Specific features of antique gods’ iconography in paintings of Florentine master Apollonio di Giovanni (1415/17–1465)

Abstract

In the 15th century in Italy due to the growing attention to humanistic culture, masters of visual arts represented plots and images, that came from poetry and history of Antiquity. This essay is devoted to the specific submission of ancient gods’ images in Apollonio di Giovanni’s book miniatures and decorative paintings. The objects of study are miniatures of the Virgil Codex (MS 492, Riccardian Library), and narrative paintings, which adorn florentine wedding chests (cassoni). The article focuses on visual interpretations of images: compositions, representative techniques, attributes. Despite of common medieval depiction of antique motifs, the master’s work is distinguished by reliance on literary sources, expressed in some details of iconographic solutions.