Cimabue's Madonna Enthroned: A Comparative Analysis

Many ages of art shine through Duccio’s portraying of Mary in Madonna Enthroned (fig. 6). Both being trained in the Greek manner, Duccio’s version of Siena’s patron saint is comparable to Cimabue’s Enthroned Madonna and Child with Angels and Prophets from the year 1280 2 (fig. 7). Duccio, however, took a softer

Although the surface of the artwork has been fairly damaged by smoke from burning candles and incense, there is still a suggestion of the bright circular halos which had once ‘crowned’ both the Virgin and the child. Cooper relates the symbolism of the circle as “one which expresses archetypal wholeness and totality and therefore divinity” (1982:19). The upper body of Mary appears very large, especially in comparison with the Christ-child, whose body ‘fits’ into her bosom, which is generally associated with comfort. Almost as though she tries to console him concerning his future death (Tansey & Kleiner, 1996: 312).

The two figures of the Archangel and Virgin Mary are close together and it shows a scene of almost touching fingers while they try to reach for one another but seems like they would never join hands. The male figure of the archangel would carry a long feather like pen and it would bow down to the Virgin marry and tries to respectable speak to her. On the other hand, the Virgin Mary seems to be in authority because she is standing up and looking down at the Archangel. This creates tension in the painting while we question the social distinction between the two. Looking closely at the Virgin Mary, her eyes would be close. It is almost like she is resisting the contact from the Archangel and tried to stay away from him. Looking on the left, the Archangel have white wings and there is green-yellowish light that surrounds him and the red clothing on him show that he is there for good news. But the resistance from the Virgin Mary seem like she is unaware of what is happening and is unable to accept the annunciation from the angel.

While both reflect a Biblical theme with a central focal point of the Madonna and Child, "Madonna Enthroned" has a key image that is best viewed from a central position and "Madonna and Child…" has a greater degree of importance over the majority of the surface of the canvas. In "Madonna and Child…" the viewer does not perceive that an image is being forced upon them as is found in the work by Giotto. A use of light and space is also key to preventing the Puligo piece from being "forced", where the organization of distance visibly removes the viewer from "Madonna Enthroned" while drawing the viewer into the painting in "Madonna and Child…". Color also serves a similar purpose, where Giotto's work is monochromatic but ocher while Puligo's work carries a greater expression through the detail involved.

Renaissance artists sought to replicate what made classic art so divine and one way they did this was through idealization. In this piece, the Madonna, or also known as the Virgin Mary is seated in a room, holding baby Jesus, and reading a book. The pair are presented in a faultless manner. This is brought out by the softness of the Virgins skin as well as that of Jesus which portrays youth, and that goes back to this idea of purity found in Greek principles. The Virgin’s facial expression is seamless in the fact that she is occupied by the book she is reading presumably the book of hours. Also, looking at the

Both paintings represent the Madonna (the Virgin Mary) with the baby Jesus on her lap. In the previous painting, the arch vault and throne on which the mother is seated is stylized very realistically along with the saints surrounding them are all in proportion to themselves and to each other. In the later painting the pose of the Madonna is elongated and exaggerated, the baby in the later painting is quite large and the angels in the picture are crammed to one side with a "prophet" on the opposite which is very small not coming up to the Madonna's knee.

There is no lack of symbolism in Caravaggio’s ‘Martha and Mary Magdalene’. The painting shows the contrast between the two sisters even though they are wearing the same colors. Martha is dressed simply, while Mary is dressed elaborately and provocatively. Mary’s fancy dress is said not to be because of her prostitution, but because of her future loftier spiritual aspiration, in comparison to her sister Martha. Although the way the two are dressed are far from being the only symbols in this piece.

In comparing Madonna and Child Enthroned With Angels and Saints by Taddeo Gaddi made in 1355 and The San Giobbe altarpiece by Giovanni Bellini made in 1480, Gaddi’s piece of work shows Mary and Child with two saints giving gifts and four kneeling saints that offer flowers. Bellini’s painting presents two angels as musicians surrounded by six saints. Although both paintings have identical subject matter, both masterpieces demonstrate different techniques and styles.

Throughout history, people have used paintings and art as a tool to express their religious beliefs and values. Illustrations depicting the Virgin Mary and child, often referred to as Madonna and Child, are one of the most recurring images in Christian and European Art through the ages. Though these paintings and sculptures may have similarities in their iconography and style each work of art varies based on the different artists’ and time periods. Two paintings that portray these features currently reside in the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. The first, Virgin and Child by Rogier van der Wyden, was originally painted after 1454. In the painting, the Virgin Mary is holding Christ against her shoulder as he twists around to face toward the viewers. The second painting is Virgin and Child with a Donor, painted by Antoniazzo Romano and originally painted c. 1480. In this painting, Virgin Mary is supporting Christ who seems to be standing and includes a figure of a man with his hands crossed in prayer. While both paintings depict the mother and child, there are both similarities and differences in style and portrayal. In this paper, I will thoroughly examine these traits, as well as address the similarities and differences associated with the two paintings. This analysis will be done by using information gained from reading Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, in class lectures from ARTH 1381 Art and Society Renaissance to Modern and ARTH 1300 Ways of Seeing Art, and close visual

The role of women has been portrayed through art since prehistoric times. Women have been a sign of hope, downfall, and power. This image of women was most powerful during the Renaissance. A cultural revival or "rebirth" occurred during the 15th and 16th century in Europe. The economic growth of the 14th century created a prosperous middle class. This allowed more of the mass to invest their income. Patronage of the arts soon became very fashionable as did religious faith1. As a result, women were portrayed as the Madonna, Eve or a saint. This was much more than an the art genre but an actual notion of women's role in society. This inaccurate portrayal of women created a variety of

The subject in each representation is pretty clear to see through artistic elements used by their artists. Emotion in these pieces is much more recognizable in the latter. Giotto shows angels fawning at Madonna and her child, with all eyes on them and all arms in view reaching out to them. Cimabue

This period housed many depictions of the Virgin Mary, including Cimabue’s Enthroned Madonna and Child. Mary was seen as the perfect example of feminine virtue, showing chastity, piety, humility, and maternity. Images of the Madonna, or Mary, whether sculpture or painting, encouraged women to live up to her. Mary wasn’t the only woman that was looked up to in Renaissance art. Women could be portrayed as witches, saints, temptresses, or members of the working class, and their image would still be an encouragement to dress and behave properly. (Jacobs)

Stylistic concern is not the only argument that objects the painting’s attribution to Raphael, but also the inferior quality in the rendition of Mary and Christ. Observations of Beck suggest that Mary’s hair looks confusing and unsolved , while the underdrawing revealed by IR investigation shows a clearer representation of the braids that possibly the painter-in-question became more “exclusive on this own during the painting stage that he dropped the refinement of her hair” stemming from mimicking Raphael’s painting when drafting. Furthermore, the current depiction conveys a sense of obfuscation in posing of Mary’s right thigh compared to Small Cowper Madonna (fig. 2) or the Bridgewater Madonna (fig.4), with statically drawn Infant balancing difficultly on the invisible leg of Mary . It is inexplicable that the engravings (fig. 6 and 7) after the painting look more convincing that they have complemented the unnaturalness of the original.

     The style and the form of these two paintings reflect the development of the artistic techniques during the Italian Renaissance. While both reflect a Biblical theme with a central focal point of the Madonna and Child, “Madonna Enthroned” has a key image that is best viewed from a central position and “Madonna and Child…” has a greater degree of importance over the majority of the surface of the canvas. In “Madonna and Child…” the viewer does not perceive that an image is being forced upon them as is found in the work by Giotto. A use of light and space is also key to preventing the Puligo piece from being “forced”, where the organization of distance visibly removes the viewer from “Madonna Enthroned” while drawing the viewer into the painting in “Madonna and Child…”. Color also serves a similar purpose, where Giotto’s work is monochromatic but ocher while Puligo’s work carries a greater expression through the detail involved.

In this relief, we see it as Christ the child shares the viewer his joy of starting his new adventure as well as praising the purity of Virgin Mary. There are also three angels emerging from the cloud. In the Old Testament, angel’s functions refer to convey God’s will to mankind, which in this relief the angels reminds us of their role as “annunciators (ABRAHAM, 2: The three angels). They were the ones who carried messages from god and annunciated the birth of Christ. They are the witnesses of Christ the child coming to the human world as well as proof of Virgin Mary’s virtue of immaculate. In this relief, they are the guardian of the Virgin and child as well as admirers of Mary’s pure and virgin status. With their hands holding together in prayer, they show their blessings and caring to the mother and son as well as to the human world. In addition, unlike other Virgin Mary we see in churches’ altarpieces that are usually seated on throne, we also have Mary sitting humbly on the ground in this relief. According to Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art, there is a popular theme of “Madonna of Humility” which its essential figure is that the Virgin is seated on the ground. The dictionary also states that artists set Virgin Mary on the ground to convey a medieval theology,