According to Wikipedia, Giotto "was an Italian painter and architect from Florence during the Late Middle Ages. He worked during the Gothic/Proto-Renaissance period.
"Giotto's contemporary, the banker and chronicler Giovanni Villani, wrote that Giotto was 'the most sovereign master of painting in his time, who drew all his figures and their postures according to nature' and of his publicly recognized 'talent and excellence.'
Olivia focused on six pieces that Giotto created. Below are the images of the work and what Olivia remembered about each one after she studied them for a while.
Crucifix (1288-89)
Olivia remembered:
- In the picture, there is a big cross, but it is a very fancy-looking cross.
- At the base of the cross, there is a rock formation that looks like it is in front of the cross and underneath the rock, there are some bones.
- On the cross, is Jesus and you can tell he is nailed to the cross by his feet and both of his hands.
- He has a kilt and that is the only piece of clothing he is wearing.
- He also appears to have been there awhile because his stomach is sagging.
- He also has a wound on his side that is bleeding, and on the two parts of the cross that go out horizontally there is a picture probably Mary on the left side and what appears to be Joseph on the right.
- Mary is wearing a blue and pink shawl/robe-thing and Joseph has a blue robe on with the hood up - and it is a dark blue.
- Mary has the same hair color as Jesus - kind of a light brown. Both of their hair is wavy.
- Above Jesus (at the top of the cross), there is a square plaque that has gold writing on it that looks like it is probably Arabic or Hebrew.
- The cross is done in golds, reds, and blues.
- Jesus has one of those golden halos around his head, and his skin color has kind of a greenish tint to it.
- There are patterns at the base part of the cross where Jesus' legs are on it - covering it.
- The background around the cross is black and the main colors that were used were creams, golds, reds, and blues.
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Ognissanti Madonna and Child, created in 1310, tempera on wood, 128 x 80 inches, Uffizi, Florence
Olivia remembered:
- In the picture, it has a triangle shape top. It looks like it would have been on an altar or in a picture frame with a weird top.
- In the center of the picture, there is a throne chair and it is surrounded by people and on the chair is Mary with baby Jesus.
- Baby Jesus is wearing a pink dress/robe/outfit and he looks like he is a couple of years old.
- Mary is wearing a blue robe/wrap and I think it covers what she is wearing underneath - it may be a white dress.
- Closest to the throne and three people on both sides and two of the people (one on each side) are holding gifts out to Jesus. Maybe they are kings.
- The one on the right is holding out a box/mini chest and the one on the left is holding a crown.
- The one on the right is holding out a box/mini chest and the one on the left is holding a crown.
- The three men have the gold halos around their head, and so does Mary and Jesus.
- The other people in the background also appear to be lords or kings because they have a crown on their head.
- In front of the wise men, at the base of the throne, there is an angel on both sides. They have white robes on and they are kneeling. They are holding out a gold vase with something inside it.
- The wings appear to have a slight ombre effect - white on top with gray followed by an orangish-red.
- The throne is white with lots of detailing with gold, red, and blue paints.
- Also, the arms of the chair appear to have big, open windows on the top.
- The background of the picture is gold.
- The people appear to be very pale and not have natural skin colors.
- These people are dressed in greens, reds, blues, and browns.
- The chair appears to be sitting on a marble pedestal that is decorated around the edges.
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The Nativity in the Lower Church, Assisi
Olivia remembered:
- This picture has a mountain in it and in front of the mountain there is a barn, and in the barn is a feeding or water trough with a cow and donkey looking over it.
- Sitting in the hay - but it looks like a mattress - is Mary and baby Jesus.
- The barn appears to be set on a ledge - it looks like it is a little off the ground.
- Baby Jesus has one of those golden things around his head, except it looks like it has a cross on it 0 it has three points sticking out from his head.
- Sitting on the floor next to the ledge is Joseph and he looks kind of old - he has white hair and white beard, and his knee is propped up with his arm on it and head resting on his hand. He looks very bored.
- Next to him are two women and there is a bowl that looks like it is sitting - in between them. The one wearing white is holding another baby and this baby has a golden ring with the points sticking out of the side. The other woman who is dressed in pink has a cloth that she is holding out. Next to her is a bunch of sheep and behind the sheep are two shepherds and they look frightened because there is an angel above them that looks like it is telling them the good news about Jesus' birth - except these don't like normal size/human size angels. They look like little angels you find on fountains - like cherubs.
- Above Mary in the barn there are angels in front of her and behind her, and they are all smiling and happy that Jesus is born.
- The sheep are mostly white, but there are some brown ones in there, and they almost all have horns.
- Above the mountain, there are some more angels, and there is a star that is a shooting star that is going past them, and the angels are all singing.
- Coming down at the peak of the mountain and shining down on baby Jesus are the rays from another star, but you can't see that star.
- Jesus is wrapped up in white cloth and Mary is wearing a blue robe with gold trim.
- Joseph has a blue robe and a white shawl that covers the upper half of his body.
- Behind the shepherds, there is one single lone tree with some leaves on it.
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Saint Francis and Saint Clare 1279-1300
Olivia remembered:
- In the picture, there are two people. They are standing between two different archways. One is a man and the other is a woman.
- They are both dressed in brown robes. Neither of them has shoes.
- The woman is holding a palm tree branch in one hand and she is wearing a habit. She has very long fingers and toes.
- The background for both of the pictures if blue with a little bit of green and they have writing behind them.
- The man has a Bible and he, too, has long fingers and toes. On both of his hands and feet there are these dots that look like blood.
- They both have the halos around their heads.
- They both have the halos around their heads.
- The center column that separates them appears to have a twisty pattern on it and the tops of the column looks like it is done in a Greek or Roman style.
- The archway is decorated with patterns done in gold and blue with a little bit of red.
- They appear to be standing on the ground which is brown.
- They both have their eyes closed or they are looking down.
- There is writing behind them on the blue sky.
- The Bible is done is a reddish-brownish leather.
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No. 5 Scenes from the Life of Joachim, created during 1304-06
Olivia remembered:
- In the picture, there are three people and five animals. There is a house or a hut behind the man who is sitting on the ground. This man is wearing a pink robe and is resting on a rock. He looks like he is asleep.
- There are two shepherds and they are looking at the man, and they don't seem to know what's going on.
- They appear to be on the side of a mountain. It's a very barren looking mountainside. There's only a couple of trees behind the hut and several scraggly-looking plants near the sheep.
- One of the sheep is reaching up and eating one of these plants. There are three white sheep, two are laying down. There are two black ones (one is laying down) and the other one appears to have horns and is standing next to a dog.
- In the sky, there is an angel and the angel has a kind of an upper body that is present, but the lower half is non-existent or you have to imagine it for yourself.
- The wings on the angel are red and he is carrying some sort of staff. Both the angel and the man laying down have the gold circles around their heads - the halos.
- This picture is during nighttime.
- The ground is like a white, grayish-tan. It looks very desolate.
- The sky is a nice, dark blue.
- The shepherds are wearing tunics that are a light gray and dark brown. The one wearing the light gray tunic has a walking stick, but it is tucked under his arm so you can't see the top. They are wearing boots that come up half-way up the calf and are brown.
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St. Francis Preaching to the Birds, created in 1299
Olivia remembered:
- In the picture, there are two men, a tree, and lots of birds.
- The birds appear to be in pairs of two kind of like Noah's Ark, but a little like Noah was supposed to take two of each kind.
- There are two birds flying down.
- Some of the birds appear to be those kiwi birds or sandpiper birds. There are ducks, a rooster, and what looks like two magpies.
- One of the birds that is flying down looks like it is a hummingbird and the other one looks like it could be a sparrow.
- There are dots around Francis's head that kind of make it look like he is supposed to have a halo.
- The man behind Francis does not look happy. He has a little bit of red in his cheeks and it looks like it could be from anger. His eyes are also kind of squinted.
- They are both wearing brown robes that are tied around the waist with a cord. It looks like they are wearing caps, but it may be the way their hair is cut - where it looks like you have a ring of hair around your head.
- They are both barefoot and they have gathered with the birds on the grass.
- The sky, for some reason, is yellow; and the tree has a very narrow trunk and it looks like someone took some ferns or big leaves that grow on the ground and stuck it on a tree.
- The tree looks like it has some blue fruit on it.
- One of the birds - the all black ones - have a red beak. The ducks have a bright orange bill. They are gray on top and white underneath.
- They all seem to be listening very intently.
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