Matteo Giovannetti (c. 1322,

Viterbo Viterbo (; Viterbese: ; lat-med, Viterbium) is a city and ''comune'' in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It conquered and absorbed the neighboring town of Ferento (see Ferentium) in its early history. ...

Latium Latium ( , ; ) is the region of central western Italy in which the city of Rome was founded and grew to be the capital city of the Roman Empire. Definition Latium was originally a small triangle of fertile, volcanic soil (Old Latium) on whi ...

– 1368) was an Italian painter. He belonged to the

Simone Martini Simone Martini ( – 1344) was an Italian painter born in Siena. He was a major figure in the development of early Italian painting and greatly influenced the development of the International Gothic style. It is thought that Martini was a pupil ...

school.

Life

He was summoned to

Avignon Avignon (, ; ; oc, Avinhon, label=Provençal dialect, Provençal or , ; la, Avenio) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region of So ...

pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI ( la, Clemens VI; 1291 – 6 December 1352), born Pierre Roger, was head of the Catholic Church from 7 May 1342 to his death in December 1352. He was the fourth Avignon pope. Clement reigned during the first visitation of the Bla ...

to decorate the

Palais des Papes The Palais des Papes (English: Palace of the Popes; ''lo Palais dei Papas'' in Occitan) is a historical palace located in Avignon, Southern France. It is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. Once a fortress a ...

there. He led teams of painters from right across Europe.The history of the Palais des Papes
on the official site He began painting the Saint-Martial chapel on 13 October 1344, which opened in the Grand Tinel. It was completed on 1 September 1345. From 9 January to 24 September 1345, he decorated the Saint-Michel oratory. In November 1345 he began the frescoes in the Grand TinelUnfortunately these were destroyed in the 1413 fire and completed them in April 1346. Then in 1347, from 12 July to 26 October, he worked on the

consistory Consistory is the anglicized form of the consistorium, a council of the closest advisors of the Roman emperors. It can also refer to: *A papal consistory, a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church *Consistory ...

room, then on the Saint-Jean chapel.

His work

The Saint-Martial chapel

Located on the second floor of the Saint-Jean, the chapel of Saint-Martial contains paintings of the life of

Saint Martial Saint Martial (3rd century), called "the Apostle of the Gauls" or "the Apostle of Aquitaine", was the first bishop of Limoges. His feast day is 30 June. Life There is no accurate information as to the origin, dates of birth and death, or the acts ...

. Giovannetti worked there between 1344 and 1345. The reading of these scenes is from top to bottom. The rooftops of this chapel are illustrated with thirteen scenes of the early life of Saint Martial. They depict Saint Martial's encounter with Christ's teaching when he was young, his baptism, Christ's preaching, fishing, the appearance of Christ to Peter, when he sent Martial to evangelize Gaul, sending Martial with two companions in Gaul, delivery of pastoral staff of St. Pierre Martial, the healing of the daughter of Arnulfus, the resurrection of the son of Nerva, the baptism of people of Toulx and the miracle of

Ahun Ahun (; oc, Aiun) is a Communes of France, commune in the Creuse Departments of France, department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France. Geography A farming area comprising the village and several hamlets situated in the valley o ...

, casting out a demon, and the healing of the paralytic. The upper continues with seven other scenes in four panels: The resurrection of André and Aurelian; the

Limoges Limoges (, , ; oc, Lemòtges, locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region ...

martyrdom of St. Valerie, the ascent to heaven of the soul and the resurrection of his executioner; the Fine Honourable Duke Etienne and resurrection of Hildebert, one of his officers; the destruction of idols in

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...

, healing Sigibertus, count of Bordeaux and extinguishing the fire. The middle register depicts nine scenes in four panels: Christ's appearance to Martial in

Poitiers Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomerat ...

and the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul, the ordination of Aurelian of Limoges and the creation of thirteen churches in Gaul, the appearance of Christ to proclaim the death of Martial, the offering to Martial made by St. Valerie of his head and then his death, the funeral procession and healing the sick with his shroud. This register is closest to the ground and therefore more easily accessible; it is less well preserved than the rest. Finally, the lower register, just above the ground, is reserved for patterns sham. La vie de saint Martial - Prédication du Christ devant saint Martial - Voûtain nord.JPG, Prédication du Christ devant saint Martial – Voûtain nord La vie de saint Martial - détails Résurrection du fils de Nerva - Voûtain sud.JPG, Détails Résurrection du fils de Nerva – Voûtain sud La vie de saint Martial - Guérison de la fille d'Arnulfus - Voûtain sud.JPG, Guérison de la fille d'Arnulfus – Voûtain sud La vie de saint Martial - Miracle à Ahun - voûtain ouest.JPG, Miracle à Ahun – voûtain ouest La vie de saint Martial - Remise du bâton de saint Pierre (détail) - Voûtain est.JPG, Remise du bâton de saint Pierre (détail) – Voûtain est La vie de saint Martial - Résurrection du fils de Nerva et Miracle à Ahun - voûtains sud et ouest.JPG, Résurrection du fils de Nerva et Miracle à Ahun – voûtains sud et ouest 4 anges - Cortège funèbre de saint Martial - registre médian.JPG, 4 anges – Cortège funèbre de saint Martial – registre médian Chapelle saint Martial - mur ouest et porte.jpg, Chapelle saint Martial – mur ouest et porte

The Saint-Jean chapel

Plafond chapelle Saint Jean par JM Rosier

Between 1347 and 1348, Matteo Giovannetti took care of the chapel of St. John. Located under Saint-Martial, the latter, with an entrance from the north, is accessible from the hall of the Consistory, with single-storey cloister built by

Pope Benedict XII Pope Benedict XII ( la, Benedictus XII, french: Benoît XII; 1285 – 25 April 1342), born Jacques Fournier, was head of the Catholic Church from 30 December 1334 to his death in April 1342. He was the third Avignon pope. Benedict was a careful p ...

. Again, the reading is done from top to bottom, but there are two parallel stories, that of

John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

to the south and east and that of St. John the Evangelist in the north and west. The story itself begins from the upper register, the vaults being dedicated to the presentation of parents of two saints. They include John the Baptist, his mother Saint Elizabeth, and his father St. Zachary. Also depicted is St. John the Evangelist, his mother St. Mary Salome, and his father Saint Zebedee. In all, eight characters are present in the vaults.The vaults of the Saint John
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Notes

References

Bibliography

* E. Castelnuovo, ''Un pittore italiano alla corte di Avignone. Matteo Giovannetti e la pittura in Provenza nel secolo XIV'', Einaudi, 1991.

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Giovannetti, Matteo 1322 births 1368 deaths 14th-century Italian painters Italian male painters Painters from Siena Trecento painters People from Viterbo