Task 4. The Gothic painting.

Wall painting became less important in Gothic period than in Romanesque art. Wall were replaced by large windows with stain glasses.

In the beginning were more important miniatures which decorated books and stan glasses of cathedrals.

Later became more important wood painting thus painting altarpieces appeared behind the high altar. At first the altarpieces were formed by an only wooden board afterwards they were made with several wooden boards.

Religious themes were the most represented during the Gothic but portraits became important paintings because of the desire of noblemen and wealthy bourgeois to show their power and to pass to posterity .

The main features of Gothic painting were:

1.It is a realistic and naturalistic painting.

2.Colours were bright and it was usual to use golden backgrounds.

3.Figures had movement.

There were two two major Gothic painting schools

A.Italy. Giotto is the main painter of this school. thanks to his fresco paintings in  Assisi and Padua.
B.Flanders It grew in the 15th century. It was more realistic due to the use of the  oil. Jan van Eick was the main painter of this school and he worked the miniatures and the landscapes.