Bartolo di Fredi's Old Testament Frescoes in S. Gimignano

Abstract

This article suggests that the Old Testament frescoes by Bartolo di Fredi in 5. Gimignano differ in their visual impact from what has come to be perceived as normal for post-Black Death art in Tuscany. An exploration of the possible reasons for this difference leads to the documentation of an earlier fresco cycle as a clear source for some of the S. Gimignano scenes. The historical situation in which Bartolo's works were created is also examined; but since it conforms to our conventional understanding of the period, it is rejected as a factor in Bartolo's unusual approach in this cycle.