The National Gallery’s exhibition “Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300-1350” highlights Sienese artists like Simone Martini and Duccio, showcasing their emotional and innovative contributions to early Western art. Featuring portraits that challenge earlier conventions and the use of perspective, this exhibition runs from 8 March to 22 June, offering a deep dive into the emotional landscapes of the period.
The National Gallery’s exhibition “Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300-1350” showcases the early impact of Sienese artists, focusing on Simone Martini and Duccio. Francesco Petrarch’s praise of Martini captures the essence of their work, which brought a tender, expressive quality to medieval art, challenging the notions of the period’s distance from emotion.
The exhibition highlights portraits from Martini and Duccio, contrasting their work with that of Byzantine artists. Duccio’s tender portrayal of Mary and Jesus, particularly the painting where Jesus reaches for his mother’s face, marks a significant departure from stiff representations common at the time. This intimacy extends to Lorenzetti’s impressive Madonna del Latte.
Martini’s work, “Christ Discovered in the Temple,” adds depth to the emotional narrative, showcasing a nuanced family dynamic through the expressions of Mary and Joseph. This exhibition illustrates that the foundations of perspective and space transcend what was traditionally attributed to the Renaissance in Florence.
Duccio’s Maestà, central to the exhibition, exemplifies revolutionary spatial dynamics. The narrative panels depict Jesus’s challenges, each crafted with innovative depth perception and conveying real emotional stakes. This display parallels Dante’s insights and underscores Siena’s contributions to the evolution of painting.
The exhibition runs from 8 March to 22 June, inviting visitors to explore the vivid emotional landscapes of Sienese painting, and showcases how these early works significantly shaped Western art.
The “Siena: The Rise of Painting” exhibition reveals the transformative emotional depth and innovative techniques of Sienese artists. Through the works of Duccio and Martini, it illustrates the rich beginnings of Western art and its capacity to portray intimacy and real spaces long before the Renaissance. This historical showcase provides insight into the artistic evolution that originated in a small Italian city, offering an engaging exploration of emotional connection and perspective in the 14th century.
Original Source: www.theguardian.com