Academy of Ambroise

Ambrose or Giotto, as everybody called him, was arrived in front of a building of 17^th century, his style was very next to Borromini, but next alone because architect was other; Giotto stopped there and looked form and style of building and some comment with himself; he was gone from Middle Age and this architecture, for his taste and culture, was very strange, above all when he knew that that building was an Academy; word that for him was lacking of meaningful, in fact he repeated himself: “What is Academy? I am alone a painter and this building is very strange and more strange is word Academy”, word that he looked on front of building, the suspect was very strong, and he before gone in took his knife, and after he gone in. He made cross sign, and thinking that he must meet somebody, enemies took out knife. He gone in and looked around, the sun lighted the space of entrance and a long corridor and to end a light and a figure of man that was busied to read a journal. Giotto walked until end and, always with his knife in the right hand, approached to man, who was sit down and red journal; Giotto approached and:

Giotto: “Bono die tibi sit bono homo”

Man: “What? Sorry but I don’t understand what you have say”

Giotto: “Good morning, mister…”

Man: “Cennino Cennini, painter younger than you”

Giotto: “Sorry I too, but I don’t think that I know you”

Cennino: “Contrary I think it, because you are dead when was life my father, but when you are dead I aren’t born again”

Giotto: “Who are you then?”

Cennino: “Cennino Cennini son of Andrea Cennini, I am born in Colle of Val d’Elsa at 1370, and I am dead at 1427 in Florence, and I have written the Book of art…”

Giotto: “Around?”

Cennino: “Around how to make art of painter”

Giotto: “You have tool art but I have made it, in Assisi around 1295, perhaps, I was there and I have gave natural form to human figure, and I have gave concrete reality to space around miracle, and I have made human that was alone divine, therefore…”

Cennino: “One moment mister Giotto, human figures were also in Rome, and some years that you painted in Assisi, you can’t forget Pietro Cavallini, who has this think before than you, and some his painting shows this concept”

Giotto: “What do you want say, that I have followed Cavallini?”

Cennino: “Not absolutely, but I want tell history of art, and you come after Cavallini, but in Tuscan habitat was much laic and not certainly sleazy as Rome, very traditional to painter, think for a moment, a city, capital of Roman empire, and a classical mine that is links again to Byzantinist culture; you consider alone that is important for you and not consider habitat where Cavallini painted, and costumers of Cavallini, very traditional men, but human figures ready were born in Rome, also before Cavallini, he has took that was important alone, human figure and has translated it in painting”

Giotto: “Well then I haven’t made nothing, all right?”

Cennino: “You have taught to all Tuscan how to paint, but Cavallini has made it before, but not in Tuscan, and other masters have made it before than Cavallini, and before than these masters have made it other during Roman empire have made it, because human figure, from ancient Greek culture, above all sculpture, Romans have taken style, and translated in Pompeii, as also for first Christian painting in catacomb”

Giotto: “Therefore I haven’t made nothing for painting”

 

Cennino: “I have written in my Book of art: Giotto changed art by Greek to Latin style, this is from Byzantinist to Roman style, and natural style, look those painting(he indicates some painting). Therefore, you can see how much difference is between your painting and Byzant’s painting, therefore you merit your fame in Italy and Europe, because you have given natural form to figure, and man is man now, in your painting, and not alone an idea; but certainly kind men is present now, because with your weight man is present. 

Giotto: “Pietro Cavallini you have mentioned the Roman painter Cavallini, why?”

 

Cennino: “Because he was much similar with your form, but he worked in Rome where traditional position was very strong, but you can see his painting, look these painting”.

 

Giotto: “But I am much more plastic and real than Pietro, he is again next to Byzant’s”

Cennino: “Not he has trayed a formal change but it is alone partial success because his costumer were traditional men; if you look faces and cloth you must consider that the cloth are very plastic but faces must enjoy costumer, therefore are Byzant’s, and this Christ is example:

 He must enjoy costumer and he enjoy himself also, and in fact he enjoyed himself  with natural form, but you have painted in Tuscan while Cavallini in Rome, are two region much different and, you know it perfectly, Italy is an together of region everyone different for language and for culture, therefore you emerge today because you in Assisi have painted very much and with natural form but Pietro has less fortune and less commission than you, therefore respect whom has started natural form”

Giotto: “I respect but I want that also my enforce is kept in memory”

Cennini: “In fact it is happen always, the problem is that you don’t remember whom was before than you. Remember them before after yourself”

Therefore Giotto stood up and gone away by room.