Giotto Arena Chapel Analysis

Giotto’s work on the Arena Chapel leaves many historians questioning the iconography and placement depicted, and whether or not they were directed by his patron or himself in the final outcome. The famous Italian wall painting is located in Padua, and is suspected to have been created around 1305 or 1306. Since its creation, the work has had to overcome many restorations to be presented to the public. Enrico Scrovegni was the patron in charge of Giotto’s creation, and the piece is theorized to have been a work dedicated to Mary in order to abolish his family’s sin. Depicted in the work is the narrative of Mary and Jesus, as well as the intimidating scene of the Last Judgement.
Located on the lower portion of the wall are figures painted in …show more content…
Enrico had delved his family’s sin of usury, which was described as the making of unethical or immoral monetary loans that unfairly enriches the lender. His father, Reginaldo, had amassed a fortune by these means. By taking this history into context of the Arena chapel, themes of wealth begin to emerge in the piece. Scattered throughout the frescos are scenes such as Judas grasping a bag of money, and several of the damned including Judas being hung from the strings of a moneybag. The sinners hung in the Last Judgement scene are assumed to be both avaricious as well as usurious.
Judas is a reoccurring theme related to money, and it is assumed he is associated with usury due to the fact Judas was paid to expose the identity of Jesus. Although Judas is associated with usury, the usurer is considered to be a worse traitor than Judas, because he does not make attempts to compensate for his sin. Medieval theology accompanies Usury with the idea of forbidden sexuality, due to the theory that reproduction breeds a higher chance of the same sin being recommitted by the offspring. This theory is often depicted with the image of the Hydra, considering when one head is removed two more