11.1 Characteristics of the International Gothic style

The International Gothic style in Italy blended French elegance with Italian artistry. It featured refined figures, intricate patterns, and vibrant colors. This luxurious style reflected the tastes of wealthy patrons and spread through cultural exchanges between European courts.

Italian artists adapted elements from French and Burgundian art, creating a softer, more decorative approach. The style was perfect for luxury items like manuscripts and tapestries, showcasing the sophistication of courtly culture in late medieval Italy.

International Gothic in Italian Art

Distinctive Features

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• Refined, courtly elegance with a focus on decorative details
  • Elongated, graceful figures
  • Elaborate clothing and accessories
• Intricate, stylized patterns in clothing, backgrounds, and decorative elements create a rich, tapestry-like effect
• Vibrant, jewel-toned colors and extensive use of gold leaf contribute to an opulent and precious quality
• Rhythmic, flowing lines soften the more rigid, linear style of earlier Gothic art
• Delicate and idealized facial features
  • Small, pursed lips
  • High foreheads
  • Narrow, slanting eyes
• Stylized and decorative landscapes serve as backdrops for figures rather than naturalistic spaces

Spread and Development

• Developed within the context of courtly culture as a means of displaying wealth, sophistication, and cultural refinement
• Wealthy patrons (Visconti family in Milan, Este family in Ferrara) commissioned works to decorate palaces and demonstrate prestige
• Emphasis on elegance, luxury, and decorative detail reflects the tastes and values of courtly patrons
• Exchange of artists, objects, and ideas between European courts contributed to the spread and development across Italy and beyond
• Well-suited to the production of luxury objects prized in courtly circles
  • Illuminated manuscripts
  • Tapestries
  • Jewelry

French Influence on International Gothic

Cultural Exchange

• Emerged as a result of cultural exchange between Italy and Northern Europe (France and Burgundy) during the late 14th and early 15th centuries
• Italian artists exposed to French and Burgundian illuminated manuscripts, tapestries, and other luxury objects
  • Provided inspiration for decorative and courtly aspects
• Elongated, elegant figures and flowing draperies characteristic of French Gothic sculpture and painting adopted and adapted by Italian artists

Stylistic Elements

• Intricate, stylized patterns and application of gold leaf, common in French and Burgundian art, became essential elements in Italy
• Influence of French and Burgundian art visible in works of Italian artists
  • Gentile da Fabriano
  • Lorenzo Monaco
  • Incorporated Northern European elements into their paintings

Courtly Culture and International Gothic

Patronage and Luxury

• Art served as a means of displaying wealth, sophistication, and cultural refinement in courtly culture
• Wealthy patrons commissioned works in the International Gothic style to decorate palaces and demonstrate prestige
  • Visconti family in Milan
  • Este family in Ferrara
• Emphasis on elegance, luxury, and decorative detail reflects the tastes and values of courtly patrons
• International Gothic style particularly well-suited to the production of luxury objects prized in courtly circles
  • Illuminated manuscripts
  • Tapestries
  • Jewelry

Spread and Development

• Exchange of artists, objects, and ideas between European courts contributed to the spread and development of the International Gothic style across Italy and beyond
• Developed within the context of courtly culture, where art served as a means of displaying wealth, sophistication, and cultural refinement

International Gothic vs Italian Gothic

Refinement and Softening

• International Gothic style represents a refinement and softening of the earlier Italian Gothic style
• Italian Gothic characterized by a more linear, geometric, and structured approach to form and composition
• International Gothic prioritized decorative aspects and the creation of a more fluid, continuous space

Figural Representation

• Figures in Italian Gothic art tend to be more solidly modeled and grounded in space
• Figures in International Gothic art are more elongated, graceful, and appear to float within the composition

Color and Ornamentation

• Earlier Italian Gothic style often featured a more limited palette with an emphasis on primary colors
• International Gothic style embraced a wider range of colors
  • Softer, more muted tones
  • Extensive use of gold leaf
• International Gothic incorporated a greater variety of decorative patterns and motifs
  • Often inspired by Northern European textile arts
• Italian Gothic style featured more restrained ornamentation compared to International Gothic