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the Provencal Culture: *
The renowned Trecento painters, Simone Martini & Lippo Memmi, both worked in the papal court at Avignon. Other Trecento artists included: Giotto, the Sienese School & Duccio. Notable Trecento sculptors were the 2 pupils of Giovanni Pisano, Arnolfo & Tino di Cambio, and Bonino da Campione.
ILLUSTATIONS LEFT
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TOP: Redeemer and angels- The blessing Redeemer with the globe in his left hand dominates the centre of a tympanum supported by large Corinthian columns, adoring angels are depicted on its sides in groups of 3.
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BOTTOM: Madonna with child & angels- in the lunette,on their right, an angel holding a drape & on the opposite side an angel presenting the donor (Cardinal Jacopo Stefaneschi) genuflected to the Virgin
Both frescoes on the large portal of the church of Notre-Dame-des-Doms, Avignon & signed by Simone Martini, 1341,
The Trecento was saw heightened literary activity in the vernacular instead of Latin. The papal library in Avignon (in the Palais, largest in Europe with over 2,000 volumes), attracted clerics to study "belles-lettres", notable amongst them was Petrarch, founder of humanism. His lyrical verse was influenced by the Provençal poetry of the troubadours. An associate of Petrarch was Boccaccio (1313-75), Italian writer, poet & humanist. He wrote several notable works, including The Decameron and On Famous Women; writing in Tuscan vernacular & Latin his writing was noted for its realistic dialogue. the most famous writer of this age was Dante, celebrated for his The Divine Comedy (1308-20), a summation of the medieval worldview.
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It was also a time of vigorous creativity in music in both France & Italy, with frequent interchanges of musicians & influences. The music of Ars Nova from the courts of Provence moved into the palaces of Tuscay around 1300. It was the art of the troubadours, Minnesanger & minstrels, simple melodies (canzoni, madrigals, caccias, galante operetta such as Adam de la Hale's Robin & Marion), notable for its emphasis on secular song, especially love lyrics. Much of it was polyphonic, but the influence of the troubadours (who came to Italy, fleeing the Albigensian Crusade in the early 13th century), is evident.
EXMAPLAR MUSIC
"Cum altre ucele", anonymous Italian madrigal, XIV century; the earliest substantial manuscript source of Trecento music is the Rossi Codex, compiled between 1350 & 1370 and contains music from the earlier portion of the era.