Giotto’s Paintings of the 7 Virtues and 7 Vices

See how Padua’s remarkable Scrovegni Chapel can aid our spiritual growth.

Inside Scrovegni Chapel with 14th century frescoes by Giotto. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

One of the greatest treasures of Italian art is the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy. Given the immensity of much Italian art, this is almost surprising since the Scrovegni Chapel itself is rather a small and enclosed space. Up the road a short distance away is the sublime Basilica of St. Anthony, which is huge in scale and ambition and, in addition to its amazing architecture, includes art by the likes of Donatello. If stupendous size were the only issue, then the Scrovegni Chapel might make a poor showing. But, it doesn’t.

What is it about the little Scrovegni that makes it so marvelous and so important?

Giotto and His Influence

Giotto, whose paintings adorn the chapel, is a major Renaissance artist. Indeed, some say that he initiated the Renaissance in art because his style affected all subsequent artists. One aspect of his influence was his originality in depicting human emotions. (His friend and contemporary, Dante, did something similar for poetry.)