Giunta Pisano facts for kids
Giunta Pisano was an important Italian painter from the 1200s. He is famous for his paintings of Jesus on the cross, called crucifixes. Giunta is special because he is the first Italian painter whose name we know from a painting that still exists today. He was also known as Giunta da Pisa or Giunta Capitini.
Giunta's Artworks
Giunta Pisano was active as an artist from around 1202 to 1236. He was likely born in the city of Pisa, Italy. He painted on cloth stretched over wood, which was then prepared with plaster.
One of his earliest known works is a crucifix called the Crocefisso di San Raniero. For a long time, this painting hung in a kitchen at a convent in Pisa. Other early works from Pisa, like one in the National Museum of San Matteo, Pisa, show his developing skills.
His most famous painting is a large crucifix from 1250. It is located in the Basilica of Saint Dominic in Bologna. This artwork has a Latin message that says, "painted by the learned or skilled hand of Giunta Pisano." This painting shows a strong influence from the Byzantine style, which was popular at the time. It is considered one of the best examples of Italian painting from the 1200s.
How Giunta Changed Art
Giunta Pisano's crucifixes were very important because they introduced a new way to show Jesus on the cross. Before Giunta, artists often painted Jesus looking peaceful and glorious, even though he was crucified. This was called Christus gloriosus.
Giunta, however, started painting Jesus as if he was truly suffering and dying. This style was called Christus patiens. This new way of showing Christ made the paintings feel more emotional and real.
Giunta's style, especially his crucifix in Bologna, had a big impact on later artists. One famous painter who was influenced by Giunta was Cimabue. Cimabue continued to develop this emotional style in his own works, like his crucifix in the Basilica di Santa Croce, Florence.
Many other artists from Giunta's time were also influenced by him. Some of these artists are known as the Master of the Blue Crucifixes and the Master of the Treasury.
Gallery
-
Giunta Pisano, Crucifix in the Basilica of Saint Dominic, Bologna
-
Crucifix in National Museum of San Matteo, Pisa
-
Giunta Pisano, St. Francis, Vatican Museums
-
Crocifisso di Santa Maria degli Angeli, Assisi
See also
In Spanish: Giunta Pisano para niños
