Originally written on: 14 July 2016 Religious paintings from the early Italian Renaissance were divided into two separate categories: images and stories. Following tradition, “an image was a representation of a person, [like] a saint, and was often used as a focus for devotion, while a story was a narrative [that displayed] an event, and its main purpose was [to be educational and moralizing]” (Hope). Images were typically comprised of one or more stoic, religious figures placed in a static posture and environment. These pieces of artwork were intended to represent eternal ideals and individuals, and were used as a tool for meditation and prayer. Stories, however, could be much more dramatic and dynamic, covering topics like the creation and fall of man, or the crucifixion of Jesus. Stories were often used to remind its viewers of biblical stories’ modern relevance— placing contemporary figures and settings within the artwork—and were also used for political reasons by the wealthy or influential. One popular narrative depicted during the Renaissance was the Adoration of the Magi (or the Eucharistic Adoration); the Adoration details the journey of three kings that follow a star to find and worship the Jewish messiah, bringing with them gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This biblical narrative, based on Matthew 2:1-12, is often split into two parts, but has been divided into four: the meeting, the procession, the adoration, and the dream. Several artists from the Italian Renaissance have brought this image to life through marble, stone, fresco, and tempera, each obtaining a very different outcome. Gentile da Fabriano’s Adoration of the Magi (1423) and Sandro Botticelli’s Adoration of the Magi (1475- 1476) are interesting to compare, as they are a generation apart, use different narrative techniques to tell a story through paint, and both recount the same information while emphasizing distinct aspects. Gentile was well known for “lavish paintings in the courtly tradition” (Adams, 85), utilizing the deepest, most vibrant colors available and pairing them with ornately patterned surfaces/textures. He often painted dreamy individuals with rounded, soft faces and heavy-lidded eyes, and had an attention to detail when forming landscapes, clothing, and animals (the J. Paul Getty Museum). His altarpiece painting, Adoration of the Magi, was created near the end of his life, in 1423, at the request of Palla Strozzi. Strozzi was a very influential—and also the wealthiest—Florentine man who wanted to surpass the Medici family’s image of grandeur through the commission of an elaborate and extremely expensive piece of artwork (Adams, 85). For his work, Gentile was paid 300 florins (Hollingsworth, 41). Gentile painted in the International Gothic style, which featured exoticism, nature, crowded imagery, and luxurious materials (Adams, 86). Due to this, the story begins in the elaborate background, starting in the left and following the procession across the main panel, to the right. The painting is a continuous narrative (or pictorial déjà vu), chronicling the magi in five places and their procession in four locations, causing the image to become confusing. The repetitive characters display movement through time, from one event to the next, and are not meant to be literally shown as being in several places at once. Yet, the sense of depth and realistic imagery Gentile achieves conflicts with the pictorial déjà vu, but leads to heightened naturalism and episodic story-telling (Oxford University Press and the National Gallery of Art). This painting, like most Renaissance art, requires knowledge of religious texts, contemporary figures, and symbols to fully understand the narrative. To begin, atop a large rock on the left, the three kings stand staring up at the sky, where the prophesized star is located. The addition of soldiers killing a young, well-dressed man (perhaps Herod’s son), a castle with a walled city, and a sea filled with boats alludes to the kingdom of Herod. The viewer’s eye is then drawn to the right, following the curving line of figures to the middle arch. A large city is rendered on top of a hill, which would have been recognized as Jerusalem (Khan Academy). The transition to the third arch is not continuous or directed by movement, but is abrupt; this could be due to a space issue—for the panel is packed with figures and scenery—or could be intentional, although for an unknown reason. The interruption of visual movement halts the narrative, and instead of drawing the viewer towards the procession through Bethlehem, they are lead towards the main section of the altarpiece. The center exhibits the procession up close, providing a lot of detail and symbolism. This section shows the magi offering gifts to the baby Jesus and kneeling in worship, but the scene is not rendered in a traditional manner. First, not all figures are historic/religious and most characters are adorned in contemporary fashion. Their clothing’s textile patterns and their exotic animal companions highlight their foreign nature, conveying their journey from the East. The Renaissance-styled garments connect the story to the current era, commenting on the birth’s everlasting relevance. Nevertheless, this disconnect of past and present is essential, because it not only denotes pertinence, but displays the great distance the kings have traveled to show respect and allegiance—a message to viewers on the extent of their religious fervor and dedication. Additionally, their elaborate entourage and garments separate them from the holy figures. Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus’ only ornate adornments are the golden halos above their heads, implying that their wealth is predominantly found within their spirit, though they are also worthy of earthly possessions. Strozzi largely used the commission as a display of great piety, but also wanted other messages included. Strozzi is depicted within the painting as one of the magi’s courtiers (behind the third magi and holding a falcon), “reminding viewers of [his] diplomatic credentials” (Khan Academy), as well as his devoutness and involvement with the church. The bird in his hand represents his family, because in Tuscan strozzieri translates into falconer. The Strozzi family crest is also represented on the bridle of the right-most, white horse, which is decorated by a golden, crescent moon (Khan Academy). Lastly, the hound found in the lower right corner associates Strozzi with loyalty and dependability. Botticelli’s version of the Adoration of the Magi is much different than Gentile’s in several ways, many of which are due to technical and stylistic advancements in Renaissance art. First, Botticelli worked with a new kind of paint—oil paint—that could be layered, did not dry as quickly, and had a greater transparency. Oil paint allowed him to work with brighter, more saturated colors and in a more three-dimensional manner than Gentile, who had to rely on gold leaf to accentuate his colors and brighten his image. Second, Botticelli’s painting is a monoscenic narrative, which is a style that relies on aerial and linear perspective, realism, and one unified scene with references to the past and future to tell a story (Oxford University Press and the National Gallery of Art). Monoscenic narrative ended the use of predella panels as spaces for allusions to different parts of one or more stories (as can be seen in Gentile’s piece). These additional scenes were replaced with symbolic images in the background or as smaller details within the main scene. “...By consolidating distinct episodes within a single, unified composition, [Botticelli] creates a sense of narrative flow that deepens [the viewer’s] perception of the central scene” (Oxford University Press and the National Gallery of Art), while also providing a less crowded and confusing composition. Botticelli uses his figures’ positions to denote movement instead of repetition; his characters face in different directions, with varying expressions and gestures demonstrated by arm, leg, and head placement, drawing the eye from figure to figure and left to right.
Unlike Gentile’s version, Botticelli emphasizes the religious connotations more and paints less elaborately, while also placing contemporary aspects within the ancient scene and commenting on relevancy. Botticelli places Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in the center of the composition, making them the focus of the piece. Gentile’s use of gold and his lightly colored magi in the panel’s center takes away from the viewer’s focus on the religious figures. Similarly, Botticelli separates the holy figures from the contemporary ones through their clothing, but also through placement. Mary and Joseph are clad in traditional, ancient clothing, whereas all other figures are dressed in fine cloth fixed in contemporary styles. More importantly, the holy family is raised above all other figures, emphasizing their status. However, the religious characters are depicted as normal, real humans without halos; they are shown as being “divine...yet accessible, holy and yet human” (Cummings). The Adoration of the Magi was commissioned by Guaspare di Zanobi Del Lama for his chapel on the inner façade Santa Maria Novella dedicated to the Magi, with help from the bankers’ guild. The commissioners were supporters of the Medici family, which heavily influenced its content. Del Lama requested that the Medici family be depicted within the painting, making it not only a religious piece, but a political one (Capretti). The Medici family is portrayed around the holy family, with Cosimo displayed as the eldest, most distinguished Magi, Lorenzo placed on his left, and other family members visible within the crowd. This choice conveys the Medici’s great political power and prestige. Humanist figures, such as Angelo Poliziano and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, are also recognizable in the group, as well as del Lama. Unlike Gentile, who provided neither a recognizable portrait or signature, Botticelli painted himself on the far right (dressed in yellow), recording the story of who created the image and what he may have looked like (Adams, 231). In conclusion, Gentile and Botticelli depicted the same Biblical story with political overtones, but emphasized different characteristics and used different techniques. Gentile focused on grandeur and detail, using gold leaf to create luminosity, symbols for story details, and repetition for movement. Botticelli, however, focused on realism and the importance of both the religious and political figures, utilizing character positioning for movement, the capabilities of oil paint for rendering, and symbolism for important story elements. Both artists carry on the ancient tradition of storytelling, each displaying an understandable narrative successfully, though in strikingly distinct ways. Works Cited Adams, Laurie Schneider. Italian Renaissance Art (Second Edition). Boulder: Westview Press, 2014. Print. Capretti, Elena. “‘Adoration of the Magi’, by Sandro Botticelli.” Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi. Provincia di Firenze, 20 March 2009. Web. Cummings, Erica. “Adoration of the Magi by Botticelli: Analysis & Overview.” Study.com. Web. Hollingsworth, Mary. Patronage in Renaissance Italy: From 1400 to the Early Sixteenth Century. Thistle Publishing, 2014. Print. Hope, Charles. “Religious Narrative in Renaissance Art.” Journal of the Royal Society of Arts 134.5364 (1986): 804-18. Web. Khan Academy. “Gentile da Fabriano, Adoration of the Magi.” Khan Academy. Web. Oxford University Press and the National Gallery of Art. “Continuous Narrative: Pictorial Déjà Vu.” Oxford University Press and the National Gallery of Art. Web. Oxford University Press and the National Gallery of Art. “Monoscenic Narratives: The Unification of Pictorial Space.” Oxford University Press and the National Gallery of Art. Web. The J. Paul Getty Museum. “Gentile da Fabriano.” The J. Paul Getty Museum. Web.
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