Comparison between the Crucifixes’ of Cimabue and Giotto
HU 200: Humanities
Chris Wright
May 4, 2014
Brookline College

Comparison between the Crucifixes’ of Cimabue and Giotto
I come from a Roman Catholic household in which we had a crucifix in every room. I asked my mother why one day and she told me that having a wall crucifix in every room where your family gathers, as well as in every bedroom just above the doorway, was a great visual reminder of God's love for us. Even as a child I remember looking at the crucifix and always was filled with lots of emotions; from anger to sadness. I believe that was the same emotions the artists who created the famous crucifix at Basilica Santa Croce, in Florence and the crucifix at Santa Maria Novella, in Florence wanted people to feel. The crucifix at Basilica Santa Croce was made by Cimabue, AKA Bencivieni Di Pepo, who was a Florentine painter in the Byzantine Style. His devotion to the Byzantine style of his figures of the Christus patiens (suffering Christ) is bordered by the Virgin and St. John the Evangelist. “The faces are very expressive and Christ sways dramatically. His outwardly stretched arms create more tension than the sagging arms of most Byzantine crucifixes. His blood flows downward from his hands, pooling the gold border of the cross.” (Hartt, 1949, pp. 49-51) Cimabue is known for being well adept in both his technical knowledge and his move towards more humanistic interpretations of religious figures and saints. This painting is a mix of the traditional guiding (applying the layer of the gold leaf) and the wooden structure, with a Jesus who is clearly in pain (the most natural side to Cimabue’s work), unlike older interpretations. The Jesus on the this Crucifix is clearly in anguish shown noticeably by the position of his body and the details in his face – closed eyes, tilted head, open mouth. This interpretation of Christ looks lifeless, defeated, which is opposite from the earlier Christos Triumphant version – where he looks impeccably calm after such horrific acts were done to him. (Koller, 2014) Cimabue is said to have discovered Giotto, the young artist drawing lifelike pictures of sheep on a rock. Cimabue was so impressed that he took the boy as an apprentice in his own workshop. The church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence is home to some of the early work of Giotto. There is a huge Crucifix and a Fresco of the Annunciation which date from about 1290. (Finnan, 2008-2014) “Giotto's fame as a painter spread. He was called to work in Padua, and also in Rimini, where today only a Crucifix remains in the Church of St. Francis, painted before 1309. This work influenced the rise of the Riminese school of Giovanni and Pietro da Rimini. According to documents of 1301 and 1304, Giotto by this time possessed large estates in Florence, and it is probable that he was already leading a large workshop and receiving commissions from throughout Italy.” (NA, 2014) Both Cimabue and Giotto had the same thoughts of why they wanted to paint the crucifix; to show the sadness and heartache which emphasizes Jesus' sacrifice. “Cimabue painted his crucifixion as an example his innovation: for breaking away from the Byzantine style and achieving a powerful new connection to Christ's humanity and emotion. Time damaged the piece badly, and a flood invaded Santa Croce in 1966 and removed much of the paint.” (Spencer, 2014) Giotto's used his techniques which were the non-stylized, bulky, emotional, authentic-looking way of painting humans, the bright and colorful scenery substituted for traditionally "holy" colors and his dedication to naturalism.(NA, Artble, 2014)

Reference

Finnan, V. (2008-2014). Retrieved 5 4, 2014, from Italian Renaissance Art.com: http://www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Site-Author.html
Hartt, F. (1949). Florentine Art Under Fire. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Koller, C. (2014, May 2). Santa Crose in Florence. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from A New Home for Cimabue: http://santacroceinflorence.wordpress.com/2014/05/02/a-new-home-for-cimabue/
NA. (2014). Retrieved 5 4, 2014, from Artble: http://www.artble.com/artists/giotto_di_bondone/more_information/style_and_technique
NA. (2014). Giotto Di Bondone. Retrieved 5 4, 2014, from The complete Works: http://www.giottodibondone.org/
O'Dowd. (2011, July 29). Florence in War and Flood. Retrieved 5 4, 2014, from About the Exhibition- Crucifix - Climabue: http://florenceinwarandflood.wordpress.com/
Spencer, J. (2014). Art in Tuscany. Retrieved 5 4, 2014, from Crucifix of Santa Croce at Florence : http://www.poderesantapia.com/engels/eng.htm