Analysis of Giotto’s Lamentations Painting

QUESTION

The painter Edgar Degas once said, “A painting requires a little mystery, some vagueness, some fantasy. When you always make your meaning perfectly plain you end up boring people.” Select a painting that you like from the textbook (any painting, from any chapter, by any artist – just make sure it is a painting) and (a) identify the painting you like by name, artist, and figure number, (b) explain why you like it in terms of visual elements and design principles, iconography, form, style, and content, and (c) explain how the painting contains mystery, vagueness, and/or fantasy.

NOTE: Chose only one painting from the ones uploaded below to discuss per the above instructions

ANSWER

Analysis of Giotto’s Lamentations Painting

This figure represents a painting named ‘Lamentations’ or Lamentation of the Death of Christ. The artist’s name is Giotto, an Italian painter with true masterpieces when it comes to art. The technique used to paint is a fresco, which is a mural painting technique used by many artists.

The painting is likable because of the painting technique, i.e., mural painting done on freshly laid lime plaster. Additionally, this piece of art stands out for its renaissance style, which was not common back then as byzantine had dominated European art. How the painting is displayed in the book is extraordinary as it shows all features needed to complete the picture, thus reinforcing the overall theme and imagery of Christianity. Moreover, the emotional figures placed at the bottom half of the canvas add aesthetic interest and a perspective element leading to inquiry. Nonetheless, Giotto has created a small detail at the back, showing mountains but not too much to avoid distraction from the main features.

At the same time, Giotto highlights the importance of the painting by adding or rather appending more individuals to the left. However, he limits the details of the individuals to create a focus for Christ. He also adds angels with similar expressions that represent grief and sorrow. This detail helps humanity connect with Christ and God. The tree to the right hand, which looks weak, also represents the loss of life of Christ.

The overall iconographic theme for Giotto’s painting is Christian redemption, which makes sense to every believer. Giotto’s style of naturalism makes the painting realistic and easy to like as it brings out more realistic emotions. Lastly, according to other people, the painting may contain mystery as the death of Christ has been only explained in religious books and paintings. Reviewing the painting from an art point of view, the poses and proportions are depicted to create reality as it is with the somber mood created in the painting. Therefore, there is no vagueness or mystery as it lays everything out through the strokes.

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