Page 9 - Gothic

and cycles of the Life of the Vir- Last Judgements Christ was now

gin were very popular. Artists like usually shown exposing his chest
Giotto, Fra Angelico and Pietro to show the wounds of his Passion.

Lorenzetti in Italy, and Early Neth- Saints were shown more frequent-

erlandish painting, brought real- ly, and altarpieces showed saints
ism and a more natural humanity relevant to the particular church or

to art. Western artists, and their donor in attendance on a Crucifix-

patrons, became much more con- ion or enthroned Virgin and Child,

fident in innovative iconography, or occupying the central space
and much more originality is seen, themselves (this usually for works

although copied formulae were still designed for side-chapels). Over

used by most artists. the period many ancient icono-
Iconography was affected by graphical features that originated

changes in theology, with depic- in New Testament apocrypha were

tions of the Assumption of Mary gradually eliminated under clerical
gaining ground on the older Death pressure, like the midwives at the

of the Virgin, and in devotional Nativity, though others were too

practices such as the Devotio Mod- well-established, and considered
erna, which produced new treat- harmless.

ments of Christ in subjects such as

the Man of Sorrows, Pensive Christ

and Pietà, which emphasized his
human suffering and vulnerability,

in a parallel movement to that in

depictions of the Virgin. Even in

Adoration of the Magi from Stras-
bourg Cathedral