Heads and gazes: details from the fresco cycles

by GIOTTO

In the Arena frescoes, in addition to the figures' gestures, and in coordination with them, their gazes communicate very clearly. Never before in painting had speaking with the eyes played such an important role in the pictorial narrative; never before was it as varied and nuanced as in these frescoes. There are looks that express tension, reverence, admiration, astonishment, joy, openness, and so on, but there are also introspective, questioning, skeptical, and searching gazes.

In this section we present details of the frescoes illustrating the above.

Preview	Picture Data	File Info	Comment
	No. 1 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 1. Rejection of Joachim's Sacrifice (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	938*1100 True Color 144 Kb
	No. 1 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 1. Rejection of Joachim's Sacrifice (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	963*1100 True Color 152 Kb
	No. 1 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 1. Rejection of Joachim's Sacrifice (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	938*1100 True Color 157 Kb
	No. 2 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 2. Joachim among the Shepherds (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	947*1100 True Color 120 Kb
	No. 2 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 2. Joachim among the Shepherds (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	953*1100 True Color 96 Kb
	No. 3 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 3. Annunciation to St Anne (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*1021 True Color 99 Kb
	No. 3 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 3. Annunciation to St Anne (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1078*1100 True Color 153 Kb
	No. 4 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 4. Joachim's Sacrificial Offering (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	995*1100 True Color 133 Kb
	No. 5 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 5. Joachim's Dream (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1068*1100 True Color 139 Kb
	No. 6 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 6. Meeting at the Golden Gate (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	904*1100 True Color 129 Kb
	No. 6 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 6. Meeting at the Golden Gate (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	991*1100 True Color 97 Kb
	No. 6 Scenes from the Life of Joachim: 6. Meeting at the Golden Gate (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	917*1100 True Color 99 Kb
	No. 7 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 1. The Birth of the Virgin (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*995 True Color 157 Kb
	No. 7 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 1. The Birth of the Virgin (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*915 True Color 115 Kb
	No. 8 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 2. Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*879 True Color 120 Kb
	No. 8 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 2. Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1020*1110 True Color 211 Kb
	No. 9 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 3. The Bringing of the Rods to the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1096*1100 True Color 150 Kb
	No. 9 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 3. The Bringing of the Rods to the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1015*1100 True Color 139 Kb
	No. 9 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 3. The Bringing of the Rods to the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*992 True Color 112 Kb
	No. 9 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 3. The Bringing of the Rods to the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*1069 True Color 143 Kb
	No. 9 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 3. The Bringing of the Rods to the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*927 True Color 132 Kb
	No. 9 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 3. The Bringing of the Rods to the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*931 True Color 126 Kb
	No. 11 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 5. Marriage of the Virgin (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*951 True Color 130 Kb
	No. 11 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 5. Marriage of the Virgin (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*1008 True Color 121 Kb
	No. 11 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 5. Marriage of the Virgin (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*947 True Color 140 Kb
	No. 12 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 6. Wedding Procession (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	922*1100 True Color 148 Kb
	No. 12 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 6. Wedding Procession (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1034*1100 True Color 137 Kb
	No. 12 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 6. Wedding Procession (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	839*1100 True Color 132 Kb
	No. 13 God Sends Gabriel to the Virgin (detail) 1306 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	955*1100 True Color 157 Kb
	No. 16 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 7. Visitation (detail) 1306 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*981 True Color 131 Kb
	No. 16 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 7. Visitation (detail) 1306 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*1077 True Color 134 Kb
	No. 16 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 7. Visitation (detail) 1306 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	991*1100 True Color 150 Kb
	No. 16 Scenes from the Life of the Virgin: 7. Visitation (detail) 1306 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1018*1100 True Color 151 Kb
	No. 17 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 1. Nativity: Birth of Christ (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	951*1100 True Color 135 Kb
	No. 17 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 1. Nativity: Birth of Christ (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	977*1100 True Color 151 Kb
	No. 17 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 1. Nativity: Birth of Christ (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	978*1100 True Color 160 Kb
	No. 18 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 2. Adoration of the Magi (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	920*1100 True Color 158 Kb
	No. 18 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 2. Adoration of the Magi (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	968*1100 True Color 166 Kb
	No. 18 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 2. Adoration of the Magi (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	936*1100 True Color 174 Kb
	No. 19 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 3. Presentation of Christ at the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	945*1100 True Color 135 Kb
	No. 19 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 3. Presentation of Christ at the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*1025 True Color 157 Kb
	No. 19 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 3. Presentation of Christ at the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	943*1100 True Color 123 Kb
	No. 20 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 4. Flight into Egypt (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	981*1100 True Color 127 Kb
	No. 20 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 4. Flight into Egypt (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*951 True Color 136 Kb
	No. 20 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 4. Flight into Egypt (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	939*1100 True Color 144 Kb
	No. 20 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 4. Flight into Egypt (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	951*1100 True Color 213 Kb
	No. 21 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 5. Massacre of the Innocents (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*804 True Color 97 Kb
	No. 21 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 5. Massacre of the Innocents (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	993*1100 True Color 137 Kb
	No. 22 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 6. Christ among the Doctors (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*1080 True Color 181 Kb
	No. 23 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 7. Baptism of Christ (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	910*1100 True Color 129 Kb
	No. 23 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 7. Baptism of Christ (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	949*1100 True Color 150 Kb
	No. 23 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 7. Baptism of Christ (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	926*1100 True Color 133 Kb
	No. 23 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 7. Baptism of Christ (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	953*1100 True Color 156 Kb
	No. 24 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 8. Marriage at Cana (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	960*1100 True Color 154 Kb
	No. 24 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 8. Marriage at Cana (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	921*1100 True Color 150 Kb
	No. 24 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 8. Marriage at Cana (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	936*1100 True Color 156 Kb
	No. 24 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 8. Marriage at Cana (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	920*1100 True Color 152 Kb
	No. 25 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 9. Raising of Lazarus (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	941*1100 True Color 148 Kb
	No. 25 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 9. Raising of Lazarus (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1090*1100 True Color 150 Kb
	No. 25 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 9. Raising of Lazarus (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1366*800 True Color 178 Kb
	No. 26 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 10. Entry into Jerusalem (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	981*1100 True Color 164 Kb
	No. 26 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 10. Entry into Jerusalem (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	961*1100 True Color 159 Kb
	No. 27 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 11. Expulsion of the Money-changers from the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	953*1100 True Color 160 Kb
	No. 27 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 11. Expulsion of the Money-changers from the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	936*1100 True Color 148 Kb
	No. 27 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 11. Expulsion of the Money-changers from the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	986*1100 True Color 181 Kb
	No. 27 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 11. Expulsion of the Money-changers from the Temple (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*1045 True Color 153 Kb
	No. 28 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 12. Judas' Betrayal (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	936*1100 True Color 135 Kb
	No. 28 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 12. Judas' Betrayal (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	962*1100 True Color 126 Kb
	No. 28 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 12. Judas' Betrayal (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1081*1100 True Color 165 Kb
	No. 28 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 12. Judas' Betrayal (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	950*1100 True Color 160 Kb
	No. 29 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 13. Last Supper (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	965*1100 True Color 159 Kb
	No. 29 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 13. Last Supper (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	937*1100 True Color 156 Kb
	No. 30 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 14. Washing of Feet (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1024*1100 True Color 146 Kb
	No. 30 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 14. Washing of Feet (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	923*1100 True Color 173 Kb
	No. 31 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 15. The Arrest of Christ (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1100*972 True Color 159 Kb
	No. 32 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 16. Christ before Caiaphas (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	958*1100 True Color 168 Kb
	No. 32 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 16. Christ before Caiaphas (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	887*1100 True Color 133 Kb
	No. 32 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 16. Christ before Caiaphas (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	874*1100 True Color 115 Kb
	No. 33 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 17. Mocking of Christ (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	1089*1100 True Color 141 Kb
	No. 33 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 17. Mocking of Christ (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	956*1100 True Color 167 Kb
	No. 33 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 17. Mocking of Christ (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	935*1100 True Color 120 Kb
	No. 34 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 18. Road to Calvary (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	940*1100 True Color 162 Kb
	No. 34 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 18. Road to Calvary (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	956*1100 True Color 170 Kb
	No. 35 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 19. Crucifixion (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	999*1100 True Color 152 Kb
	No. 35 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 19. Crucifixion (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	941*1100 True Color 169 Kb
	No. 35 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 19. Crucifixion (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	932*1100 True Color 153 Kb
	No. 35 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 19. Crucifixion (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	944*1100 True Color 165 Kb
	No. 36 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 20. Lamentation (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	945*1100 True Color 138 Kb
	No. 36 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 20. Lamentation (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	931*1100 True Color 144 Kb
	No. 36 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 20. Lamentation (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	916*1100 True Color 124 Kb
	No. 36 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 20. Lamentation (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	997*1100 True Color 138 Kb
	No. 36 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 20. Lamentation (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	937*1100 True Color 143 Kb
	No. 36 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 20. Lamentation (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	935*1100 True Color 141 Kb
	No. 37 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 21. Resurrection (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	928*1100 True Color 144 Kb
	No. 37 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 21. Resurrection (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	951*1100 True Color 134 Kb
	No. 37 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 21. Resurrection (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	948*1100 True Color 150 Kb
	No. 38 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 22. Ascension (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	954*1100 True Color 168 Kb
	No. 38 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 22. Ascension (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	947*1100 True Color 182 Kb
	No. 38 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 22. Ascension (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	942*1100 True Color 152 Kb
	No. 38 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 22. Ascension (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	949*1100 True Color 154 Kb
	No. 39 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 23. Pentecost (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	911*1100 True Color 154 Kb
	No. 39 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 23. Pentecost (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	992*1100 True Color 145 Kb
	No. 39 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 23. Pentecost (detail) 1304-06 Fresco Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), Padua	942*1100 True Color 159 Kb

Summary of paintings by Giotto

Frescoes in San Francesco, Assisi

Upper Church: Legend of St Francis | New Testament scenes | Lower Church

Frescoes in Arena Chapel, Padua

Frescoes in Santa Croce, Florence

Frescoes in Peruzzi Chapel | Frescoes in Bardi Chapel

Panel paintings

Crucifix | Maestà and others | Polyptych panels | Stefaneschi Altarpiece | Baroncelli Polyptych

Miscellaneous works

Navicella mosaic | Campanile of the Florence Cathedral