What is Maniera Greca?

According to the Historical Dictionary of Renaissance Art, Maniera Greca is the Byzantine or Greek mode of painting adopted by Italian artists in the Proto-Renaissance era. The characteristics of Maniera Greca include bright gliding colors and striations that denote folds in the fabric.

Coppo di Marcovaldo, Guido da Siena and Cimabue are well-known Italian artists who painted in the Maniera Greca. Giotto was the first Italian master painter to neglect Maniera Greca, preferring a more naturalistic, emotive mode of painting. Giotto's move is regarded as revolutionary in the history of painting, paving the way for the art of the Renaissance.