Giotto's Epiphany
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Giotto, The Epiphany, tempera and gold on panel, c. 1320 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris, Dr. Steven Zucker
As several of our generous commentators point out below, we mis-identify Joseph in the video. He is most likely the be-haloed figure at the bottom left and the kneeling figure is one of the three kings. Thank you for this correction.
Where and When
Florence, Italy
c. 1320
c. 1320
Check this out as well
Three YouTube videos from Artist, Educator (and smARThistory contributor) Isaac Petterson about Giotto:
1. An introduction to Cimabue and Giotto; also addresses the spark of the Renaissance and the end of the crusader/Gothic era
2. Giotto and Saint Francis
3. Final discussion of Giotto
This painting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Your Comments (4)
Previous Comments
Michael Toczek wrote on Thursday, January 14, 2010
This site is an amazing, informative and very beautiful resource for art lovers like me. But I do have one serious comment about the spoken commentary on this image, Giotto's Epiphany. I am pretty sure that the commentators have confused Joseph and one of the three kings. The fellow in the lower left has a halo, as do Jesus and Mary. It doesn't make sense that one of the kings, and not the other two, would have a halo; nor that Joseph would not. I could be wrong, but I can't explain the halo otherwise. I might be able to add a little more support for my argument, but will leave you with the above, knowing that this is my first comment on the site. Please follow up with me if you can! Thanks again for such a fantastic place to learn more about art!
Steven Froehlich wrote on Monday, February 22, 2010
Isn’t the figue on the left Joseph (rather than one of the Magi, as you suggest)? Note that the figure on the left has a halo, whereas the Magi on the right, as well as the figure in the center raising Jesus, do not.
Kenneth Hope wrote on Saturday, November 06, 2010
I came here to report what others have already, that is, surely Joseph is on the left with the halo. What makes this so brilliant is that Giotto has developed the narrative so that the kneeling king has not only removed his crown, which echoes the mountain, but handed Joseph his gift in order to hold the baby...
Debbie Graham wrote on Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Why do they say that Joseph is kneeling when it is Joseph who is on the left with the halo? Steven I agree with you. He is receiving the gift from the first king who has removed his crown and is lifting up the Christ Child. Neither of the other two kings have a halo so why would that not be Joseph who is often shown with a halo. Furthermore the gaze of Mary toward Joseph, along with Joseph's outstretched arm receiving the gift, and the position of the Christ Child form a compositional triangle. This has a tradition of representing the Trinity indicating the presents of God at the birth.
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