Stylistic features of Cimabue's Madonna Enthroned with Angels and Prophets (Essay Sample)

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The Byzantine style dominated the Italian art scene in the 13th century. At this time most of the cities such as Venice, Florence, Lucca, and Siena, were independent and prosperous. The outbreak of Bubonic plague in the 1340’s killed a lot of people and threatened to wipe out the riches of these states. This fueled the rise of the Byzantine style that focused mainly on devotional images that depicted sickness and death. However, the rise of vernacular literature in the late 14th century changed the Italian art scene. Historians called this period Renaissance. It was characterized by the desire to experience the natural world, individualism, and the worldly side of humanity. This gave birth to a new art form called Humanism. Artists such as Cimabue and Giotto led the way in the development of art forms that depicted human values and interests without undermining religious values. The styles used by the two artists were different, despite Giotto being Cimabue’s apprentice. This paper compares the formal and stylistic features of Cimabue’s Madonna Enthroned with Angels and Prophets (1280-1290) and Giotto’s Madonna Enthroned (ca.1310). In this line, special attention is paid to the composition, space, decoration, and volume of the two art forms.
Cimabue was one of the pioneers of Humanism art forms. The painting, Madonna Enthroned with Angels and Prophets, has distinct features that somehow connect it to Byzantine roots. For instance, the painting illustrates Madonna and the other figures as occupying a deeper space, which is a characteristic of Byzantine art. In addition, Cimabue used gold embellishments for the folds of Madonna’s robe. These embellishments make the drapery have three dimensions. These two features show that Cimabue was greatly influenced by the Byzantine style. He further creates the sense of greater depth and volume by including the overlapping bodies of the angels on both sides of the throne and the half body prophets looking up at the throne. The use of overlapping furniture and altar piece illustrate the breaking away from Byzantine influence. Further, he drew the angels to look in front and not at Madonna. Only the prophets looked up. The painting is also structured and symmetrical, a feature common to Byzantine art.
On the other hand, Giotto’s painting Madonna Enthroned depicts a form of an art form that is free of the Byzantine influence. Unlike Cimabue, his paintings have a greater sculptural solidity, stability, and weight. Notably, the drawing illustrates Madonna’s as a monumental figure and her throne is deep enough to contain her. This creates a deeper depth that Cimabue’s painting...