Following Giotto

Giotto from Bondone(died 1337) or Ambrose, called Giotto, was a Italian painter that has revolutionized the Italian painting, in ascertainment of Cennino Cennini(1370-1410) other Italian painter and author of Book of painting, a technical treaty about the art of painting,  that has synthetically descripted the style of Giotto as: “he has brought the painting from Greek style to Latin”; this is given the tridimensional physicality to figures; it is certainly verifiable to frescos(Figs.1-7), it is more evident in confront of some medieval Byzantine painting(Figs.8-9); but what is influence of Giotto on other painters in Tuscany that has certainly suffered, also long from his laboratory? A case that we can take is Ambrogio Lorenzetti(1290-1348), Italian painter from Siena, that has had influence, modest but present of Giotto, it is enough the confront of faces of some figures(Figs.12-19) and the Christ of kiss of Juda(Fig.16) is to profile very similar to a figure of Ambrogio(Fig.16a), the nose and ear are equal; the female faces are very similar, two Virgins that seem sisters, but Ambrogio evidently has took the face of Giotto from Madonna of Every saints(Fig.18) and has used to his Virgin(Fig.19). The architectures that Giotto has used to his frescos(Figs.27-30) is adopted from Ambrogio to his frescos in Siena(Figs.21-26). Ambrogio  didn’t lost the cloth of Giotto because in his fresco(Fig.31) he has took the softness of Giotto(Fig.1), as the architecture on side of the old figure(Fig.32), that is similar to imprecision and style of Giotto to other architectures in Assisi(Figs.28-29). The old figures also has contributed to influence, because the beard, it seems that during middle age, they have lost the razors(Figs.33-34), the similarity is evident; we must also consider that the artist could not take the decision alone, because the costumer, that paid and the frescos were paid to figures, wanted how much figures and how much the expense, the colors and cost of it; it is as today a producer to a movie that chooses the actors and the cost, in Middle age was not the movie but money yes; therefore who pays orders what is better.

Alessandro Lusana  

  

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In papam: against pope and because

In history of Church that isn’t never lacks never are enemies, above all when the power is very much; it is human, and in history it is always occurred, both the religious power and no; almost the against pope, so called from historical critic, have become so, in opinion of Mario Prignano( Antipapi, Bari 2024):“to theological positions, or because forsook from their holder, or because they are died before conclusion of a controversy.” To name of against pope, during last years it is discussed if name is right or no, but we must consider that during Middle age others names were used, as: “apostle of against Christ, herald of diamond, horrendous dragon and others. Between 2th and 3th century the Christian religion spreads, and new predicators are present and given interpretation of doctrine, they spread mistaken doctrines, heresies, and to contrast it that the Church instituted the bishop, from ancient Greek έπίσκοπος supervisor.” But a question is important in my opinion because evidences the politic chooses of the first Christian communities, it is, why Rome? The one bishop alone is present in Alexandria, in Egypt, and Rome has gone after; hence I repeat, why Rome? Simple because Rome is capital of empire, and the prestige of this capital is superior to other cities, thereupon the spread of Christian religion is guaranteed by the spread in Rome; t it is alone a politic motive also because the Christians are about 60.000 on 60 million of citizens in Roman empire, and it is very scant, thereupon the spread of new religion in dean capital of empire is fundamental; other proof of this opinion is that saint Peter and saint Paul have affronted the martyrdom in Rome. But saint Linus(10 a.Ch.-80 a.Ch), second pope in Church history, didn’t martyred, but he lived in Rome, it is very strange because he was born in actual Tuscany and he could live there, but Rome was more important city than other, thereby the predication have to spread in Rome. But the new Christian are very scant convinced from new religion because a letter of Erma, Christian author in 2th century, compelled that: “They are satisfied of a faith very superficial, because they think alone the money and business…”, and the prestige of Rome signal is the translation of Gospel from ancient Greek to Latin because evidently language more spread  in empire, other politic choose. During the conclave in 1378, in Rome, after dead pope Gregory 11^th, to guardians of conclave, were not absolutely the baronial Roman family, why? Because these families have too ties with French cardinals, hence the papacy would be turned to Avignon, and the Roman people has had previously lost the gain to absence of power Church, and after 73 years of transfer to Avignon Rome has had impoverished, thereupon the return of papacy was very good occasion to revitalize the economy, an ancient Latin proverb says: “Primum vivere deinde filosofare”, this is the first is necessary live and after we can dedicate to philosophy; in fact Urban 6^th transferred the papacy from Avignon to Rome. But disorders and protest from Roman people were also after these years, why? Simple because the Roma people was habituated to give trust to richness families of Rome, by now independence since the papacy absence, thereupon offense and verbal menaces as attack to cardinal above all French was normal. The words that during this conclave the Roman people said: “The new pope if he isn’t Roman he must be at last Italian”, is repeated very much in historical literature, but I think that it is alone a false testimony after centuries of Italian popes, it is normal, also and above all economic motives, that the Roman people wanted a Romano pope; but the author of book that we have seen above(Antipapi) has given the motive to this essay, in fact he says: “Before that the Roman people pressures, something of incontrollable and divisive compromised the wit of conclave. These are the internal rivalries. After seventy years of French popes they have given to French prelates very much power above all from region of Limousin…”, this is motive of election of against pope, that although was not French he was concord to French cardinals about predominance of French on papacy, otherwise he could not be elected against pope, he was French because born in Annecy, French, that alone after died Clemens7th antipope, it was sold to Savoy in 1394, thereby he was French. The election in this conclave the choose of new pope is meaningful because isn’t chosen a cardinal but a prelate and jurist extern to holy college, this is  Bartolomeo Prignano, elected with name of Urban 6^th, Italian and distant from these contentions, and he was elected almost unanimous 15 votes on 16; two elements are very significant, the first that is chosen as pope an external to holy college, and second is Italian, why? Simple because to the first a religious external to college hasn’t had influence from some cardinal or others, and second he is Italian, hence he break the French power; it is motive to election of Robert of Geneva(1342-1394), elected with name of Clemens 7^th; the French cardinals wanted keep the power, this is motive to transfer to Avignon, because after the election of Urban 6^th, themselves voted Clemens 7^th, because evidently the will of new pope to remark Roman role of papacy invalidate their thinks about the return to Avignon of papacy; we can think, with supreme right, that they have though what the Roman people hasn’t said, paraphrasing the words above mentioned, this is: “The new pope if he isn’t from Avignon at last French”, somebody that knows very short the history could judge it as nationalism, but we on the earth answer that it is the search of power alone.

Alessandro Lusana           

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Traditio, from painter to painter:Benozzo Gozzoli, Desiderio da Subiaco and Siciolante

Bonozzo Gozzoli(1420-1497) has been a Italian painter and he has, involuntary, suggested some stylistic characteristic to other two painters next Rome, these are Desiderio da Subiaco, in 15 century, and Girolamo Siciolante(1521-1575); to the first, this is Desiderio, he has given the typical folds of cloth(Figs.1-2), in Camerae pinctae of Caetani castle, that are one of a major appointment to Desiderio during his pictorial life; he has worked also in Affile(Fig.3) and Cori, in church of saint Oliva(Fig.4), other works in Sermoneta and other town of Lazio. What is influence of Benozzo on Desiderio? The cloth, as above said is directly influence of Benozzo, the confront to two manners is more evident(Figs.5-6), are model to Subiaco to his folds in Camerae pinctae of Caetani castle(Figs.1-2); we can date these frescos about 1492, when Desiderio in Sermoneta, dated the Universal judgement, painted in counter facade of cathedral of Sermoneta(Fig.7), in 1492, this is 32 years after that Gozzoli has painted the Virgin of angels, in same cathedral of Sermoneta(Fig.8), the angels below(Fig.9) has suggested to Desiderio the folds, that he used to Camerae, and same Gozzoli has suggested also the posture of a Saint Francis in same cathedral(Figs.9a-9b). After Benozzo, Desiderio has suggested to Siciolante from composition his frescos of Camerae pinctae(Figs.1-2), the iconography to his Virgin and saints(Fig.11), now in Caetani castle, and datable 1521; in fact Siciolante has took from Desiderio the niches and has translated to Virgin above mentioned(Figs.1-2), instead to saint Lorenz on right of Virgin, Siciolante has took a female figure on right of Moses of Michelangelo(Fig.12), datable abot 1513-1516, that after he has interpreted, but the model is this figure; but Girolamo didn’t lost other Virgin of Gozzoli in Saint Angel in Pescheria, Rome; the angels on sides has substituted the saints, but the curtain is present behind the Virgin; hence Siciolante has interpreted two masters of a century precedent to his, Gozzoli and Desiderio da Subiaco, therefore it is traditio, from Latin, that meanings pass on or hand down; it is normal in painting culture and humanistic sciences, but important is find these models, and this pledge is our. A note both historical, the saint on right, this is saint Lorenz, has a book instead usually stone as attribute, it is normal but this saint has almost always the stone, why here has alone the book? Simple, because this altarpiece has commissioned from Caetani family, lords of Sermoneta, that was informed about the disputes of Luther and his rules to Protestantism; therefore, the book that represents the Gospel is an homage from family Caetani to Church.  

Alessandro Lusana   

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