By Begum Oral
SPECIAL TO THE DIALOG
Saint Eloy in His Goldsmith’s Workshop. Courtesy of the Art Gallery of Ontario
The Art Gallery of Ontario is currently hosting another spectacular exhibition called Revealing The Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Are until June 16. The exhibition highlights the stories and secrets from the 14th century in Florentine art.
Florentine style music welcomes you at the entrance of the exhibition, it inspires you and gives you the feeling of the artistic pieces you will experience.
Revealing the Early Renaissance includes panel paintings, sculptures, frescoes, triptychs, paintings of the most renowned painters; Giotti di Bondone, Bernardo Daddi as well as less known painters as Pacino di Bonoguida, Lippo di Benivieni, Maestro Daddesco, and some manuscripts from the Vatican Library.
An interactive map with touch screen helps you explore the places where Renaissance Florence changes into the Florence of today.
The exhibition has six parts offering different types of pieces with a story, an artist, and a different time of period.
The first part is created under Master of the Codex and St George, including panel paintings, triptychs, and sculptures. The pieces explain how art met with the religious institutions, bankers, and merchants who needed to express their fears, hopes, ideals and emotions in this period.
The second is the devotion of Christian faith. Devotional artwork takes on many form; frescoes, panel paintings, altarpieces, diptychs, stained glass, and crucifixes. The main items are female and male saints, the virgin, and Jesus.
The Crucifixion by Pacino di Bonaguida is one the most well known pieces. Following parts are comprised of more paintings, the storytelling of famous Italian poet Dante Alighieri and some artists’ workshops. Videos show the techniques of panel paintings and manuscripts.
Revealing the Early Renaissance is one of a kind, which brings the stories, secrets, discoveries, and variety of pieces, even the techniques in Florentine art. It is a small artistic journey to Florence in an hour.
The Peruzzi Altarpiece. Courtesy of the Art Gallery of Ontario
