The Last Supper (8)

The last Supper was a piece that I believe I had the most emotional connection to. This picture is everywhere, it’s like the more you see it the less you value its meaning. We all know what the Last Supper was, and we all know the history of the scene that takes place in the picture. But this time, hearing about this piece in class, my love and appreciation for this painting grew. I didn’t want class to end, just so I can hear more about it.

The Last Supper
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Giampietrino-Last-Supper-ca-1520.jpg

The painting portrays all of Christ’s disciples sitting at the table having their last meal before Christ gets Crucified. He then tells his disciples to remember him in a specific way. He told them to eat bread and drink wine as symbols of His body and blood. (You can find this in the bible, book of Corinthians 11:24-25) This is why communion takes place in Catholic and Christian churches. Leonardo didn’t use a Halo like most artists do; he used the windows to make Jesus stand out from his disciples. The three windows in the back represent The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. The three disciples on the right of Jesus are Judas, Peter and John. Judas, being the one who betrays Christ and Peter and John, Christ’s two most faithful followers. It’s almost like putting one black sheep in the middle of a herd of white sheep; of course the black sheep will stand out more. I love how Da Vinci uses Peter and John’s loyalty to bring out Judas’s betrayal. He does it in such a way that the viewer needs to really pay attention to detail to understand the piece. And that’s what makes Da Vinci such an amazing artist.

            

Adoration of the Magi

Adoration of the Magi
by Gentile da Fabriano
photo credit

The Adoration of the Magi by Gentile da Fabriano was one of my favorite pieces at the Uffizi. What stood out to me more was the Gothic Cathedral style frame. I love how the frame alone is its own work of art. The details of this Gothic style never fail to amaze me. The frame alone is built up of three cusps, the first one illustrates the Annunciation with Angel Gabriel (on the left) Christ Blessing (in the center) and on the right it’s an image of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary’s robe is a rich blue, which is be made by the precious stone, Lapis Lazuli. Lapis lazuli is a rock, mainly formed from the mineral lazurite. This was extremely expensive; this showed that the commissioner had great wealth. In fact the painting was so magnificent and expensive that it gained the envy of the Medici family.

Masaccio

Expulsion

According to Vassari, it was Masaccio who realized that good style is “Imitating all the living things of nature with simple colours and design just as nature produced them.” Masaccio was always trying to create the most lifelike figures and the most similar to reality that it almost became an obsession. His outlines and paintings stood out so differently that they can be compared to any modern work of art. For example his Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden shows so much genuineness in the expression and movement of the characters that you almost feel what they are feeling. In my opinion that is something every artist should strive for and that is why Masaccio is such a great master of naturalism. 

Size doesn't matter

"On the stoop" by Tania Zatikian

Photo by: Tania Zatikian

The fact that we’ve been here in Florence for almost a month has been a great experience but at the same time it has made me take a lot of things for granted. For example, walking by Santa Croce everyday has made this beautiful work of art so familiar that I’ve grown accustomed to it. However my familiarity has also allowed me to notice some of the details that are often overlooked. One such detail is the Pazzi Chapel, which stands right next to the Santa Croce. Its small stature dwarfs it in comparison, but its beauty is immediately recognized when you see it in person.

            The chapel is thought to have been planned by Filippo Brunelleschi, but not detailed by him.  It is based on simple geometric forms, the square and circle, and is very symmetrical and “correct” looking.   It is not overdone, but it is beautiful in its simplicity, which is why I liked it so much.  Because it might seem like less in comparison to the grander chapels, but you can’t judge it based on its size alone