ITALY. In the free cities of Italy, especially in those of Gothic painting reached its highest development. Here Gothic architecture was purely decorative in character, and left large wall surfaces which afforded ample oppor tunity for paintings. • The technique used was fresco (q.v.). About the middle of the thir teenth century a number of painters in different parts of Italy began to modify. though at first slightly, the Byzantine manner. The most im portant of these painters was Cimabue at Flor ence (died after 1302), who displayed a leaning toward the Gothic, which took the form of a slight naturalism. He painted the draperies less rigid, and put more expression in the faces and life in the movements of the figures.
By far the greatest progress before the Re naissance was made by Giotto ( 12110-133T ) at Florence. It is generally accepted that he was a pupil of Cimahue, although late authorities main tain that his art is related to that of Pietro Cavallini. The faces are still typical. rather than individual. but they are strong and the figures are dramatic in action and very characteristic. The drapery is no longer stiff, but falls in broad masses, showing the movement of the body be neath. The accessories, such as animals. land scape. and architecture, are symbolic, and con ceived in a decorative sense, as is indeed the entire composition. The scale of color was limited and determined by decorative harmonies, the method being to till in the outlines with color. What most impressed contemporaries was his great step toward naturalism. By none of his imme diate followers was real progress made. By far the most important was Andrea (d. 136S11 . who, in his startling frescoes and altar-pieces in the Strozzi Chapel, Santa Maria Novella. Flor ence, surpassed Giotto in depicting the human figure, and in the treatment of light and shadow, and even had an elementary knowledge of per spective. anticipating the discoveries of the Renaissance.
Contemporary with the Florentine. there flour ished at Siena a school which retained more of the Byzantine character. (For its chief charac teristics, see SIENEsE SCHOOL OF PAINTING.) Duecio. its real founder, was, on the whole. a more finished painter than his contemporary, Cimabue. He perfected the hands and feet, and gave a sweet, tender expression to the long Byzantine face. Among his successors the great est progress was made by Simone Martini ( d.1 344). who strengthened the type by rounding it and adding of expression. The mo:t important Sienese artists of the following genera tion were the brothers T,orenzetti (middle of fourteenth century). whose works show a strong intellectual grasp and forceful methods.
At Rome. during the Gothic period. some good mosaics were produced, hut no painting. (See AlosAlc.) Elsewhere in Italy the IMInlior of Giotto prevailed throughout the fourteenth con fury. even in Naples and the South, but none of these local schools were important except those of Verona and l'adna, where schools, in spired by the NVOrk of I.iotto in the Arena arose. The most important master of this region was Altichiero 4Ia Zevio of Verona, who worked conjointly with Jacopo Avanzi. Their works have all the seriousness and depth of Giotto's. but without his pathos; they are not so vehement in action, but softer and more tender in emotion.
As Transiticm Puinters we may classify other Italian painters of the fifteenth century, who are nevertheless Gothic in sentiment and technique. The art of Fra Angelico 1 3s47-I 455 is distin guished for devout religious sentiment, in which last respect it has never been excelled. Ili: younger conteinporary. Gentile da Fabriano, who belonged rather to the Sienese school, produced an art rich in color and detail, and he seems to have been the first to show the effect of sunlight upon landscape.