Early Italian Art (1250-1400): Sienna: The City of the Virgin


Fascinating study day organised by the London Art History Society and held at Friends House focusing on the role of Sienna in Early Italian Art.

This was the fourth  day in a series on this early period of Italian art and this time focused on the art of Sienna.  John Renner, the lecturer, started by look at the relationship the city had with the Virgin and the plethora of early images this produced. This followed the Battle of Montaperti with Florence in 1260 when, following the city offering the virgin the keys to the city in the cathedral, it was said that the Virgin laid a veil of mist over the battlefield the next morning leading to Sienna’s victory. 

We then went on to look at Duccio’s Maesta painted between 1308-11 and commissioned by the city. He talked us through the iconography in detail and how it can be read in different directions.

In the afternoon we moved on the Duccio’s successors Simone Martini and the Lorenzetti brothers who I must admit are some of my favourite artists. We looked at specific pieces such as Martini’s St Louis of Toulouse altarpiece for Naples and how it demonstrates Martini’s love of rich fabrics and his ability to paint them. We also looked at Pietro Lorenzetti’s  ability to create architectural space in his work and make it work with the structure of the altarpiece frame. 

We ended the day in the Palazzo Publico looking at the art commissioned for it culminating in the Art of Good and Bad Government one of my favourite works of art painted by Ambrogio Lorenzetti. Again we went through the imagery in wonderful detail.


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