Duecento: Italian culture in the 13th century
Cimabue
La Reverdie
Duccio
This was the era of St. Francis, St. Clare, St. Thomas Aquinas, Dante, Beatrice, Giotto, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Bonaventure, St. Dominic, the mathematician Fibonacci, the medical doctor Theodoric Borgognoni, and Marco Polo.
Thomistic Institute Recorded Lectures
The Catholic Church and the Creation of the University
Catholic Scientists & Mathematicians
Stories of the Italian Artists from Vasari
Giotto and Duccio: Christ Entering Jerusalem
Who's Deluded? An Atheist Just Doesn't Get Aquinas
Twelfth Ecumenical Council: Lateran IV 1215
Ezzelino da Romano and Oberto Pallavicino, allies of Frederick II, vied with him in brutality.
A, E, I, O and U: Bonvesin de la Riva and the Marvels of Milan
Friar Giordano da Pisa wrote in 1306 "It is not yet twenty years since there was found the art of making eyeglasses, which make for good vision.”
The Thirteenth Greatest of Centuries
The spirit of the 1200s was generated by Christians embracing the natural or physical world. Consider Thomas’ theory of perception (God created the human mind to understand and the world to be understood.) and Francis’ closeness to nature and Giotto’s realistic paintings. Italian explorers were curious about, Italian friars were involved with, Italian scientists were focused on God's Creation.
The thirteenth century was one of the most crucial times in history. The achievements of the thirteenth century led to the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery and the Scientific Revolution and eventually to the rise of limited government.
Duccio
Duccio
Simone Martini
Cavallini
Cavallini
Giotto Jesus and the 12
There is so much to love about Italian art in the 1200s: the paintings with gold leaf and lapis lazuli as well as the realistic angels.
Giotto
Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua
Santa Maria Novella
Marco Polo in Cambay, India
In the Inferno Canto XI Dante wrote: Your art follows nature, when it can just as a pupil imitates his master; so that your art is almost God’s grandchild.
Nicola Pisano
The 12 Apostles went out into the world spreading the teaching of Jesus. In the 1200s Christians also went out into the world. Is this a coincidence?
The Church proclaimed God in 3 persons in the 300s. Is this a coincidence too?
