After attending art history series with the Ecole du Louvre program, I was very keen on discovering the art pieces that were discussed during lectures. Thanks to the passion shared by lecturers, in particular Stefania Tullio Cataldo, it was a whole new way of rediscovering places we had visited years ago. I find frescoes very moving because the sense of belonging is quite different to a museum. Only trouble, is that they are usually quite high, so it is difficult to picture them properly.. but on the other hand they where designed to be viewed and appreciated form the ground
To start with, thanks to Stefania, I made sure we didn’t miss the absolute masterpiece that is the Scrovegni Chapel, in Padua, where it seems that Giotto started a revolution in the early years of the XIVth century…
In Verona’s Baptistery
In Verona’s Santa Anastasia
Santa Maria Novella, side chapel
Andrea da Bonaiuto, Spanish Chapel, Santa Maria Novella
I noticed the resurrection scene is often pictured in a very Tex Avery-esque way, with Jesus slamming a door/stone slab on a poor devil who gets pathetically squeezed out and a couple of others nearby looking worried. Frescoes are full of those little details, it seems that painters had some really good sense of humour…
Frescoes also liked to include VIP of their time, kings, popes, rulers etc.. but also self portraits, fellow painters and poets… Dante seen here is a favourite
Masaccio, Trinidad, Santa Maria Novella, Firenze
Duccio, Palazzo Publico, Siena
Not only frescoes depict religious themes, they also have important political messages to get through:
Lorenzetti, Good government allegory, Palazzo Publico, Siena
Simone Martini, Guidoriccio da Fogliano, Palazzo Publico, Siena
Simone Martini, Maesta, Palazzo Publico, Siena
Fra Angelico in San Marco monastery, Firenze
Paolo Ucello, Story of Noah, Chiostro verde, Santa Maria Novella, now restored and shown inside of the refectory
Masaccio, Masolino and Filippo Lippi, Brancacci Chapel, Santa Maria del Carmine, Firenze
Adam and Eve is a favourite, it seems ever so important to constantly remind people how it is all womens’ fault =-(
Kind of cool also to look the who’s who of Renaissance in the middle of the crowd..
Masolino, Masaccio, x, Brunelleschi
Pollaiolo on the right, who looks a lot like Paul Smith..
Boticelli
Filippo Lippi
La cene de Dominico Ghirlandaio, San Marco, Firenze
Dominico Ghirlandaio, Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella (love this joyous and natural scene of the virgin nativity)
Library of Siena’s Duomo, frescoes by Pinturicchio
Beccafumi, Sala del consistorio, allegory of the Republican ideals: justice, love of motherland, and mutual indulgence. A highly political pice of art, destined to reaffirm Siena’s attachment to the Republic
Rafael, School of Athen, Vatican
Michelangelo, Sixtine Chapel, Vatican
Vasari, Duomo’s cupola, Firenze
And so many decorative frescoes in every church a Palazzo, that it very much becomes a pain in the neck 😉
