Arts and crafts in the Middle Ages : $b a description of mediaeval workmanship in several of the departments of applied art, together with some account of special artisans in the early RenaissanceAddison, Julia de Wolf
History
Arts and crafts in the Middle Ages : $b a description of mediaeval workmanship in several of the departments of applied art, together with some account of special artisans in the early Renaissance
Addison, Julia de Wolf
Arts and crafts movement; Decoration and ornament, Medieval; Decorative arts -- History; Illumination of books and manuscripts
Andrea Pisano was Nicola's greatest scholar, though not his son.
He took the name of his master after the mediaeval custom. His work
was largely in bronze, and the earlier gates of the Baptistery in
Florence are by him. We have already alluded to the later gates
by Ghiberti, when speaking of bronze. Andrea had the honour to
teach the celebrated Orcagna,--more painter than sculptor,--whose
most noted work in this line was the Tabernacle at Or San Michele.
Among the loveliest of the figures sculptured by the Pisani are
the angels standing in a group, blowing trumpets, on the pulpit at
Pistoja, the work of Giovanni. Among Nicola's pupils were his son
Giovanni, Donatello, Arnolfo di Cambio, and Lorenzo Maitani, who
executed the delightful sculptures on the facade of the Cathedral
of Orvieto,--perhaps the most interesting set of bas-reliefs in
detail of the Early Renaissance, although in general symmetrical
"bossiness" of effect, so much approved by Ruskin, they are very
uneven. In this respect they come rather under the head of realistic
than of decorative art.
Lorenzo Maitani was a genuine leader of his guild of craftsmen,
and superintended the large body of architects who worked at
Orvieto, stone masons, mosaicists, bronze founders, painters,
and minor workmen. He lived until 1330, and practically devoted
his life to Orvieto. It is uncertain whether any of the Pisani
were employed in any capacity, although for a time it was
popularly supposed that the four piers on the facade were their
work. An iconographic description of these sculptures would occupy
too much time here, but one or two features of special interest
should be noted: the little portrait relief of the master Maitani
himself occurs on the fourth pier, among the Elect in heaven, wearing
his workman's cap and carrying his architect's square. Only his
head and shoulders can be seen at the extreme left of the second
tier of sculptures. In accordance with an early tradition, that
Virgil was in some wise a prophet, and that he had foretold the
coming of Christ, he is here introduced, on the second pier, near
the base, crowned with laurel. The incident of the cutting off of
the servant's ear, by Peter, is positively entertaining. Peter
is sawing away industriously at the offending member; a fisherman
ought to understand a more deft use of the knife! In the scenes
of the Creation, depicted on the first pier, Maitani has proved
himself a real nature lover in the tender way he has demonstrated
the joy of the birds at finding the use of their wings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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