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Giotto’s Revolution in Art: Quotes and Questions to Deepen Your Study

ByJulie Abels

Let’s dive deeper into our study of Giotto di Bondone! We covered some of the basics in our “Why Study Giotto” blog post/ podcast, so let’s dive deeper into what others said about him and how he influenced art and culture.

Our Other Resources about Giotto

Don’t forget that we have some other really helpful resources about Giotto!

Drawing Clothing with Giotto- C1W13 Lesson Plan

Cool Quotes By or About Giotto

Here are some quotes that offer a glimpse into Giotto’s groundbreaking role in Western art, especially his shift away from the stiff, stylized Byzantine forms toward a more lifelike and three-dimensional style. From seeing Rome as a city of dreams to using his keen eye for perspective, Giotto laid the groundwork for the Renaissance’s focus on realism and naturalism. His legacy includes not just his incredible frescoes, but also architectural contributions like Florence’s bell tower. Each quote here captures a piece of how Giotto’s influence continues to shape the world of art today.

“Rome is the city of echoes, the city of illusions, and the city of yearning.” –Giotto

“Every painting is a voyage into a sacred harbour.” –Giotto

“Giotto’s revolution in painting did not consist only of the displacement of the Byzantine style, the establishment of painting as a major art for the next six centuries, and the restoration of the naturalistic approach invented by the ancients and lost in the Middle Ages. He also inaugurated a firm method of pictorial experiment through observation, and, in the spirit of the experimenting Franciscans, initiated an age that might be called “early scientific.” Giotto and his successors, by stressing the preeminence of the faculty of sight in gaining knowledge of the world, laid the trails that empirical science would follow.” –Gardner’s Art Through the Ages

“As well as making large paintings to hang up in churches, Giotto also painted scenes directly onto the walls of churches and chapels. Later in his life, he was even asked to try his hand at architecture, designing a bell tower for Florence Cathedral. Although he died before it was finished, it was completed by later artists and is still standing today. This building, and the paintings Giotto left behind, are now regarded as some of the most important art treasures in Europe.” – Usborne Book of Famous Artists

“Giotto founded the Western tradition in painting when he broke away from stylized, Byzantine figures for a more three-dimensional style and convincing sense of space. Giotto’s natural style, coupled with the Renaissance mastery of anatomy and perspective, was the cornerstone of Western art until the twentieth century.” –The Annotated Mona Lisa

“Because Italy maintained contact with Byzantine civilization, the art of painting was never abandoned. But at the end of the 13th century, a flowering of technically skilled painting occurred, with masters like Duccio and Simone Martini of Siena and Cimabue and Giotto of Florence breaking with the frozen Byzantine style for softer, more lifelike forms. The frescoes (paintings on damp plaster walls) of Giotto di Bondone (pronounced JOT toe; c. 1266-1337) were the first since the Roman period to render human forms suggesting weight and roundness. They marked the advent of what would afterward become painting’s central role in Western art.” –The Annotated Mona Lisa

Questions for Deep Thinking

Here are some discussion questions your students could use chat about Giotto or use as a prompt for an essay:

  1. Why do you think Giotto’s art was considered revolutionary during his time? How did it differ from the Medieval style that came before it?
  2. Giotto is often called the “Father of the Renaissance.” What qualities or techniques do you think earned him that title? Do you agree with this label?
  3. Giotto focused on making his figures look more realistic. Why might this have been important for people viewing his art? How does realism affect the way we connect with a painting?
  4. One story about Giotto’s childhood says he was discovered drawing sheep on rocks. How do you think myths and stories influence the way we understand artists? Do you think it matters if they’re true?
  5. Giotto’s frescoes were painted directly on the walls of churches. Why do you think this was a meaningful place to display art? How might it have affected people’s experiences of both the church and the art?
  6. In what ways do you think Giotto’s focus on observation and naturalism contributed to the scientific thinking of the Renaissance? Can you see any connections between art and science in his work?
  7. What are some challenges Giotto might have faced when creating his frescoes? (Consider things like materials, working conditions, or painting large surfaces.)
  8. Do you think the Renaissance would have happened without Giotto, or was it an inevitable shift in art and culture? What role do individual artists play in shaping history?
  9. Some historians believe Giotto painted as part of a team, while others attribute entire works to him. How do you feel about artists working in teams? Should we still give Giotto the credit for these masterpieces if he had a team helping him?
  10. Giotto’s art often had religious themes. How do you think his faith influenced his work? Can you think of examples in modern art where faith or belief plays a significant role?
  11. What do you think Gitto meant by these two quotes that are attributed to him:
    • “Rome is the city of echoes, the city of illusions, and the city of yearning.” –Giotto
    • “Every painting is a voyage into a sacred harbour.” –Giotto

I pulled from the following resources:

  • Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists, 5th Ed
  • Usborne Book of Famous Artists
  • Gardners Art Through the Ages
  • The Annotated Mona Lisa

Check out my Art Resources page for a full bibliography!

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