Judas Receiving Payment for his Betrayal 1306

This fresco, “Judas Receiving Payment for his Betrayal,” was painted by Giotto in the early 14th century in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua. The painting is dominated by the figures of Judas and the high priests, their cloaks cascading in weighty folds that draw our eye to the exchange of the silver coins. Consider how Giotto uses form to convey narrative and moral judgment. The architectural structure acts as a backdrop, while the composition is organized to emphasize the transaction. Note the figure of the devil lurking behind Judas, a pictorial device used to signify inner corruption. The weighty, volumetric figures are typical of Giotto's break from the flattened Byzantine style. The contrast between the solidity of the figures and the ethereal quality of the architectural space is telling. The painting operates on symbolic and material levels, inviting us to consider the very structure of betrayal and its profound implications.