(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)

- [Steven] We're in The National Gallery
- [Steven] We're in The National Gallery

in London looking at Masaccio's
in London looking at Masaccio's

The Virgin and Child.
The Virgin and Child.

When we're looking at paintings that are
When we're looking at paintings that are

centuries old, a lot can have changed.
centuries old, a lot can have changed.

- [Beth] And, in the case of so many paintings
- [Beth] And, in the case of so many paintings

from the middle ages and from the Renaissance,
from the middle ages and from the Renaissance,

we're looking at paintings that we're parts of
we're looking at paintings that we're parts of

altered pieces, that had often many, many panels.
altered pieces, that had often many, many panels.

- [Steven] You can have a single panel painting.
- [Steven] You can have a single panel painting.

If you have two panels that are hinged
If you have two panels that are hinged

together at the middle, we call it a diptych.
together at the middle, we call it a diptych.

If you have three panels, it's a triptych
If you have three panels, it's a triptych

and anything more than that, we give up,
and anything more than that, we give up,

and we simply call it a polyptych.
and we simply call it a polyptych.

- [Beth] And that's because the
- [Beth] And that's because the

prefix poly means many.
prefix poly means many.

- [Steven] Scholars have reconstructed what
- [Steven] Scholars have reconstructed what

this polyptych might have originally looked like
this polyptych might have originally looked like

based on those panels that have survived.
based on those panels that have survived.

- [Beth] Often, panels for large polyptych's
- [Beth] Often, panels for large polyptych's

like this end up in different museums.
like this end up in different museums.

What happened over the centuries is that
What happened over the centuries is that

the paintings were not particularly valued,
the paintings were not particularly valued,

they were taken apart and when they're sold
they were taken apart and when they're sold

on the market, you can get more money
on the market, you can get more money

by selling them individually.
by selling them individually.

- [Steven] Now, we have documents that tell
- [Steven] Now, we have documents that tell

us that this panel was originally
us that this panel was originally

part of a polyptych.
part of a polyptych.

It was for a church in the City of Pisa in Italy.
It was for a church in the City of Pisa in Italy.

- [Beth] And we know that the painter was
- [Beth] And we know that the painter was

a wealthy notary, but although we have
a wealthy notary, but although we have

so much documentation about this commission,
so much documentation about this commission,

sadly there are still 10 panels
sadly there are still 10 panels

that are unknown to us.
that are unknown to us.

- [Steven] That may have been lost permanently.
- [Steven] That may have been lost permanently.

But even when we look at this panel,
But even when we look at this panel,

which was featured as the central panel in the
which was featured as the central panel in the

original polyptych, even here there are losses.
original polyptych, even here there are losses.

This was intended for a church and churches
This was intended for a church and churches

were illuminated with candles and lanterns
were illuminated with candles and lanterns

that threw off a lot of soot which meant
that threw off a lot of soot which meant

that people would periodically clean
that people would periodically clean

the paintings and do so, not with the care
the paintings and do so, not with the care

of a modern conservator.
of a modern conservator.

- [Beth] And that's evident if we look at
- [Beth] And that's evident if we look at

the debris of the angels.
the debris of the angels.

We can see areas of paint loss.
We can see areas of paint loss.

We see that also in Christs feet and
We see that also in Christs feet and

in The Virgin Mary's left hand.
in The Virgin Mary's left hand.

But, we're still so lucky to have
But, we're still so lucky to have

what survives here and there still is
what survives here and there still is

so much to see.
so much to see.

- [Steven] The largest figure by far is
- [Steven] The largest figure by far is

The Virgin Mary.
The Virgin Mary.

She wears this beautiful, brilliant blue
She wears this beautiful, brilliant blue

cloak with this red undergarment which
cloak with this red undergarment which

originally would have had silver underpainting.
originally would have had silver underpainting.

It would have been quite luminous.
It would have been quite luminous.

- [Beth] And there are other areas that were
- [Beth] And there are other areas that were

probably brightly painted and very decorative
probably brightly painted and very decorative

that are lost to us.
that are lost to us.

For example, if we look at the wings of the
For example, if we look at the wings of the

two standing angels.
two standing angels.

- [Steven] Look at the Christ child, this is
- [Steven] Look at the Christ child, this is

such a difference from the way in which he had
such a difference from the way in which he had

been represented in earlier Italian paintings
been represented in earlier Italian paintings

by Giotto or even earlier by Cimabue.
by Giotto or even earlier by Cimabue.

Here, we see an infant that has baby fat.
Here, we see an infant that has baby fat.

Whose head is appropriately large in
Whose head is appropriately large in

proportion to his body.
proportion to his body.

This feels like a real child.
This feels like a real child.

- [Beth] Well, look at the way that he eats
- [Beth] Well, look at the way that he eats

the grapes out of his mothers hand.
the grapes out of his mothers hand.

As he eats them, he keeps two fingers
As he eats them, he keeps two fingers

in his mouth, which just seems so
in his mouth, which just seems so

characteristically child-like to me.
characteristically child-like to me.

- [Steven] The grapes have a more
- [Steven] The grapes have a more

somber, symbolic meaning.
somber, symbolic meaning.

- [Beth] When we see grapes in Christian
- [Beth] When we see grapes in Christian

paintings, they'll almost always refer to wine
paintings, they'll almost always refer to wine

and, in Christian theology, the wine is during
and, in Christian theology, the wine is during

the mass, during the Eucharist,
the mass, during the Eucharist,

the blood of Christ.
the blood of Christ.

So, this is a reference to Christ's
So, this is a reference to Christ's

future death on the cross, which makes it
future death on the cross, which makes it

possible, according to Christian theology,
possible, according to Christian theology,

the salvation of mankind.
the salvation of mankind.

- [Steven] And this perhaps explains
- [Steven] And this perhaps explains

Mary's somber expression.
Mary's somber expression.

Masaccio, the artist, seems to almost be
Masaccio, the artist, seems to almost be

suggesting that Mary is seeing into the future,
suggesting that Mary is seeing into the future,

understanding her child's fate.
understanding her child's fate.

- [Beth] There's something, I think, important
- [Beth] There's something, I think, important

about the way that she holds Him.
about the way that she holds Him.

In earlier paintings, Christ looks older,
In earlier paintings, Christ looks older,

but he's also held in a way that seems
but he's also held in a way that seems

very formal, as though Mary were holding up
very formal, as though Mary were holding up

Christ to the viewer.
Christ to the viewer.

But here, she's got her left arm under His bottom
But here, she's got her left arm under His bottom

and His thigh and there's something
and His thigh and there's something

very maternal and natural.
very maternal and natural.

- [Steven] We associate this artist with
- [Steven] We associate this artist with

the development of naturalism.
the development of naturalism.

In the Early Renaissance, clearly learning
In the Early Renaissance, clearly learning

lessons that had originally been put forward
lessons that had originally been put forward

by artist like Giotto, a century earlier.
by artist like Giotto, a century earlier.

We only need to look, for instance,
We only need to look, for instance,

at the masterful use of light and shadow,
at the masterful use of light and shadow,

chiaroscuro, the folds of the blue outer
chiaroscuro, the folds of the blue outer

garment that is worn by The Virgin Mary.
garment that is worn by The Virgin Mary.

- [Beth] And you can see very clearly
- [Beth] And you can see very clearly

that the light is coming from the left,
that the light is coming from the left,

illuminating those debris, casting them
illuminating those debris, casting them

in shadows on the right.
in shadows on the right.

And, that drapery is also helping to reveal
And, that drapery is also helping to reveal

the form of the body underneath.
the form of the body underneath.

This is such an important part of
This is such an important part of

the Early Renaissance.
the Early Renaissance.

This interest in the human body, even when
This interest in the human body, even when

we're depicting divine figures.
we're depicting divine figures.

- [Steven] The word renaissance refers to
- [Steven] The word renaissance refers to

a rebirth of interest in the classical world,
a rebirth of interest in the classical world,

in ancient Greece and Rome.
in ancient Greece and Rome.

Before renaissance painters, that meant
Before renaissance painters, that meant

naturalistic depictions, representing
naturalistic depictions, representing

the world that we see.
the world that we see.

- [Beth] Now, you could say that Misaccio
- [Beth] Now, you could say that Misaccio

isn't doing that because we have a gold
isn't doing that because we have a gold

background, we don't have an earthly setting
background, we don't have an earthly setting

for these figures, but we have to remember
for these figures, but we have to remember

that this is made for a chapel.
that this is made for a chapel.

The way that it's painted is dictated by
The way that it's painted is dictated by

the Patron that may very well have specified
the Patron that may very well have specified

the gold background, which would have shown off
the gold background, which would have shown off

the Patrons generosity toward the church
the Patrons generosity toward the church

and his own wealth.
and his own wealth.

- [Steven] And Masaccio has minimized
- [Steven] And Masaccio has minimized

the gold by creating a high back for
the gold by creating a high back for

the throne on which The Virgin sits.
the throne on which The Virgin sits.

And, if you look closely at that throne,
And, if you look closely at that throne,

you'll see classicizing columns, a clear
you'll see classicizing columns, a clear

reference to the interest at this
reference to the interest at this

moment in antiquity.
moment in antiquity.

- [Beth] And there's yet something else
- [Beth] And there's yet something else

we might not notice at first when we think
we might not notice at first when we think

about the influence of the classical world.
about the influence of the classical world.

That pattern of wavy lines we
That pattern of wavy lines we

see along the bottom.
see along the bottom.

- [Steven] This pattern is called
- [Steven] This pattern is called

the strigilated motif and we think that
the strigilated motif and we think that

Masaccio was borrowing it from ancient
Masaccio was borrowing it from ancient

Roman sarcophagi, also a reference to Christs
Roman sarcophagi, also a reference to Christs

eventual death and entombment.
eventual death and entombment.

- [Beth] The angels clearly stand behind
- [Beth] The angels clearly stand behind

the throne and the other angels are
the throne and the other angels are

in front of the throne and there is there
in front of the throne and there is there

is that very characteristic interest
is that very characteristic interest

that Masaccio has in creating an
that Masaccio has in creating an

illusion of space.
illusion of space.

Something that was key for the artists
Something that was key for the artists

of the renaissance.
of the renaissance.

- [Steven] Well look at the angels
- [Steven] Well look at the angels

on the front step.
on the front step.

They're both holding lutes at extreme
They're both holding lutes at extreme

angles from our perspective.
angles from our perspective.

We call this foreshortening.
We call this foreshortening.

- [Beth] And it helps to create an illusion
- [Beth] And it helps to create an illusion

of depth there in the front.
of depth there in the front.

- [Steven] It's so believable.
- [Steven] It's so believable.

- [Beth] Once we approach this painting
- [Beth] Once we approach this painting

with the understanding that it's part
with the understanding that it's part

of a larger altarpiece and most cut down,
of a larger altarpiece and most cut down,

we begin to be able to see that.
we begin to be able to see that.

As we look closer at those angels, we can see
As we look closer at those angels, we can see

that they were cut off at the bottom.
that they were cut off at the bottom.

Our historians believe as much as 25 centimeters
Our historians believe as much as 25 centimeters

has been lost from the bottom of this painting.
has been lost from the bottom of this painting.

- [Steven] And look at the space on which
- [Steven] And look at the space on which

the angels in the foreground sit.
the angels in the foreground sit.

If you look very carefully, you can see a
If you look very carefully, you can see a

shadow that does not belong the either angel
shadow that does not belong the either angel

and we think was cast by one of the figures
and we think was cast by one of the figures

that was cut off that had originally
that was cut off that had originally

stood at the left.
stood at the left.

- [Beth] And there are other shadows here.
- [Beth] And there are other shadows here.

For example, we can see The Madonna herself
For example, we can see The Madonna herself

cast a shadow.
cast a shadow.

What better to convince us of the reality
What better to convince us of the reality

of these forms?
of these forms?

It helps make it seem so believable and so real.
It helps make it seem so believable and so real.

- [Steven] And will have a profound impact
- [Steven] And will have a profound impact

on the development on Renaissance art.
on the development on Renaissance art.

When we think of the masters of the
When we think of the masters of the

high Renaissance, Michelangelo or Raphael,
high Renaissance, Michelangelo or Raphael,

they are all indebted to the work done
they are all indebted to the work done

by the earlier masters like Masaccio.
by the earlier masters like Masaccio.

(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)