FULL CIRCLE

Giotto, a talented Florentine artist, was considered the first genius of the Italian Renaissance. In the early 14th century, Pope Benedict XI sent a courtier to assess Giotto's skills for a potential Vatican commission. When asked for a sample, Giotto simply drew a perfect freehand circle in red paint, saying, "Here's your drawing." The courtier, feeling mocked, demanded another, but Giotto insisted it was "enough, and more than enough." Despite his doubts, the courtier presented the circle to the Pope along with other artists' elaborate designs. Upon learning how Giotto had drawn the circle unaided, the Pope and his advisers recognized Giotto's superior talent, setting him apart from other painters of the era.