Includes bibliographical references (pages 60-63). "Published to accompany the exhibition "Giovanni da Rimini: a 14th-century Masterpiece Unveiled, 14 June - 8 October 2017."--Title page verso.
Contents:
III. Introduction -- I. (Hinged) diptych, pendant panel or independent panel painting?: reconsidering the painting's original function. II. Giovanni da Rimini's Scenes from the lives of the Virgin, Saint John the Evangelist, Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Saint Francis and Saint John the Baptist -- III. (Hinged) diptych, pendant panel or independent panel painting?: reconsidering the painting's original function.
Summary:
This monograph celebrates the National Gallery's 2015 acquisition of Giovanni da Rimini's 'Scenes from the Lives of the Virgin and Other Saints' (c. 1300--1305). The painting is a rare survival from the late Middle Ages, uniting the exquisite detail of late Byzantine icons with the new, more naturalistic and expressive style exemplified by the Florentine painter Giotto. Probably created for private contemplation and worship, the painting may be the left wing of a diptych, a theory that is examined here in relation to its assumed companion panel Scenes from the Life of Christ (from the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Palazzo Barberini, Rome). Significant new research explains its iconography, its devotional function, and the historical context in which it was created, while fresh technical analysis brings a greater understanding of the making and purpose of the panels and how they were originally displayed.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.