Giottesque

/dʒɔːˈtɛsk/ adjective

Definition

In the style of Giotto di Bondone, the revolutionary 14th-century Italian painter known for realistic human figures and emotional depth in religious art.

Etymology

From Giotto di Bondone (1267–1337), a Florentine painter + '-esque' suffix meaning 'in the style or manner of.' The suffix '-esque' comes from Italian and French, ultimately from Latin '-iscus.'

Kelly Says

Giotto literally changed how humans looked in paintings—before him, medieval art was flat and symbolic; after him, figures had bodies, shadows, and emotions. Calling something 'Giottesque' means it captures that revolutionary realistic human drama.

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