Lecture 9: Sienese Art in the 14

th Century

Sienese Art in the 14th Century .........................................................

Lecture 9

We looked at Duccio’s Maestà last time and discussed Duccio and

Sienese art in his reÀ ection, as it were. Siene is a very important city,

and its art has a particular À avor, and I want to spend a little more time

with it.

W

e begin this lecture by discussing the historical inÀ uence of

the Italian city-state during this period and its relationship to

artistic representations. The Italian phrase ma paese means “my

country,” but ¿ rst and foremost, it means “my town” or “my city,” de¿ ning a

person by the place where he or she was born. This identi¿ cation with place

also meant that the larger entities—regional or national governments—may

govern people, but they are not the controlling factors in people’s lives. This

concept is critical in understanding Italy and the development of the Italian

city-state. City-states were communes that had developed as self-governing

units during the chaotic period of the barbarian invasions, the dissolution

of the Roman Empire, and the social disruption of a huge political unit into

dukedoms and other ¿ efdoms based on military power. The city-states that

arose in the central portion of the Italian peninsula were often republics—

mercantile cities dominated by mercantile interests—and they were often

at war with their neighbors. They were proud of their independence and

regarded themselves as civic polities united for the good of their citizens.

Siena was a bitter rival to Florence, 45 miles to the north, which like

Siena, had important banking operations throughout Europe. Despite the

intense political hostility between the two cities, there was regular cultural

interchange; artists from one sometimes worked for patrons in the other. One

of the most important Sienese painters following in the footsteps of Duccio

was Simone Martini (1284–1344). He was probably Duccio’s pupil, and he

emulated the elegant linearity and coloristic brilliance of his teacher. He was

also inÀ uenced by Giovanni Pisano’s sculpture and French art.

Our ¿ rst example shows Simone Martini’s Annunciation. This famous

altarpiece was painted for a chapel in the Siena Cathedral. The lateral saints