Giotto's Frescoes at the Scrovegni Chapel

What happened

In the Scrovegni (Arena) Chapel in Padua, the Florentine painter Giotto di Bondone (1267/1277–1337) covered the walls with a cycle of 38 scenes from the lives of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. Abandoning the flat, conventional religious imagery of the Middle Ages, he gave his figures the weight of real people expressing real emotions, and used highlights, shadow, and painted architecture to create a convincing illusion of depth.

Why it matters

Often called the first Renaissance painter, Giotto pioneered the naturalism and human drama that would define Western art, forming a bridge between the medieval world and the High Renaissance.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Giotto · Reputable source