Duccio Di Buoninsigna and Giotto Di Bondone are two well known Italian artists. Although their works significantly differ both of their most popular pieces are religious based. Both, Duccio and Giotto created a piece representing and named The Arrest of Christ. Essentially both illustrate the Gospel of St. Matthew, chapter 26 which explains the “arrest” or “betrayal” of Christ. Judas, one of the twelve disciples, chose to betray Jesus and led soldiers armed with clubs, torches, and swords to him after the Last Supper, stating to the soldiers to arrest whom he kisses. Judas leans in and kisses Jesus; the soldiers then attack and arrest Jesus. Peter is shown to the left side of Jesus cutting off a servant’s ear in attempt to protect Jesus. It …show more content…
In both pieces Jesus is in the center and in most cases the center is the first place the eye looks toward. Giotto’s version of the Arrest of Christ portrays Jesus exactly in the middle with roughly the same amount of men to the right and left of him. In Duccio’s painting the center is less obvious because Jesus’ followers are off to the right side of the frame creating a narrative for the eyes starting from the center (Jesus) to those surrounding and behind Jesus (Judas) then off to the right where Jesus’ followers are. The parallel trees in the background of Duccio’s painting make the center more obvious. The middle tree guides the eyes straight down to the center where Jesus is standing wearing a black and red cloak that is a lot brighter than what everyone else in the frame is wearing. The trees seem to point down at the three most significant events in Duccio’s painting: Jesus and Judas, Peter cutting off a man’s ear, and Jesus’ followers fleeing. In Giotto’s piece Jesus is seen in the front of a group of men who are carrying sticks, swords, and clubs perfectly arched in the background directly over his head. The weapons are all pointed towards the center. Duccio’s painting makes the viewer feel as if he/she were standing at a distance watching what’s going on because of all the background visible and distance between the men, while on the other hand Giotto’s painting makes the viewer feel …show more content…
Although the images themselves at a first glance, close up appear similar, they are actually very different. Duccio’s piece was painted on a wooden panel and roughly only a foot wide, while Giotto’s is a fresco and a whopping eight feet wide. Judas is a main point in both paintings since the paintings are both based on the moment Judas’ kiss to Jesus singled him out for the soldiers to arrest him. Judas appears in both paintings with eyes full of hate while Jesus looks calm almost as if he is forgiving Judas for what he is about to do. Although very similar, the two paintings give off a different overall effect. Duccio illustrated the event as a narrative that shows the progression of what is going on while focusing on Christ as the main point. Duccio’s piece at first glance tells a story. On the other hand Giotto’s painting has more intensity, even the way he painted the floor makes the viewer seem as if they were standing right in front of the battle that was about to break out. Giotto’s painting shows more of the fight and violence and resistance of Jesus’ followers but has a more angelic image of Jesus’ forgiving face. Giotto’s painting sparks a sense of revolution and fight of faith versus nonbelievers. When looking at Duccio’s painting it gives a story telling effect, which provokes remembering of the event of the arrest of Christ. Duccio’s painting does not have an