From the Middle Ages to now, Italian art’s influence continues

From the Middle Ages to now, Italian art’s influence continues…

Early Italian panel painting and frescoes continue to shape contemporary art, both technically and spiritually. Technically, the meticulous layering of tempera on gessoed wood and the fresco process – painting onto wet plaster – demand patience, precision, and an understanding of light and pigment that remain relevant today. Artists still draw from these techniques, whether through the revival of traditional methods or reinterpretations that mimic their texture and depth. The rich gold leaf of Giotto’s altarpieces, for example, finds echoes in today’s use of metallic surfaces and gilded accents in contemporary mixed media.

The originator of modern painting

I believe Giotto di Bondone is the true originator of modern painting. He paved the way for the artists of the Renaissance. His Maestà, known as the Madonna di Ognissanti, was painted around 1310   Having just visited this piece at The Uffizi, Florence I can testify to its magnificence.  The Virgin sits on a throne that gives space a shape and creates a “perspective box” where figures are physical, and humanised. Here, the subjects can be thought of as being real human beings, with both a real body and soul, living in a real space, this world.

A spiritual intensity that continues to inspire

Beyond technique, early Italian painting carries a spiritual intensity that continues to inspire. These works were designed not only as visual narratives but as portals to contemplation, connecting the viewer to something beyond the material world. The emotive power of Giotto’s frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel or the solemn grace of Piero della Francesca’s Resurrection still resonates. In my personal view, Giotto’s frescoes have to be experienced at least once in our lives. His execution of ‘trompe l’oeil’ is unsurpassed to this day in my opinion.

Contemporary artists often channel this meditative quality, whether through figurative storytelling, sacred geometry, or the pursuit of transcendent abstract themes. In a world saturated with fleeting images, the durability and quiet insistence of early Italian painting serve as a counterpoint, reminding artists today of the power of devotion.

The original abstract painting featured above by Jill Jones FRSA is one of the key pieces in her solo exhibition which opens on Saturday 3rd May at our gallery at Celf Palas, 6 Palace Street, Caernarfon.

Sara McKee FRSA – Pink Haired Art Dealer