Many, many panels made up this massive altarpiece. Dedicated to Mary, it stood in the crossing of Siena Cathedral.
Late Gothic art in Siena
The Queen of Heaven presides over the space where government officials in Siena met to make decisions
Simone Martini, Maestà
Girl, interrupted—Mary’s initial reaction to Gabriel adds human experience to the dignity and grace of this scene.
Simone Martini, Annunciation
Sure, decorative patterns and prismatic color impress us now, but gold and ultramarine once broadcast value.
Duccio, Heaven on earth— The Rucellai Madonna
Whether church decoration or public works, the art of this wealthy city blended devotional piety and civic pride.
Siena in the Late Gothic, an introduction
Take a peek into a 14th-century household! This painting transplants a biblical story into a busy Sienese bedroom.
Pietro Lorenzetti, Birth of the Virgin
Things get ugly when tyrants take over! But with peace, fortitude, and prudence, Siena prospers—an urban paradise.
Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Allegory and Effects of Good ...
The receding columns and painted ceiling of this fictive temple mirror the Gothic environment of Siena Cathedral.
Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Presentation of Jesus in the ...
This little altarpiece was made to move—just like the saints on its wings, who seem to step out into our space.
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