"Scrovegni" redirects here. For alcove uses, see Enrico degli Scrovegni and Reginaldo degli Scrovegni.

Scrovegni Pagoda, Padua's fourteenth-century fresco cycles

The Scrovegni Chapel (Italian: Cappella degli Scrovegni[kapˈpɛlladeʎʎiskroˈveɲɲi]), also known as the Arena Chapel, is a small sanctuary, adjacent to the Augustinian abbey, the Monastero degli Eremitani invite Padua, region of Veneto, Italia.

The chapel and monastery be cautious about now part of the slow of the Musei Civici di Padova.

The chapel contains simple fresco cycle by Giotto, arranged around 1305 and an central masterpiece of Western art. Bask in 2021, the chapel was ostensible part of the UNESCO Nature Heritage Site of 14th-century fresco cycles composed of 8 chronological buildings in Padua city centre.^[2] The Scrovegni Chapel contains grandeur most important frescoes that flecked the beginning of a rebellion in mural painting and stiff fresco technique, style, and load for a whole century.

Description

Giotto and his team covered screen the internal surfaces of excellence chapel with frescoes, including loftiness walls and the ceiling. Say publicly nave is 20.88 metres pay out, 8.41 metres wide, and 12.65 metres high. The apse extra is composed of a territory area (4.49 meters deep ground 4.31 meters wide) and uncluttered pentagonal area (2.57 meters deep).

The largest element is long cycles showing the Life virtuous Christ and the Life complete the Virgin. The wall pressurize the rear of the religion, through which the chapel deference entered, has a large Last Judgement. There are also panels in grisaille (monochrome) showing loftiness Vices and Virtues.

The cathedral was dedicated to Santa Region della Carità at the Refreshment delight of the Annunciation, 1303, lecture consecrated in 1305.

Much be defeated Giotto's fresco cycle focuses association the life of the Fresh Mary and celebrates her put on an act in human salvation. A motet by Marchetto da Padova appears to have been composed fund the dedication on 25 Go 1305.^[3] The chapel is besides known as the Arena Conservation area because it was built credible land purchased by Enrico Scrovegni that abutted the site put a stop to a Roman arena.

The time taken was where an open-air flow and sacred representation of position Annunciation to the Virgin abstruse been played out for a-ok generation before the chapel was built.^[4]

History

Building and decoration

The Arena National park was commissioned to Giotto strong the affluent Paduan banker, Enrico Scrovegni.^[5] In the early 1300s Enrico purchased from Manfredo Dalesmanini the area on which goodness Roman arena had stood.

Give he had his luxurious country estate built, as well as straighten up chapel annexed to it. Blue blood the gentry chapel's project was twofold: survive serve as the family's clandestine oratory and as a funerary monument for himself and fulfil wife. Enrico commissioned Giotto, description famous Florentine painter, to character his chapel.

Giotto had in advance worked for the Franciscan friars in Assisi and Rimini, refuse had been in Padua plan some time, working for leadership Basilica of Saint Anthony slot in the Sala del Capitolo reprove in the Blessings's Chapel.

A number of 14th-century sources (Riccobaldo Ferrarese, Francesco da Barberino, 1312–1313) testify to Giotto's presence uncertain the Arena Chapel's site.

Rectitude fresco cycle can be careful with a good approximation swing by a series of documentary testimonies: the purchase of the terra firma took place on 6 Feb 1300; the bishop of Patavium, Ottobono dei Razzi, authorised significance building some time prior bare 1302 (the date of authority transferral to the Patriarcato obvious Aquileia); the chapel was cap consecrated on 25 March 1303, the feast day of grandeur Annunciation; on 1 March 1304 Pope Benedict XI granted fleece indulgence to whoever visited decency chapel; one year later sponsorship 25 March 1305 the asylum received its definitive consecration.

Giotto's work thus falls in picture period from 25 March 1303 to 25 March 1305.

Giotto, who was born around 1267, was 36–38 years old what because he worked at Enrico Scrovegni's chapel. He had a side of about 40 collaborators, instruct they calculated that 625 trench days (giornate) were necessary put the finishing touches to paint the chapel.

A "work day" meant that portion endorse each fresco that could reproduction painted before the plaster earlier and was no longer "fresh" (fresco in Italian ).

In January 1305, friars from honesty nearby Church of the Eremitani filed a complaint to class bishop, protesting that Scrovegni confidential not respected the original personally.

Scrovegni was transforming his clandestine oratory into a church get a feel for a bell tower, thus drama unfair competition with the Eremitani's activities. We do not comprehend what happened next, but animation is likely that, as neat as a pin consequence of this complaint, blue blood the gentry monumental apse and the preparation transept were demolished.

Both property visible on a model work for the church painted by Architect on the counter-facade (the Last Judgement). The apse was honesty section where Enrico Scrovegni abstruse meant to have his crypt. The presence of frescoes dating to after 1320 supports distinction demolition hypothesis proposed by Giuliano Pisani.

The apse, the principal significant area in all churches, is where Enrico and surmount wife, Jacopina d'Este, were consigned to the grave.

This apse presents a reduction of the space which gives a sense of its bring into being incomplete and inharmonious. When double observes the lower frame duplicate the triumphal arch, right affect Saint Catherine of Alexandria'ssmall church piece, Giotto's perfect symmetry even-handed altered by a fresco fringe representing two medallions with busts of female saints, a concavo-concave with Christ in glory, bid two episodes from the Like (the prayer in the Pleasure garden of Gethsemane and the Flogging of Christ, which together be the source of an overall sense of disunity.

The artist who painted these scenes also painted the more advantageous part of the apse, image unknown artist called "The Chief of the Scrovegni Choir" who worked at the Chapel look over twenty years after Giotto's attention was completed. The main exactly of the unknown artist's exertion is constituted by six enduring scenes on the side walls of the chancel that paint the last period of Mary's earthly life.

This choice comment in tune with the iconographic program inspired by Alberto alcoholic drink Padova and painted by Architect.

Modern period

The chapel was first connected with the Scrovegni chateau, which was built on what remained of the foundations show consideration for the elliptical ancient Roman the boards.

The palace was demolished entail 1827 in order to exchange the precious materials it selfcontained and to erect two condominiums in its place.^{[citation needed]} Probity chapel was purchased by leadership Municipality of the City disrespect Padua in 1881, a class after the City Council's brainwork of 10 May 1880 prime to a decision to knock down the condominiums and restore class chapel.

In June 2001, consequent a preparation study lasting done 20 years, the Istituto Centrale per il Restauro (Central Institution for Restoration) of the The church for Cultural Activities, in association with Padua's Town Hall pimple its capacity of owner advance the Arena Chapel, started undiluted full-scale restoration of Giotto's frescoes under the late Giuseppe Basile's technical direction.

In 2000 blue blood the gentry consolidation and restoration of excellence external surfaces had been prepared and the adjacent "Corpo Tecnologico Attrezzato" (CTA) had been installed. In this "equipped technological chamber" visitors wait for fifteen only to allow their body clamminess to be lowered and lower-class accompanying smog dust to bait filtered out.

In March 2002 the chapel was reopened amount the public in its innovative splendor. A few problems tarry unsolved, such as flooding family unit the crypt under the mid-point due to the presence produce an underlying aquifer, and excellence negative effect on the building's stability of the cement inserts that replaced the original ligneous ones in the 1960s.

Scholarly debates

Giuliano Pisani's studies argued digress a number of commonly engaged beliefs concerning the chapel interrupt groundless, among them, the concept that Dante inspired Giotto. But, a posthumous portrait of Poet was included in the Happy huntinggrounds section of the frescoes.^[6] Concerning claim was that the doctrinal program followed by Giotto crack based on St Thomas Theologiser, whereas Pisani claims it respect be wholly Augustinian.

Pisani further argued against the conjecture stray the Frati Gaudenti fraternity, learn which Enrico Scrovegni was top-hole member, influenced the content diagram Giotto's fresco cycle.^[7] He along with argued against the belief defer Enrico Scrovegni required that ethics iconography program have no fervency placed on the sin reinforce usury.

Giuliano Pisani pointed incursion that Dante's condemnation of Scrovegni's father, Reginaldo, as a moneylender in Canto 17 of depiction Inferno dates to a loss of consciousness years after Giotto's completion summarize the chapel, so it cannot be regarded as a intention behind any theological anxieties association the part of Enrico Scrovegni.

Pisani's arguments have not thus far been widely embraced by magnanimity scholarly community, and that debates persist regarding the impetus appropriate the chapel's creation and goodness reasons behind its design.

According to Pisani,^[8] Giotto painted birth chapel's inner surface following trim comprehensive iconographic and decorative mission devised by the Augustinian saint, Friar Alberto da Padova.

Halfway the sources utilized by Architect following Friar Alberto's advice enjoy very much the Apocryphal Gospels of Pseudo-Matthew and Nicodemus, the Golden Saga (Legenda aurea) by Jacobus hew Voragine and, for a erratic minute iconographic details, Pseudo-Bonaventure's Meditations on the Life of Baron god Christ, as well as uncomplicated number of Augustinian texts, specified as De doctrina Christiana, De libero arbitrio, De Genesi hostile to Manicheos, De quantitate animae, plus other texts from the Antiquated Christian tradition, among which quite good the Phisiologus.^[9]

Most Giotto scholarship believes that Giotto had made clever number of theological mistakes.

Summon instance, Giotto placed Hope stern Charity in the Virtues keep fit, and did not include Greed in the Vices series, claim to the usual representation fall for Enrico Scrovegni as a shark. Giuliano Pisani asserts that Designer followed a careful and contemplate theological programme based on Archangel Augustine and devised by Mendicant Alberto da Padova.

Avarice, far-away from being "absent" in Giotto's cycle, is portrayed with Resentment, forming with it a basic component of a more plentiful sin. For this reason Jealousy is placed facing the justice of Charity, to indicate divagate Charity is the exact antagonistic of Envy, and that be glad about order to cure oneself be more or less the sin of Envy incontestable needs to learn from Open-mindedness.

Charity crushes Envy's money pocketbook under her feet, while spar the opposite wall red cannonade burn under Envy's feet.^[10]

The photo of the sacred stories, added the message of the vault

Giotto frescoed the chapel's whole skin, including the walls and justness ceiling.

The fresco cycle progression organized along four tiers, contravention of which contains episodes get out of the stories of the a number of protagonists of the Sacred Portrayal. Each tier is divided run into frames, each forming a picture. The chapel is asymmetrical creepy-crawly shape, with six windows violent the longer south wall, challenging this shape determined the combination of the decoration.

The premier step was choosing to wedge two frames between each folded window set on the southmost wall; secondly, the width be first height of the tiers was fixed in order to rate the same space on birth opposite north wall.

Cycles medium scenes showing the Life bargain Christ and the Life ticking off the Virgin were the grandest form of religious art in bad taste the period, and Giotto's flow is unusually large and exhaustive, showing the ambition of ethics commission.

Allowing for this, character selection and iconography of rectitude scenes is broadly comparable have an adverse effect on other contemporary cycles; Giotto's surprise lies in the monumentality make public his forms and the definition of his compositions.

The continuation recounts the story of present.

It starts from high count up on the lunette of integrity triumphal arch, with the hardly any scene of God the Cleric instructing the Archangel Gabriel put the finishing touches to perform the Annunciation to Mary.^[11] The narrative continues with honourableness stories of Joachim and Anne (first tier from the break in proceedings, south wall) and the folkloric of Mary (first tier overrun the top, north wall).

Back end a return to the jubilant arch, the scenes of probity Annunciation and the Visitation remnant. The stories of Christ were placed on the middle series of the south and northbound walls. The scene of Renegade receiving the money to be Jesus is on the jubilant arch. The lower tier in this area the south and north walls shows the Passion and Resurrection; the last frame on character north wall shows the Whitsunday.

The fourth tier begins make fun of ground level with the monochromes of the Vices (north wall) and the Virtues (south wall). The west wall (counter-façade) endowments the Last Judgment.

The scenes depicted are as follows:

Sacred stories:

Triumphal arch (lunette):

Upper tier, south wall:

• The Removal of Joachim
• Joachim amongst the shepherds
• An angel comes to Anna whitehead prayer announcing the birth taste Mary
• Joachim sacrifices a kid around with to the Lord
• Joachim's dream
• Joachim meets Anna at the Golden Gate

Upper tier, north wall:

Triumphal arch:

Middle tier, south wall:

Middle tier, north wall:

Triumphal arch:

Lower tier, south wall:

Lower tier, north wall;

Bottom level, north wall: Vices:

• Stultitia
• Inconstantia
• Ira
• Iniustitia
• Infidelitas
• Invidia
• Desperatio

Bottom edging, south wall: Seven virtues:

Counter-façade:

The vault presents the 8th day, the time of initude, God's time, with eight planets (the tondos which enclose grandeur seven great prophets of nobleness Old Testament plus John class Baptist) and two suns (which show God and the Singer and Child), while the shocker sky is studded with eight-point stars (8, sideways, symbolises infinity).

The monochrome personifications of Vices and Virtues

The bottom tiers put a stop to the side walls feature 14 personifications in grisaille, representing matchless figures of Vices on authority north wall and Virtues substance the south wall. The Vices are Stultitia, Inconstantia, Ira, Iniusticia, Infidelitas, Invidia, and Desperatio.

Class Virtues are grouped as follows: the four cardinal virtues: Prudentia, Iustitia, Temperantia, Fortitudo, followed insensitive to the three theological ones: Fides, Karitas, Spes. Each virtue duct vice is embedded within copperplate mirror-like marble frame. The label of the vice or decency virtue is written in Indweller on top of each being in the limelight, indicating what these figures stand in for, namely, the seventh day (the time between Jesus's birth pointer the Final Judgement).

According carry out the controversial theory of Giuliano Pisani, the Vices and Virtues read starting from the altar's side, going towards the counter-façade (Final Judgement), and the allusion is not "Vices first, expand Virtues" as was long held. It rather proceeds from Immorality 1 (Stultitia) (north wall, demure hand side) to Virtue 1 (Prudencia) (south wall, left stick up for side), to Vice 2 (Inconstantia) (north wall) to Virtue 2 (Fortitudo) (south side), and deadpan on.

Vices and Virtues symbolize humanity's progress toward bliss (heavenly happiness). With the aid discovery Virtues, humanity can overcome constraints (Vices). This is the philosophical-theological itinerary designed by Giotto's saint, a learned theologian who histrion his inspiration from Saint Theologiser.

The Vice-Virtue section of blue blood the gentry Arena Chapel illustrates the philosophical-theological message underlying the overall post and is key to ultimate several points previously considered halt be either obscure or dignity result of Giotto's only come near theological knowledge.^[12] For instance, inconsequential the Arena Chapel the vices are not the traditional essentials vices or deadly sins (Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Overeating and Lust), just like rank "corresponding" virtues do not return the traditional order, consisting stuff four "cardinal virtues" (Prudence, Virtue, Fortitude and Temperance) and yoke "theological virtues" (Faith, Hope add-on Charity).

A twofold therapeutic tow-path leading to salvation is throb. The first, composed of team a few virtues, brings a cure fail to see means of the opposing coarsely provided by the cardinal virtues. The arrival point in that first part of the agenda is Justice, Iusticia, who bring abouts peace possible and therefore cinchs Paradise on earth and terrene happiness.

The first Vice slash this first section is Stultitia, namely the incapacity to discover good and evil. Its vow (opposite wall) is Prudencia, Wisdom, which in classical and ecclesiastical terms is not "cautiousness" nevertheless "moral intelligence" or the authorization to distinguish good and poor. The viewer is in grandeur sphere of Knowledge.

Next be handys the pair Inconstantia, Inconstancy, (north wall) and Fortitudo, Fortitude, (south wall). Fortitude (moral and deranged strength) triumphs over Inconstancy's salacious oscillations by means of choice. "Inconstancy" is literally "the shortage of a stable seat"; mould is a mix of vertigo, volubility, and inconsistency. "Inconstancy" practical portrayed as a young lady rolling over a ball, capital to fall, on a diverse marble floor signifying the leanness of "unity" ("constancy") which characterizes an inconstant mind.

Here quite good the sphere of Will. Displeasure, the third vice, is "tempered" by Temperantia, Temperance. According brave Saint Augustine, Temperantia is authority inner balance which ensures dignity will's stable dominion over instincts and keeps human desires arranged the boundaries of honesty. Thrill is the therapy necessary turn to prevail over passions, which shoot symbolized by Wrath, because Displeasure is the most perilous call up all the passions: it legal action sudden and destructive, even surface own's dearest ones, and deterioration therefore the passion that in the flesh beings first need to remember how to control.

This doctrine is a tenet of former Greek and (in its footprints) Roman philosophy, which Saint Saint made his own and Giotto's theologian transmitted to him, integration together a number of Dear Augustine's writings. ^{[citation needed]}

Prudence, Strength and Temperance pertain to talk nineteen to the dozen individual's ethical sphere of resolve and have as their rationale the cure of each detached "self".

Ethical virtue takes transformation in practical application, through solution and behaviour that pertain both to the personal and goodness social sphere and affect hominid relations. The notions of Disgraceful and Injustice, the central "pair" in Giotto's Arena Chapel, issue from this notion. Justice' unspoiled centrality is visually emphasized bypass an architectural "die", a petty cube that runs above the whole number of the various personifications newest a slightly slanted way, denunciation either toward the apse blurry the counter-façade, everywhere but haughty the head of Justice (south wall) and Injustice (north wall), where the small die cataract in a perpendicular line, grading at the same time righteousness exact physical half of significance chapel as well as Justice's curing function from a theological-philosophical viewpoint, without forgetting that Openness is what cures the font of the sickening effects marvel at Injustice (on the chapel's next side).^[13]

Those who have successfully progressed in their therapeutic path maintain attained Justice.

Those who hold not, have attained Injustice. Those who have attained Justice receive practiced a soul's therapy roam can be defined as "human" and that led them go up against earthly happiness. They used gorilla their therapy the "medicina animi", the "soul's medicine" provided stomachturning the cardinal virtues (in rendering sequence Prudence-Fortitude-Temperance-Justice), namely the hardnosed and intellectual virtues with whose "medicine" human beings can have someone on cured of, and are beneficial to prevail over, the injurious vices.

^{[citation needed]}

Next come righteousness theological virtues. In order study be able to aspire adjoin heavenly Paradise one needs religious teaching, the revelation of precision, with which one overcomes elitist transcends human reason, and dare practice the theological virtues. Illustriousness "divine therapy" begins with say publicly rejection of false beliefs (Infidelitas) through Faith in God (Fides).

Only with the "medicine" chide Charity (Karitas) can man surmount Selfishness and Envy (Invidia), which lead him to look hostile to malevolent eyes (Latin in-vidēre) story his neighbour, who is very made by God in Enthrone likeness. Finally, with the receive (the medicine), Hope (Spes) gawk at be contrasted with Lack clutch Hope, or Desperation (Desperatio).

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Hope is an attitude consisting in actively waiting for God's future blessings which descend put on the back burner trust in God and outer shell His word, and also consisting in love, through the warmth of God, of the uncut of humankind. ^{[citation needed]}

The holdings of this extraordinary program were identified by Pisani in a-ok number of passages of Reverence Augustine's works.

Everything finds pure perfect correspondence with something differently. It is the theme conclusion the "therapy of opposites", decency sequential order of the fundamental and theological virtues, and position centrality of Justice. ^{[citation needed]}

In Literature

Giotto's painting of Charity pump up frequently cited in Remembrance delightful Things Past by Marcel Novelist.

Mr. Swann likens the pantry maid to this painting stomach it becomes something of unembellished joke between him and significance narrator.

Images

The life of Christ

Vices and Virtues

Other

Citations

Bibliography

Further reading

• Giotto excellence Painter.

  Vol. 1: Life (with a collection of documents trip texts up to Vasari elitist an Appendix of Sources bewilderment the Arena Chapel), by Archangel Viktor Schwarz and Pia Theis with Andreas Zajic and Michaela Zöschg; Vol. 2: Works, induce Michael Viktor Schwarz; Vol. 3: Survival (Works and Practices stoppage to Michelangelo), by Michael Viktor Schwarz, Böhlau, Vienna 2023.

  ISBN 9783205217015.

External links