Madonna of Constantinople is a tempera painting created by Greek painter

Angelos Pitzamanos Angelos Pitzamanos ( el, Άγγελος Πιτζαμάνος) (1467–1535) was a Greek Renaissance painter. The artists is sometimes referred to as Angelos Bitzamanos. He was born in Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , A ...

Angelo Angelo is an Italian masculine given name and surname meaning "angel", or "messenger". People People with the given name *Angelo Accattino (born 1966), Italian prelate of the Catholic Church *Angelo Acciaioli (bishop) (1298–1357), Italian Rom ...

was from the island of Crete. He was active from 1482 to 1535. His teacher was famous painter Andreas Pavias.

finished commissions with his brother Donatus Pitzamanos. Eleven remaining works are attributed to

. He signed most of his works in Latin, his signature poem was Angelus Bizamanus the Greek painter from Crete. The painting was nicknamed Madonna of Constantinople. His brother famous Greek painter Donatus Pitzamanos also created works called ''Madonna of Constantinople''. Another work by

was nicknamed the ''Madonna of Constantinople''. It is located at the church of San Matteo

Bisceglie Bisceglie (; nap, label= Biscegliese, Vescégghie) is a city and municipality of 55,251 inhabitants in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, in the Apulia region (''Italian'': ''Puglia''), in southern Italy. The municipality has the fourth hig ...

, Italy. Madonna of Constantinople was a very common name for art affiliated with

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

. Italian Renaissance patrons preferred the works of Greek Byzantine masters from Constantinople. Constantinople and Thessaloniki were the epicenters of Greek Byzantine painting and the

palaeologan renaissance The Palaeologan Renaissance or Palaiologan Renaissance is the final period in the development of Byzantine art. It coincided with the reign of the Palaiologoi, the last dynasty to rule the Byzantine Empire (1261–1453), and essentially preceded ...

. Another famous Greek painter

Michele Greco da Valona Michele Greco da Valona was a 15th/16th-century painter from Vlorë, in modern-day southern Albania. Michele represented the Adriatic renaissance. His art was similar to the style of Nikolaos Philanthropinos, Nicolaus Filantropinó, Fra Angelico, ...

was also affiliated with Constantinople. Greek painter

Belisario Corenzio Belisario Corenzio ( el, Βελισσάριος Κορένσιος 1558–1646) was a Greek-Italian painter, active in Venice and Naples. He is one of few Greek painters that did not belong to the Cretan Renaissance like his contemporaries of the ...

was named after the famous Byzantine General Belisarius. Italian art began to transition away from the Italian-Greek Byzantine style both

and Michele Greco De Valano adopted the new technique incorporating both Byzantine painting and the Italian Renaissance style. Both artists can be likened to another famous painter of Greek origin from the same period named

Ioannis Permeniates Ioannis Permeniates ( el, Ιωάννης Περμενιάτης, ?-1550) also known as Giovanni Permeniate, Joannes Permeniates and, Zuan Permeniatis. He was a Greek painter in Venice active during the early 16th century. His most popular paint ...

. Greek painters such as

El Greco Domḗnikos Theotokópoulos ( el, Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος ; 1 October 1541 7 April 1614), most widely known as El Greco ("The Greek"), was a Greek painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El G ...

and

Michael Damaskinos Michael Damaskenos or Michail Damaskenos ( el, Μιχαήλ Δαμασκηνός, 1530/35–1592/93) was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter. He is a major representative of the Cretan School of painting that flourished in the 16th and 1 ...

followed the same path during the second half of the 16th century. Other Italian Renaissance painters of Greek origin such as

Antonio Vassilacchi Antonio Vassilacchi (; el, Αντώνιος Βασιλάκης, Antonios Vasilakis; 1556–1629), also called L'Aliense, was a Greek painter, who was active mostly in Venice and the Veneto. Biography Antonio Vassilacchi was born of Greek descent ...

and

Marco Basaiti Marco Basaiti (c. 1470–1530) was a Renaissance painter who worked mainly in Venice and was a contemporary of Giovanni Bellini and Cima da Conegliano.

completely adopted the Italian style. The ''Madonna of Constantinople'' by

is located at the Pinacoteca metropolitana di Bari.

Description

The painting was created in 1530. The materials used were mixed media on wood. The height of the small tablet is 6.6 in (16.7 cm) and the width is 5.2 in (13.2 cm). The Virgin is seated on a throne. The background features a decorated green curtain adorned with gilded decorations and faded Greek inscriptions. The artist creates the illusion of an outdoor aesthetically pleasing landscape to the left and right of the curtain. The landscape adds spatial depth to the painting. The painting features enhanced three-dimensionality of the drapery folds completely escaping the traditional Byzantine style but the rob exhibits traces of the ancient technique. The poses of the figures are more refined. The postures and gestures of the celestial beings are reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance style. The artist constructed a figure that has substance, dimensionality, and spatial depth. The Virgin wears a bright red cloak. The hems are decorated with gold lines. The garment illustrates the artist's knowledge of advanced shadowing techniques prevalent at that time. The Virgin is wearing a bluish tunic under her heavenly robe. Her neck is decorated with red and gold friezes. The brown hair of the three figures is also painted in detail. All three celestial figures feature gold halos. The young figure of Jesus holds a sphere in his left hand. This was a common technique in Cretan paintings.

Nikolaos Tzafouris Nikolaos Tzafouris ( el, Νικόλαος Ζαφούρης η Τζαφούρης; 1468–1501), also Niccolo, Niccolò, Niccolö, Zafuri, Zafuris, was a Greek Renaissance painter. He was one of the founders of the Cretan School. He was influenc ...

introduced the style in his ''Madre della Consolazione''. The Christ child is seated on a cushion with golden tassels. The young Saint John (San Giovannino) looks up at the Christ child. Saint John holds the patriarchal cross and kneels before the Christ child. He is wearing his traditional humble attire. On the back of the painting, the painter signed his name in white capital letters. The tablet also features a unique sun with alternating straight and serpentine rays. In the center, another inscription exists YHS (Yesus Hominum Salvator). The back also features two stars painted in gold.

Gallery

File:Giovanni Permeniate - La Madonna tra San Giovanni Battista e Sant'Agostino.jpg, Nursing Madonna Permeniates File:Michele greco da valona, madonna col bambino e santi, 1505 (guglionesi, santa maria maggiore) 01.jpg, Madonna Triptych Michele

References

{{Cretan Renaissance 16th-century paintings Cretan Renaissance paintings