Giotto Di Bodone: The Painting Renovator

Giotto di Bodone (1266-1337) was a central figure of the Early Renaissance in Italy. According to legend, he was discovered by Cimabue as a boy, sketching his father's sheep. As the most famous and influential painter of his generation, Giotto's impact on modern painting was immense. Even his artist colleagues in Florence, no matter how capable, struggled to keep up with his innovative style.

His services were highly sought after by high officials and princes, including the Pope, King Robert of Anjou, and the Scaligeri and Visconti. Unfortunately, many of his works, including large secular cycles, have been lost over time. However, among his surviving works, his masterpieces include the decoration of the private chapel built by Enrico Scrovegni in Padua, the fresco cycle in the Upper Church of Assisi, and the frescos in the side chapels of Santa Croce in Florence.

Giotto's artistry was characterized by the simplicity and strength of his forms, as well as the humanism he infused into his works. This set him apart from his Byzantine contemporaries and placed him at the forefront of Italian painting in the early years of the Renaissance.

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