wider knowledge and understanding of the revelation of the Florentine work from the fifteen century. There is a greater anatomical study to produce a higher standard of naturalism of figures this is displayed my Masaccio in the baptism of Christ. Light is exploited to give a sense of volumes to the figures; this is depicted in the Masaccio’s Peter healing sick with his shadow. Naturalistic settings in the way of substantial and persuasively coherent spatial depiction, Masaccio shows this in the painting of the tribute money. Artists consider an increasing amount, the relationship with the spectator this is clearly shown in the picture of the trinity and tribute money by Masaccio. Although Masaccio did not display this particular characteristic in any of his known paintings many Florentine artists made religious figures depicted with an individual appearance. Again the painting of the Trinity depicts another characteristic and that is that of adding weight by using classical features and forms. There is a very strong depiction of emotions and human feeling which is a very effective feature in paintings; again Masaccio visibly portrays this in the expulsion from Eden. Last of all there is a clear innovation and development of mathematical system of perspective. This particular attribute is portrayed strongly in many pictures of Masaccio’s , trinity, evangelic annunciation and ucceo flood.
