Thomas Cunningham

ARTH 176 001

Stock

23 January, 2021

Giotto v. Masaccio

To understand key differences between Giotto’s Madonna Enthroned and Masaccio’s

Holy Trinity it is important that one have a grasp on the concept of “Humanism” in art.

Humanism can be seen as a growing interest in humanity, rather than the divine; the reverence

for the divine is still there, but it can be said to now focus more on human interaction with it

rather than on the thing itself. As put by Gardner’s Art History Through the Ages, “The chief

concerns of Italian humanists, as their name suggests, were human values and interests as distinct

from—but not opposed to—religion’s otherworldly values” (Kleiner). With this rise of interest in

the human condition also came a thirst for knowledge in many fields, as well as interest in the

antiquity of ancient Greece and Rome. These things, when summed together, had a drastic effect

on the art of the Italian Renaissance.

In Madonna Enthroned, we see the Virgin Mary, sitting firmly on a gothic throne,

holding the Christ Child in her lap. Two angels neal at the foot of the throne, their eyes drawn to

the mother and child. The throne is flanked by twelve halo-ed figures (possibly apostles), their

gazes also focused on the pair. All of these figures are set on a plain gold background, as

common during the Byzantine era, however opposing the Byzantine tradition we see the figures

are naturally presented, with thought given to weight, pose, and how the fabric would drape on

the figures (Khan). This divergence can be viewed as an early sign of humanism, as it brings the

figures from the realm of ethereal concepts into the human. It is also evident that some thought

was given to perspective as well, as the figures appear grounded in a physical space. The piece is
displayed on an elongated, pentagonal wooden canvas with Tempera paint and gold leafing.

(Kleiner) Masaccio’s Holy Trinity presents a similarly religious scene. Depicted here, we see a

scene of the crucification of Christ— thought that is not the first thing that you would have

likely noticed in this rather large piece (almost 22’ ⨉ 11’) (Kleiner). Because of the size of this

piece, you are more likely to first notice what occupies its lower frame; here we see depicted

an entombed, skeletal figure. Above the figure's head is the phrase “I once was what you are

and what I am you also will be,” written in Latin. This phrase can be seen as calling into

mind a comparison of the human to the divine Christ, as well as serves as a reminder of

human mortality. Eyes moving up the frame, we see an image of two non-religious figures

(as indicated by their lack of halo) — likely depictions of the commissioners of the work.

This stands in contrast to tradition of the time, as the humanistic idea of depicting elements

of common, mortal life with the holy was not something typically done. The next thing one

may notice is the Virgin Mary, gesturing towards Christ while looking outwards towards

the viewer. Something of note is that in this image, we see not the typically thought of

image of a young Mary, but rather one showing her aged, as she would have been during

the death of her adult son. This calls into mind elements of humanism, as it emphasizes the

human quality of aging in an otherwise divine figure. Standing opposite of her is St. John

(Khan). Next, one sees the familiar scene of the crucifixion of Christ, however with on

small alteration— the top of the cross is missing. This detail allows one to fully see the face of

the final figure in the image— God. However, God is depicted rather differently than was
common for the time; it had been tradition in medieval art to represent God symbolically

through the iconography of a hand. This showed God not as a being, but as an abstract

force, guiding our lives (Khan). Here, God is depicted as a man like any other— though he

does still don a halo. Massacio even goes as far as to depict God’s bare feet. This is yet

another strong indication of a more humanistic approach to art and the holy. It is also of

note that as depicted in the work, God’s hands are under the each side of the cross,

supporting Christ.

It is plain to see that both works have extremely strong elements of a Humanistic

philosophy; both works depict elements of the holy, but with an emphasis on its relationship to

humanity. However, the argument can be made that Masaccio’s work is a far stronger

exemplification of Humanism in art. While Giotto’s work does offer bits of humanity in the more

realistic form of the figures and the attention given to perspective, it is exceeded in these same

aspects by Masaccio. In Holy Trinity, not only do we see realistic form (especially in regards to

age of Mary) given to the figures, but we are also presented with the mortal realm encroaching

on the sacred scene in the form of the two patrons. Meanwhile, the subjects of Madonna

Enthroned all hold some revered holy status (as indicated by their halos). These details add an

undoubtedly stronger human touch to Masaccios’s work. The background of the two pieces

furthers this separation; Madonna Enthroned choses to utilize the typical, empty, golden

background of the Byzantine era, lending to the piece an ethereal feeling— grounding it nowhere

in specific. In Holy Trinity however, careful use of perspective and consideration of architectural

style not only ground the work in the human realm but also allow the viewer to place themselves

in the scene— especially considering the size of the work.