The development of Italian painting in the 1300s or the proto-renaissance is in some ways the rebirth of art and culture. Italian Renaissance painters, generally attached to particular courts and loyal to certain cities, were still exploring the vast expanse of Italy. Many Italian painters grew artistically during this period, which is visible in Duccio's painting compared to Giotto's. During the Renaissance era, it was very popular to draw mainly depictions of religious figures, which is mainly the focus of Duccio's work. Before the painting of The Betrayal of Christ, Duccio's paintings were highly composed and drew on the ancient tradition of icon painting. Around 1300, Duccio took steps to represent the images in a more naturalistic form; While Giotto, by the 1300s, was already established as painting more three-dimensional and naturalistic forms. In the two different depictions of the Betrayal of Christ scene, Duccio and Giotto show their different styles in how they compose their paintings. The first decision as to the composition of the painting would be comparing the size of the surface they chose to paint on. Duccio, compared to Giotto, chose to work on a wooden panel no more than a foot wide, and Giotto opted for a plaster surface ten feet wide. This detail alone lets the viewer know that Giotto's works are rooted in detail and visual consumption. The difference in size is the factor between he who sees it and what he sees; the fine details and symbolism of the story will be better understood if the viewer can see every detail. In addition to board composition, balance is also a dynamic factor. Both Ducci... middle of paper ... example, Jesus calmly looks at Judas' face with the expression of acceptance of what is to come, and Peter has a grotesque look of fury as he strikes the ear of the servant of the high priest. The paintings of Duccio and Giotto provide a solid benchmark for where art began to develop in the 1300s. These works show how paintings began to evolve into more symbolic, naturalistic, and dramatic scenes , illustrating events from life and religion. The paintings of Duccio and Giotto are similar in the sense that their paintings were then, in the sense of more modern terms, "special effects" of their time. They show bright colors full of meaning and symbolism, atmospheric characters that exist in space, and well-thought-out composition. Overall, these two artists become the pinnacle of art that exemplifies Italian painting of the years c.. 1300.