A Sampling of the Arts Between 1300 and 1400

A collection of aesthetic experiences from the fourteenth century

Period: Jan 1, 1300 to Jan 1, 1400

Giotto de Bondone: Scrovegni Chapel, Padua. The Lamentation.

Jan 1, 1305

In the early fourteenth century, Giotto revolutionized painting by creating figures with movement, emotion, and a sense of individualism. The Lamentation is the most famous work in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, in which the artist painted juxtaposed narrative cycles depicting the lives of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. In the painting, the artist captures the emotions of the figures with his detailed faces and body positions, which was uncommon in earlier works.

Duccio di Buoninsegna: Virgin and Child in Majesty.

Jan 1, 1311

The city of Siena rivaled that of Florence in wealth, prosperity, and patronage of the arts. Painting in Siena remained more closely tied to Byzantine roots than Florence. Many paintings, such as the Virgin and Child in Majestry, contain elongated figures, bright colors, and gold leaf similar to Byzantine mosaics. Duccio was one of the most famous artists in the city, and dedicated his painting to the same recipient; the Virgin Mary.

Exeter Cathedral. Devon, England.

Jan 1, 1317

Between 1337 and 1453, England and France were engaged in the Hundred Years War, prompting an increased rivalry between the countries in everything from politics to fashion. Even architecture was affected, as demonstrated by the development of the decorated style in England, intended to rival the Rayonnant style in France, with elaborate details and imported materials.

Dante Alighieri: The Divine Comedy

Jan 1, 1321

Dante’s The Divine Comedy has long been considered one of the pinnacle works of early literature. The epic poem describes the journey of Dante through the levels of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, symbolizing the journey of the human soul towards god. Dante also encounters numerous historical and popular figures throughout his journey. This allegorical subject made it an important work when it was written in the late middle ages, as it represents the societal beliefs of the time.

Founding of Tenochtitlan by the Aztecs

Jan 1, 1325

The establishment of Tenochtitlan as a city by the Aztec people was the beginning of a great empire. Though it was a small island in the middle of a lake, the Aztec’s established the city as their capital, and built what was to be known as the “Venice of the New World.” The Aztecs were innovators of commerce, science, government, and the arts, and their influence is still evident in Mexican culture today.

16. Jean Pucelle: Page with Betrayal and Arrest of Christ. Book of Hours of Jeanne D’Evreux.

Jan 1, 1328

This book of hours was commissioned as a gift from King Charles IV to his wife Jeanne D’Evreux. Books such as this were popular among the nobility as literary became more common. They contained prayers to be read at different times of day, and were generally quite elaborately decorated. This book of hours was completed in the grisaille style, which used a monochromatic pallet with hints of color to show the details of the drawing.

Buffalmacco: The Triumph of Death. Camposanto, Pisa.

Jan 1, 1330

The mid fourteenth century was characterized by the overwhelming pervasiveness of the disease known as the Black Death. The plague devastated entire towns, and claimed more than half of the populations of Italy, Germany, England, and France. The Triumph of Death depicts the common theme of the time, that death is inevitable for us all.

Vesperbild. Middle Rhine Region, Germany.

Jan 1, 1330

The division of the church and the multiple popes had contradictory effects on the population, causing some to remove themselves from religion and others to cling more closely to it. Those who devoutly kept their faith experienced a sense of mysticism, and prayers as well as contemplation of religious ideas were common. Evening prayers or vespers, inspired the title of this depiction of the Virgin mourning her son. The sculpture captures the intense emotion that was common in works of this time.

The Virgin and Child From San Denis

Jan 1, 1339

Sculpture in fourteenth century France was created out of precious metals, and focused on inspiring an emotional response from viewers. Jeanne D’Evreux donated the statue to the church of San Denis. Mary and the Christ child are carved in a naturalistic position, with elaborate drapery covering the virgin, and the baby reaching lovingly to touch her face, evoking an emotional interpretation.

Ambrogio Lorenzetti: Effects of Good Government in the City and the Country, and Allegory and Effects of Bad Government in the City and the Country

Jan 1, 1340

The fourteenth century was one of both state and political development in Europe and Asia. In Italy, the rise in humanism led to a more people-centered governing ideology. The Allegory of Good and Bad Government by Ambrogio Lorenzetti was one of the first secular pieces commissioned for the Palazzo Publica in Sienca, where city officials met. The large scale fresco depicts detailed narratives of the consequences of poor governing, and rewards of good.

Robert de Eglesfield: Queens College Oxford, England.

Jan 1, 1341

The thirteenth and fourteenth centuries saw a rise in the higher education of citizens in Europe, and the consequent establishment of universities around the continent. Most universities were closely tied to the church, and instructed students in Latin and other liturgical subjects. Oxford University was initially constructed after King Henry II banned citizens from attending the University of Paris, and the institution quickly established itself as a reputable institute of learning.

Attack on the Castle of Love. Paris.

Jan 1, 1350

The arts in fourteenth century France also evidence a revival of the theme of courtly romance in society. Aristocrats valued personal objects made with elaborate, artistic detail. The Attack on the Castle of Love may have been a jewelry box, or a container for other such trinkets. The box is made of ivory and iron, and depicts the aristocratic games played between knights to earn the love of a fair lady.

Life of the Virgin, Chichester Constable Chasuble. England.

Jan 1, 1350

Needlework developed as a definitive art of England during the fourteenth century. A courtier’s rank could be determined solely by the elaborate decoration of their garments. Embroidery became known as opus anglicanum, which means English work. The robes and other clothes involved in mass were often embroidered with as much detail as illuminated manuscripts. This robe was made of velvet and silk, and covered with scenes from the new testament.

Guillaume de Machaut: Messe de Nostre Dame

Jan 1, 1360

Messe de Nostre Dame (song)During the fourteenth century, advancements in musical notation inspired the rise of more complicated forms of music. The period during the early 1300s included what is known as the ars nova musical movement, with more secular songs and complex rhythms and harmonies. The Messe de Nostre Dame was the first full mass service music composed by a single individual.

Florence Cathedral: Arnolfo di Cambio, Francesco Talenti, Andrea Orcagna

Jan 1, 1378

Florence was a major center of trade in the fourteenth century, earning wealth and prosperity for the city. Wealthy patrons commissioned elaborate projects of art and architecture, inspiring the creation of many significant works such as Florence Cathedral. The cathedral was a collaborative project involving the skill of many of the greatest artists of the age. The beauty of its structure is a testament to the fact that artists, as opposed to engineers, created it.

Geoffrey Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales

Jan 1, 1387

Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is one of the most renowned works of medieval British literature. Geoffrey Chaucer contributed to the rise of vernacular literature by writing a tale in English as opposed to the traditional Latin or French. The inclusion of bawdy humor and the commonly spoken language made literature accessible and enjoyable to the majority of the public for the first time.

"Beautiful” Virgin and Child. Church of Augustinian, Sternberk.

Jan 1, 1390

In fourteenth century Germany, the beautiful style emerged, characterized by voluminous drapery and heavy figures with mournful faces. The Virgin and Child statue is made of limestone, and gilded with gold and rich paint. The religious subject of the work was typical of the era, during which the papal division caused an upheaval and renewal of religious fervor.

Claus Sluter: Well of Moses

Jan 1, 1395

The Well of Moses was commissioned by the Duke of Burgundy as a burial monument to be placed in the Carthusian Monastery, also known as the Chartreuse de Champmol. The well is epic in proportion, depicting six life-size prohpets, six angels, the Virgin Mary, St. John, and Mary Magdalen, all symbolically representing the fountain of life.

Kinkaku-ji: Golden Pavilion. Kyoto, Japan

Jan 1, 1397

The fourteenth century in Japan was an era of change and upheaval as leaders changed and were overthrown. During the Muromachi period, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu built the Golden Pavilion as his retirement villa in the late 13oos. In his will, he requested that the temple afterwards be used as a zen temple. Each floor of the structure was built using a different historic Japanese style, and the top two stories are covered in gold leaf.

Christine de Pizan: The Book of the City of Ladies

Jan 1, 1400

Christine de Pizan is one of the earliest known female authors. At the death of her husband, Pizan was forced to care for her mother and children, and so turned to writing to make her own fortune. The Book of the City of Ladies is one of her best-known works, written as a response to the many works that depicted women in a negative light. Pizan’s novel exalts the greatness of women, referencing famous and important women throughout history, and defending females in all times and places.