The Franciscans and the Dominicans

Basilica di Santa Maria Novella, a Dominican 

church in Florence

Picture taken by Cava Hadikusum

The largest and most influential monastic orders of the 14th century were the mendicants, or begging friars. Francis of Assisi founded the Franciscans, and Dominic de Guzman founded the Dominicans. Unlike earlier monastic orders who tended to isolate themselves, the Franciscans and Dominicans settled in cities and towns. Every city had a Franciscan and a Dominican church, with a degree of rivalry between the two orders. In Florence, the Franciscan church, Santa Croce, and the Dominican church, Santa Maria Novella, are on opposite sides of the city. As cities developed and built churches, demand for works of art for the churches grew.
The Franciscans and Dominicans renounced worldly goods and committed themselves to a life of piety and charity. They encouraged a more personal and emotional relationship with God. Crucifixion, a painting by Coppo di Marcovaldo, shows a dying, suffering Christ with eyes closed and arms drooping. The viewer feels more empathy and sense of loss compared to earlier depictions. The emotion evident in such paintings during the proto-Renaissance paved the way for humanism in Renaissance art.