Cathy's Art Diary

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 admi...

A well constructed exhibition at the National Gallery of the art of Sienna in the Renaissance period covering the 100 years from the canonisation of Saint Bernardino to the entry of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V in 1536. I thought I knew the art of Sienna well but realise it’s the earlier period I know, Duccio and the good and bad government frescos, I did not really know what came next and this was therefore a fascinating insight of how these earlier works influenced later generations. I loved Francesco de Giorgio’s covers for the cities account books in the first room including miniature pictures of the city complete with its blank and white stripped cathedral tower. However the highlights of the show were the works which had been brought together from different collections for the first time in 100 or more years. They included Matteo di Giovanni’s Assumption altarpiece brought together for the first time since its discovery in 1800 and works from Pandolfo Pettrucci’s chamber i...