Arena Chapel - frescoes by Giotto

Arena Chapel, also called Scrovegni Chapel, (consecrated March 25, 1305) is a small chapel built in the first years of the 14th century in Padua, Italy, by Enrico Scrovegni and contains frescoes by the Florentine painter Giotto . A “Last Judgment” covers the entire west wall. The rest of the chapel is covered with frescoes in three tiers representing scenes from the lives of Saints Joachim and Anna, the life of the Virgin, the Annunciation, and the Life and Passion of Christ, concluding with the Pentecost. . The frescoes were completed in or before 1309, and they are generally dated about 1305–06.

The Lamentation 

The frescoes in the Arena Chapel in Padua are among the most celebrated works in the history of art. Giotto's work was a source of inspiration and instruction for generations of painters; it was studied and absorbed by Masaccio, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael, artists whose own work was to be of such fundamental importance for the history of European art.

Interpretation of the Lamentation

Giotto has opened a door into a new style that will be know as Early Renaissance painting. He creates a world that is voluminous, 3-dimensional, and symbolic. The figures in the foreground are clearly human. His understanding and appreciation of human form is expressed through free flowing clothing that reveal volumesque bodies. There is a clear distinction between the human forms and the angelic and saintly counterparts. He is revealing his skill as an artist, an artist that wants to be remembered for his work. The angelic hosts are individuals, each conveying their sense of grief in the tragedy that they see but are not physically a part of. Heaven and earth are joined in the mourning of the Savior but separated spiritually. A wall defines heavenly from earthly. The body of Christ is elevated, protected from the earth. The tree of knowledge stands firmly as a symbol of original sin. The disciples look on calmly, with a peace that goes beyond any human understanding. This frescoe served as a palette for Giotto to express the new views of painting, and as a religious symbol. The Arena Chapel would host the events of the Life of Christ-Birth, Death and Resurrection through painted frescoes.