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
knight with flowing golden hair, the miraculous sword forming on the
rocky desert place the sacred sign of Redemption. Simone Martini is not
represented in the Gallery; but there is an altarpiece (51) ascribed to
Lippo Memmi, and fairly characteristic of the religious art of
fourteenth century Siena. A well-preserved picture in the following room
(11), with St Michael as central figure, shows something of Lippo's
manner, but is not a work of the master himself.
In the second room there is a noble collection of paintings by the
Lorenzetti. By the elder brother Pietro are: the Assumption of the
Madonna (5), with the doubting Thomas receiving the sacred girdle; the
Madonna and Child enthroned (21), with a lovely band of Angels
clustering round the throne; four small scenes from the history of the
Order of the Carmelities (28, 29), being apparently the remains of the
predella of a famous picture that Pietro painted for the church of the
Carmine in 1329. The younger Lorenzetti, Ambrogio, is represented by
three masterpieces. The smallest of these (9) is a perfect gem of early
Sienese art; the Madonna is enthroned with both her arms folded round
the Divine Child, who unfolds a scroll to the four Latin Doctors
kneeling in adoration, each receiving His doctrine with a wonderful
expression of rapt devotion, ecstasy and yearning--but each in a totally
different way; the golden haired Virgin Martyrs, Catherine with her
wheel, Dorothy with her flowers, are standing in attendance on the
Queen, and there are six adoring Angels above. The large altar-piece (2)
is a striking and imposing work; the Madonna and Child are attended by
the Magdalene and St Dorothy and the two St Johns, while below is the
Deposition from the Cross: the heads are full of beauty and expression,
and the Deposition shows Ambrogio's dramatic power. The Annunciation
(33), dated the 17th of December 1344, appears to be Ambrogio's last
extant work; it was painted for the Palazzo del Comune and, in addition
to the painter's name, is inscribed with those of the Camarlingo--Don
Francesco, monk of St Galganus--the three Esecutori and the Scrittore or
scribe.[63] High up on the wall above this picture are two half figures
of saints (34, 36), damaged, but genuine Ambrogios. Ascribed to Pietro
Lorenzetti is a curious allegory (37), apparently of the story of sin
and the Atonement of the Cross.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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