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The Roman Period
The Roman empire at its height stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to well into Asia and from Scotland to Africa. The empire was thus in a position to absorb a very broad combination of art influences, including the great achievements of Ancient Greece and those of the Etruscan civilization. Consequently the art of ancient Rome was a mixture of influences. In later centuries Italian art has developed those influences in new directions.
Medieval Italy
The Christianisation of Rome gave new focus to Italian artists and the sheer size of the empire resulted in a stylistic division between the art of the western empire and the art of Byzantium.
As time went by Byzantine art spread from the east and began to be adopted across Europe. The character of medieval art was a retreat from the realistic forms of ancient Greece into more stylised approximations of figures and a repetition of formulaic depictions of moral stories.
Gothic Period
The Gothic period marks a transition from the medieval to the renaissance and is characterised by the styles and attitudes nurtured by the influence of the Dominican and Franciscan order of monks, founded by Saint Dominic (1170 to 1221) and Saint Francis of Assisi (1182 to 1226) respectively.
It was a time of religious disputes within the church. The Franciscans and Dominicans were founded as an attempt to address these disputes and bring the Roman Catholic church back to basics. The early days of the Franciscans are remembered especially for the compassion of Saint Francis, while the Dominicans are remembered as the order most responsible for the beginnings of the Inquisition.
Gothic architecture began in northern Europe and spread southward to Italy.
The earliest important monument of the Italian Gothic style is the great church at Assisi. The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi (St Francis) is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery and the lower and upper church (Basilica inferiore e superiore) of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed 1253. The lower church has frescos by Cimabue and Giotto di Bondone. In the Upper church are frescos of scenes in the life of St Francis by Giotto and his circle.
Cenni di Petro (Giovanni) Cimabue (c.1240-1302} and Giotto di Bondone (better known as just Giotto) (1267-1337), were two of the first painters who began to move toward the role of the artist as a creative individual, rather than a mere copier of traditional forms. They began to take an interest in improving the depiction of the figure. The Byzantine style was unrealistic and could be improved upon by a return to forms achieved in ancient Greece.
The Renaissance
The Renaissance is said to begin in 14th century Italy. The rediscovery of Ancient Greek and Roman art and classics brought better proportions and use of lighting in art. Wealthy families, such as the Medicis, and the papacy served as patrons for many Italian artists, including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Donatello, and Raphael.
The focus of most art remained religious. Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel, and sculpted his famous Pietà. Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper (Leonardo). Raphael painted several Madonnas. Both Michelangelo and Donatello sculpted visions of David.
Mannerism
Modernity
Post-Modern Italian art
See also:
External Links
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