The Story of Siena and San Gimignano

Name: The Story of Siena and San Gimignano
Author: Gardner, Edmund G.

Gardner, Edmund G.

Art -- Italy -- Siena; San Gimignano (Italy) -- History; Siena (Italy) -- History

by some later follower of the Lorenzetti, in which the citizens, bound
together in the white bonds of pure concord, assemble before the Genius
of the Commune. Apart from their great historical interest, many of the
_tavolette_ of the Quattrocento are little gems of Sienese painting.
That of the Biccherna of 1433 represents the Coronation of the Emperor
Sigismund; the Biccherna of 1436 gives us a striking St Jerome by an
unknown painter; the Gabella of 1440 and 1444, St Peter of Alexandria
and St Michael, both ascribed to Giovanni di Paolo. The Tavoletta di
Biccherna of 1449 shows the Coronation of Pope Nicholas V.; that of 1451
represents Ghino di Pietro Bellanti washing his hands in the presence of
the Blessed Virgin, to manifest his loyalty and the purity of his
administration--whereas he was a traitor of the deepest dye who, five
years later, was implicated in the plots to betray Siena to Piccinino
and the King of Naples, and forced to fly for his life. The Tavoletta di
Gabella of 1455, by an unknown artist, refers to the crusading zeal of
Pope Calixtus III.; it represents the Annunciation, between St Bernard,
as the preacher of the second Crusade, and the Pope himself blessing
the youths and maidens of Siena who took part in the processions that he
ordered, to pray Heaven for the downfall of the Turk.[144] The curious
design of the Biccherna of 1457, of the school of Sano di Pietro, is,
according to Mr Heywood, "symbolical of the peace made between the
Sienese Republic and the Count Jacopo Piccinino." Both _tavolette_, of
the Biccherna and of the Gabella, of 1460, are concerned with Pius II.;
in the one he is crowned by two Cardinals, under the special patronage
of the Madonna, while Siena is seen below guarded by her lions of the
People (probably a reference to the papal attempt to restore the nobles
to the government); in the other, he confers the cardinal's hat upon his
nephew, Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini; Mr Berenson ascribes the one
to Il Vecchietta, the other to Francesco di Giorgio Martini. Also by
Francesco di Giorgio is the Biccherna cover for 1467, representing the
Madonna with Angels protecting Siena in the time of the earthquake, when
the people fled from their homes into huts and tents. For the Gabella of
1468, there is a quaint allegory of Peace and War, of uncertain
authorship; on the one side citizens pay in their money, and on the
other the Camarlingo deals it out to the mercenaries, while genii of
Peace and War hover in the air.[145] Then follow two exquisite little
paintings by Sano di Pietro, the Tavolette di Gabella of 1471 and 1473,
respectively representing Wisdom proceeding from God, and the marriage
of Lucrezia di Agnolo Malavolti (Messer Agnolo being one of the
Esecutori in 1473) to Count Roberto da San Severino, a great Lombard
condottiere. In 1474, also Gabella and of doubtful authorship, we have a
later version of the old allegory of good government; Liberty, in the

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The Story of Siena and San GimignanoGardner, Edmund G.

History

The Story of Siena and San Gimignano

Gardner, Edmund G.

Art -- Italy -- Siena; San Gimignano (Italy) -- History; Siena (Italy) -- History

by some later follower of the Lorenzetti, in which the citizens, bound
together in the white bonds of pure concord, assemble before the Genius
of the Commune. Apart from their great historical interest, many of the
_tavolette_ of the Quattrocento are little gems of Sienese painting.
That of the Biccherna of 1433 represents the Coronation of the Emperor
Sigismund; the Biccherna of 1436 gives us a striking St Jerome by an
unknown painter; the Gabella of 1440 and 1444, St Peter of Alexandria
and St Michael, both ascribed to Giovanni di Paolo. The Tavoletta di
Biccherna of 1449 shows the Coronation of Pope Nicholas V.; that of 1451
represents Ghino di Pietro Bellanti washing his hands in the presence of
the Blessed Virgin, to manifest his loyalty and the purity of his
administration--whereas he was a traitor of the deepest dye who, five
years later, was implicated in the plots to betray Siena to Piccinino
and the King of Naples, and forced to fly for his life. The Tavoletta di
Gabella of 1455, by an unknown artist, refers to the crusading zeal of
Pope Calixtus III.; it represents the Annunciation, between St Bernard,
as the preacher of the second Crusade, and the Pope himself blessing
the youths and maidens of Siena who took part in the processions that he
ordered, to pray Heaven for the downfall of the Turk.[144] The curious
design of the Biccherna of 1457, of the school of Sano di Pietro, is,
according to Mr Heywood, "symbolical of the peace made between the
Sienese Republic and the Count Jacopo Piccinino." Both _tavolette_, of
the Biccherna and of the Gabella, of 1460, are concerned with Pius II.;
in the one he is crowned by two Cardinals, under the special patronage
of the Madonna, while Siena is seen below guarded by her lions of the
People (probably a reference to the papal attempt to restore the nobles
to the government); in the other, he confers the cardinal's hat upon his
nephew, Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini; Mr Berenson ascribes the one
to Il Vecchietta, the other to Francesco di Giorgio Martini. Also by
Francesco di Giorgio is the Biccherna cover for 1467, representing the
Madonna with Angels protecting Siena in the time of the earthquake, when
the people fled from their homes into huts and tents. For the Gabella of
1468, there is a quaint allegory of Peace and War, of uncertain
authorship; on the one side citizens pay in their money, and on the
other the Camarlingo deals it out to the mercenaries, while genii of
Peace and War hover in the air.[145] Then follow two exquisite little
paintings by Sano di Pietro, the Tavolette di Gabella of 1471 and 1473,
respectively representing Wisdom proceeding from God, and the marriage
of Lucrezia di Agnolo Malavolti (Messer Agnolo being one of the
Esecutori in 1473) to Count Roberto da San Severino, a great Lombard
condottiere. In 1474, also Gabella and of doubtful authorship, we have a
later version of the old allegory of good government; Liberty, in the

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Story of Siena and San Gimignano

The Story of Siena and San Gimignano

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