Ep. 48: Gothic Painting - Lorenzo Monaco and Gentile da Fabriano

Send us a text

The early 1400's in Italy saw the transition from the Gothic to the Renaissance style in painting. In major areas of patronage, be it for churches or wealthy patrons, a new style flourished that was representative of the interconnectivity between European cultures and the wider Mediterranean, one that bridges the Gothic and Renaissance styles - the International Gothic. Looking at two masterworks, one from Lorenzo Monaco and one from Gentile da Fabriano, this episode examines the historical moment and the stylistic factors that unify and separate the Gothic and International Gothic in Italy. 

Further, through Giorgio Vasari, we can look at how historical shifts in artistic style were perceived by later Renaissance writers, who looked to organize the trajectory of Italian art as a series of quantifiable improvements. These two artists help us bridge the end of the medieval period with the developments that will become Renaissance art. 

Works discussed: 
 Lorenzo Monaco, Coronation of the Virgin - https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/coronation-of-the-virgin
Gentile da Fabriano, Adoration of the Magi - 
https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/adoration-of-the-magi

Instagram: italian_renaissance_podcast 

Get additional content by becoming a Patron: patreon.com/TheItalianRenaissancePodcast 

Support the show