GOTHIC ART paintings and their authors

One of the gothic expressions more interesting was the painting. An artistic expression that had its time between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, its main characteristics being religious themes, a realistic style, very expressive and with a taste for detail, in addition to always looking for the contrast between the light and the areas dark.

In this lesson from unPROFESOR.com we show you the main characteristics of Gothic painting and its authors.

Index

1. Main characteristics of Gothic painting
2. Stages of Gothic art
3. French Gothic painters
4. Italian Gothic painters
5. International Gothic Painters
6. Gothic-Flemish painters
7. Spanish gothic painting

Between the main characteristics of gothic paintingto stand out:

• Gothic painting began to occupy new spaces when resorting to stained glass. Thus, the Gothic paintings go to the tables as a support and to the miniatures in the codices.
• The most used techniques were tempera and oil.
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• Idealization is left behind and the typical simplification of Romanesque for a greater naturalism and an observation and imitation of Nature, something that will become key and much more common in the Renaissance.
• Influences are left behind of Byzantine and Romanesque art, and also those of Greek and classical Roman art.
• Gothic is a religious art that embodies mysticism and religiosity, although at this time it is also giving way to profane themes in painting.
• With regard to religion, a more human image of the religious characters, showing their feelings and emotions, in addition to providing much more descriptive details, more color and light.

Gothic painting types

As has already been pointed out, Gothic painting was captured on a wall, in stained glass, on a panel and in miniatures:

• The gothic wall painting It remained the main resource when painting, being used especially throughout southern Europe, in Italy.
• The stained glass windows acquired a notable role as the walls were replaced by large windows decorated with stained glass colors that allow the passage of light to the interior creating intimate environments and that move to prayer and recollection.
• The illustrated or miniature books They show us delicate and precious drawings that frame letters, texts and are made with minium and natural colorants.
• The painted tables or altarpieces They are the most outstanding sample of Gothic painting to occupy a space in the ornamentation of the altars of churches, in addition to becoming an object admired and sought by individuals for the adornment of their houses.

To know the authors of Gothic painting it is important that we know the 4 phases into which the Gothic art. They are as follows:

• The French or linear phase
• The Italian phase
• The international phase
• The phase of Flemish Gothic.

This phase extends between the 13th century and the middle of the 14th century and. in her. he opts for a painting in which drawing, expressiveness and naturalism prevail. A phase that manifests itself in miniatures, stained glass windows and on a panel. Some conventions are still maintained.

Among his main works are the stained glass windows of the Chartres Cathedral, those of the Cathedral of León, the Cantigas de Alfonso X el Sabio or the Life of Saint Denis (1250) in the National Library of Paris, among others.

With regard to the Italian phase we can highlight the paintings of the churches of southern Europe, specifically the Italians. We come across the Sienese school and the Florentine school with great painters like Cimabue and Giotto.

Cimabue

Pseudonym of Cenni di Pepo, was the founder of the Florentine school, creating his own style from Byzantine Gothic painting. Thus, Cimabue is distinguished by his study of volume, space and movement, painting frescoes and paneling, as well as making mosaics.

Among his most outstanding works are the Crucifix of San Domenico in Arezzo (1268-1271), the Madonna on the throne, The flagellation of Christ (1280), among others.

Giotto

He is another of the most recognized authors of Gothic painting of his time, being one of the initiators of the Renaissance in Italy and influencing later pictorial movements. Among his most outstanding works are the Madonna di San Giorgio there Costa (1295), works in a purely medieval style.

For its part, the Siena school shows great interest in drawing and color and less in volume. A taste for elegance and poetry and delicacy. Among the main authors are Duccio, Simone Martini and Lorenzetti.

This phase extends between the second half of the fourteenth century and the first half of the fifteenth century, being a synthesis of linear Gothic and Italian influence, especially that of the Sienese school.

The style is courteous, elegant and in which bright colors and portraits with unreal atmospheres abound. The work of The very rich hours of the Duke of Berry of the Limbourg Brothers and the paintings of Burgundy.

The Flemish Gothic style emerged in Flanders at the beginning of the 15th century. One of his main contributions is the use of oil painting. A technique that allowed to print more realism and more detail. In addition, Flemish painters used perspective more successfully, they treated light in a special way and color, being much more faithful to reality, something that is evident in portraits, clothing and landscapes.

Among the main Flemish painters the brothers Van Eyck, El Bosco, Van der Weyden, Roberto Campín, Memblin and Hugo Van Deir Goes, among others.

The most representative works are Arnolfini marriage (1434), by Jan Van Eyck, the Descent (1435) by Van der Weyden or the Annunciation or Triptych of Merode by Roberto Campin.

Spanish Gothic painting also abandons the mural for take center stage in the altarpieces. From the first stage, the French, works such as the front of Aviá, of the church of Santa María de Aviá, in Barcelona.

Examples of the Italian phase are found in altarpieces of the Convent of Santa Clara, Palma de Mallorca or the altarpiece of the Holy Spirit in the Cathedral of Manresa. The most outstanding paintings of the international phase are the altarpiece of San Pedro de Tarrasa, by Luis Borrasá, or the painting of San Jorge killing the Dragon, by Bernardo Martorell.

In the Spanish-Flemish phase, works such as The Virgin of the Councilors, by Luis Dalmau, the Piety, by Fernando Gallego, or the altarpieces of Saints Abdon and Senén and that of Constable D. Pedro from Portugalby Jaime Huget.

If you want to read more articles similar to Gothic art paintings and their authors, we recommend that you enter our category of History.

• BLANCA PIQUERO, M., (1989) Gothic painting of the XIII-XIV centuries. Barcelona. Vicens Vives
• CIRLOT, J. E., (1972) European Gothic painting. Barcelona. Work
• CORRAIN, L., (1996) Giotto and the art of the Middle Ages: workshops, techniques, places and
• the stories. Barcelona. Serres