Giovanni Cimabue, the unknown master.

                       

Florence, Italy! The birthplace of so many of the greatest names in the history of art. It was there that Giovanni Cimabue was born at 1240, but almost nothing is known of his history, the most recent reports that we have of his life and work are dated 200 years after his death by Giorgio Vasari often called the first art historian because he was the first writer to use the word “Renaissance” to describe this period. Few people know Cimabue despite the great artistic legacy for future generations that he left. But why? I will keep the thriller, hang on a moment. 

Fresco in the Lower Basilica of Assisi "Mastàs"

Cimabue is certainly one of the most important artists for the development of the Italian art and yet the most neglected and even forgotten one. But what he really is: a great master. 

He was responsible for the passage of the Byzantine bidimensional tradition to the naturalism by introducing the spatial perspective into the elements of the picture and with it brought to the classical elements drama and emotion on three-dimensional proportions.

First, let’s talk about the Renaissance for a quick minute, because Cimabue’s importance hinges on our understandings of what “the Renaissance” actually is. The word “Renaissance” means rebirth. It was a period in European art history from the 14th – 17th centuries, when art was “reborn” after the Medieval period. The Renaissance was characterized by a rediscovery of Classical art and philosophy, and a move towards more naturalistic (realistic) art.  Our traditional understanding of the Renaissance is based on the idea that Classical art (from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome) was the pinnacle of artistic achievement, and that Medieval art was a dip in quality. This is, of course, based on highly subjective ideas of what “great art” is.

Cimabue's most famous work is "The Crucifix" painted between the years 1268 and 1271 and it's found in the Basilica of San Domenico in Arezzo. It may be noted that the knowledge of anatomical proportions and muscular construction are incipient here mostly because what Cimabue sought was an exaltation of the Romanesque art that is flat but realistic.

There is another "The Crucifix" dated through the years of 1287 and 1288 in the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, but this one is badly damaged. Unfortunately this was a far superior work of Cimabue, in it we can find among the splinters and cracks a much more naturalistic approach, subtle descriptions of muscles, tendons, veins and bones.  It was very difficult for historians to find, to name and even to restore his works, which were found in very bad conditions, some of them were even ruined, his works cannot be dated properly or even ever found.

Sorry, just kidding

He also painted the Crucifixion of Christ in a series of frescoes between 1277 and 1280 in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. 

But before we talk about this work, let's first understand what a fresco is.The technique consists of applying to the plaster still wet - and I swear that plaster dries very fast and that is why it's called "fresco" that means "fresh" in most of Latin languages - so the pure pigment that is diluted in water adheres permanently to the wall. This has to be done very fast before the plaster dries.

The frescoes painted by Cimabue portrayed scenes of the "Life of the Virgin" in the Basilica choir, "The Evangelists" throughout the vault and "The Lives of the Apostles" on the walls. He thus created an illusory and dimensional architectural perspective. The scenes are strong and dramatic, especially in their depiction of the crowd surrounding Christ.

 And my favorite, the Apostles at the Last Supper sitting down like normal people on a rounded table.

The Last Supper

The crucifixion of Christ is demonstrated as never before or ever after with as much originality as both traits and the use of light in a resplendent way.

The Virgin in a red tunic and blue mantle, with her feet resting on an open-worked stool, is sitting on a chair hung with a white drapery flowered in gold and blue, and carried by six angels kneeling in threes above each other. A delicately engraved nimbus surrounds her head, and that of the infant Saviour on her lap, who is dressed in a white tunic, and purple mantle shot with gold. A dark-colored frame surrounds the gabled square of the picture, delicately traced with an ornament interrupted at intervals by thirty medallions on gold ground, each of which contains the half-figure of a saint. In the face of the Madonna is a soft and melancholy expression; in the form of the infant, a certain freshness, animation and natural proportion; in the group, affectionbut too rare at this period, There is sentiment in the attitudes of the angels, energetic mien in some prophets, comparative clearness and soft harmony in the colors. A certain loss of balance is caused by the over-weight of the head in the Virgin as compared with the slightness of her frame. The features are the old ones of the 13th century; only softened, as regards the expression of the eye, by an exaggeration of elliptical form in the iris, and closeness of the curves of the lids. In the angels the absence of all true notions of composition may be considered striking; yet their movements are more natural and pleasing than hitherto. One indeed, to the spectators right of the Virgin, combines more tender reverence in its glance than any that had yet been produced. Cimabue gave to the flesh-tints a clear and carefully fused color, and imparted to the forms some of the rotundity which they had lest. With him vanished the sharp contrasts of bard lights, half-tones and shadows.

Virgin Enthroned with Angels

Dante Alighieri was a contemporary of Cimabue and several illustrations of the "Divine Comedy" were commissioned by Dante to Cimabue. [GOSSIP ALERT] Dante used to say that Cimabue was so arrogant that he didn't tolerate criticism and any comment about how he could improve the scene's representation would made him instantly stop painting or even destroy his work if there was any flaws in it. And that's why we don't have the drawings he made to Dante.

Does it really matters? He is seen as a kind of “transitional” artist between the Medieval and the Renaissance periods. It is correct that there are anecdotes suggesting that he was a “haughty and proud” artist. But the great motive of Cimabue to have been forgotten by the history the art has name and surname: Giotto di Bondone. That's right, Giotto was a student and apprentice of Cimabue and, as it happens even to the best, the student's talent surpassed that of the master. 

Cimabue’s importance comes from the fact that he was Giotto’s teacher? Giotto was a Florentine painter and architect who is generally considered to be the first great Renaissance painter. So Giotto is famous, and Cimabue, being his teacher, is famous through association?  Way more than this, however, Cimabue plays an important art historical role in emphasizing the linear evolution narrative of the Renaissance. 

The undoubted admiration of his contemporaries would alone demonstrate the conspicuous position which Cimabue held, and deserved to hold. The debt which art owes to Cimabue is not limited to his own performances, but his performance was indeed remarkable.

In 1302 Cimabue began to work on a huge mosaic of St. John the Baptist in Pisa but died that same year.



Where to see Cimabue's works:

• Louvre - Paris
• Uffizi Gallery - Florence