Written Assignment #4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Written Assignment #4 - Essay Example Byzantine, as the East came to be known has also produced a number of artworks in religious inspiration that became the groundwork which was later on brought and adapted by the Western artists and continued through time with a unified progression. The observations on these understanding can be regarded in how the image of Virgin and Child has changed as rendered by different artists with in different periods. The image of the Byzantine icon of the Madonna and Child on a Curved Throne commences the inspiration for the succeeding paintings that depicted the image of the Virgin and Child in the 13th century. Color plays an important role in the representation of the scene. Prof. Soltes points out that â€Å"We recognize the importance of the symbolic colors, the red of blood of sacrifice, the blue of the sky of truth, the green of spring of resurrection† (â€Å"Lecture Fifteen: Early Renaissance Painting in Central Italy†). Gold is another important color which can be found in abundance in this painting which replaces light in the image. The halo is a symbolism both of the mother and the child where Christ’s halo has a crucifix is suggestive of his character as both God and human alongside with his sacrifice. In this painting, Mary’s head is tilted and the child is described as a miniature adult with his hands in that most familiar gesture and with two angels on either side. Cimabue’s Madonna of the Holy Trinity applies the same colors of red and blue but with less gold. Instead of looking at Christ, Mary looks directly and the audience is confronted with her stare. There are a number of angels, a total of eight, surrounding the main image and unlike the first painting the angels here are more mature but still smaller compared to the mother and child seated in the throne. Duccio is regarded to have been an important figure in bringing the Byzantium art into the consciousness of central Italy. In his Maestà  ,