“Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300-1350” exhibition at the National Gallery - Part 1 ✎

Earlier this year, I went to the blockbuster Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300-1350 at London’s National Gallery.

It was breathtaking. A truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.

It brings together paintings in both the National Gallery and The Met (as well as many other places) to narrate a great tale on the rise of painting in Siena over this period. Probably the best collection of mediaeval painting assembled in any one place in my lifetime. Not just the paintings but also the beautiful selection of textiles from the Middle East represented in some of the clothes depicted were fascinating. Such a nuanced and insightful perspective on art history through the historic period of global trade.

The best parts were the uniting of works and altarpieces which had not been seen together for hundreds of years - and unlikely to be reunited again in my lifetime. Not to mention some masterpieces - e.g. Duccio’s Annunciation.

What is really exciting about this exhibition is its dive into some art history discussion. This is something I love, but don’t often experience.

Rating: 5/5 ★★★★★

I have condensed my write-up into blocks devoted to each master, over two blog posts.

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Some noteworthy points of art history raised in the exhibition vis-a-vis Siena:

• Between 1300-1350, it was a major city in that area of Italy. This is because of the pilgrimage route first followed by Archbishop Sigeric from Canterbury to Rome in AD 990. This meant that Siena was extremely well-placed for the merchants and traders (to and from Champagne and Flanders etc.) as well as the Papacy’s influence (seated in Rome) between Southern and Northern Europe.
• That pilgrimage route and tradition was a very important source of patronage for the arts - e.g. goldsmiths. Pilgrims would buy bits-and-bobs of devotional significance in Siena and then bring them back home up North.
• Siena was a city dedicated to Mary, Mother of God – leitmotif of the exhibition. (She was considered to have intervened to save Siena from Florence in 1260 at the Battle of Montaperti).
• Siena (for this period, 1300-1350) enjoyed a period of stability in its (slightly) representative government which gave rise, as the exhibition would describe it, to “the rise of painting”. A true bourgeoning. It flourished again in the 15th century. But, in 1550, Siena was conquered by the city of Florence. As part of the conquest, the art of Siena had begun to be forgotten. Giorgio Vasari has to absorb some of the blame here too.
• The city of Siena experienced the devastating event – the Black Death.
• The exhibition makes clear that Simone Martini’s style became influential to the International Gothic of the courts of Northern Europe, extending to the glorious “Wilton Diptych” of England.

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Part 1 - Introduction & Duccio

Duccio was the formative star painter of Siena. What’s amusing is that there are (apparently) records of his misdemeanours - e.g. “unruly behaviour” and unpaid taxes (haha!). Yet, his Maesta is one of the touchstones of Western painting.

Among Duccio’s many gifts is his ability to create coherent, emotionally engaging images that draw on disparate sources.

Duccio knew the Byzantine art tradition but was also well-placed wrt Northern European Gothic art.

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Madonna and Child (The Stroganoff Madonna) by Duccio (1290-1300)

According to the exhibition, it is Duccio who began the tradition of Italian Renaissance depictions of the Virgin Mary and her baby with touching maternal gestures and expressions. Mary lovingly holds her little boy. Baby Jesus responds to her caress - as all babies do - by pulling on her veil and touching her wrist with his toes. Mary’s tragic expression reveals her knowledge of her child’s future suffering.

There is a 3D parapet.

The Virgin and Child by the “Master of the Clarisse” (1270-80) and La Madonna del Carmine by a Byzantine artist (13th century). In the latter, it is clear how Duccio departs from the traditional Byzantine iconography of the Hodegetria (the guide). In the former, it is obvious how Duccio’s depiction is much more emotionally engaging (even though the art is moving in that direction).

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The Virgin and Child Enthroned with Angels by Duccio (1290-5)

Beautiful.

An object of private prayer. The Virgin, the Queen of Heaven, on a decorated throne surrounded by six angels.

Again, we see the emotional attachment of mother and son. Christ clings tight to Mary, one hand round her neck, the other stroking her fingers.

This is a cousin of The Rucellai Madonna at the Uffizi.

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Triptych: Crucifixion and other Scenes by Duccio

The earliest of Duccio’s surviving triptychs.

Mother Mary appears in all but one of the scenes.

When Saint Francis received the wounds of the stigmata, Christ appeared to him on a winged cross as a seraph with six flaming wings.

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The Crucifixion by Master of Città di Castello (1315-20)

This artist, whose name is lost, was one of Duccio’s most talented followers.

It seems he was inspired by some of Duccio’s interpretations from the Maesta. Striking is Mary Magdalene stretching her arms to the heavens.

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Triptych with the Crucifixion, Saint Nicholas, Saint Clement and the Redeemer with Angels by Duccio (1311-18)

A very intense central panel - a paroxysm of confusion and grief. Soldiers and onlookers gesticulating wildly or recoil in horror.

I love the Saints and their robes. Attention to detail and delicacy.

Mourners gather to support Mary’s fainting body.

I was curious about the origin of Mary’s fainting in depictions of crucifixions. I wondered whether it started with Duccio. After some research, it seems to have originated slightly earlier in 1260, by Nicola Pisano:

... panels from the Pulpit of the Baptistery of Pisa. The panel of the Presentation in the Temple (left). The Crucifixion panel (center) depicts more classically-inspired figures, here the figure of the grieving Virgin Mary represented falling into the arms of the other women ... , adds something totally new to the iconography of this scene, something more “human” than “divine”.

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The Virgin and Child with Saints Dominic and Aurea by Duccio (1300-1305)

I have already blogged about this particular triptych at the NG.

It is astonishingly touching with a sense of melancholy. I love it. The ultramarine is astounding.

Duccio built on techniques and iconography to create powerful paintings evocative of empathy and awe.

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Part 2 - Duccio’s Maesta

The exhibition then moves to a magical moment of Sienese art history.

In 1311, a huge painting of the Virgin Mary was welcomed to Siena Cathedral. That Maesta was commissioned from Duccio for the high altar in honour of the Virgin, Siena’s patron. The altarpiece front was the Virgin seated. At the back, a sequence of scenes from Christ’s life.

This exhibition reunited all eight of the surviving panels from the back predella (and two from the front) for the first time since they were sawn in half (in 1771) and sold separately some 250 years ago. The exhibition argues that Simone Martini, Pietro and possibly Ambrogio worked with Duccio on his Maesta.

All of the 8 surviving predella scenes.

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The Nativity with the Prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel

The reclining Virgin Mary, the Christ Child being bathed, the stable in a cave.

Prophets Isaiah & Ezekiel holding prophecies foretelling the virgin birth.

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The Annunciation

Love it.

Such a charming & delicate rendering.

Virgin Mary pulls her cloak protectively recoiling from Gabriel’s announcement.

A tony dove descending from the heavens.

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The Temptation of Christ on the Temple

Devil challenging Christ to jump from the Temple, thereby testing God’s “protection”.

Interesting depiction of the devil is as a dark winged figure.

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The Temptation of Christ on the Mountain

Fascinating landscape, cityscape and depiction of the devil.

On the mountain tops, the devil devil promised Christ all the kingdoms of the world, if he would bow down to him.

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The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew

So beautiful. The colours are so vivid. The delicacy of the human expression.

I love the intricate fish painted in the water.

“Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, saw the brothers Simon Peter and Andrew casting nets, and invited them to follow him, saying, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”. At once, they left their nets and followed him, becoming his first disciples.”

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The Wedding at Cana

An interesting sense of perspective and proportions. And colours.

The moment when Christ and the disciples (at a wedding) find the hosts ran out of wine.

Water being poured into a glass - becoming wine.

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Christ and the Woman of Samaria

Incredibly vivid and exquisite.

Fabulous green porphyry well and paved city roads.

Tired from travelling through Samaria, Christ sat down by Jacob’s well.

While his disciples sought food, he asked for a drink from a Samaritan woman who came to draw water.

After the conversation, she recognised him as the Messiah.

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The Healing of the Man Born Blind

I love the architectural Siennes background.

The blind man appearing twice - before and after.

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The Transfiguration

On a high mountain, Christ was transfigured.

The Christ depiction is based on Byzantine iconography.

The “striations” of gold leaf appear as “golden folds” in Christ’s garments - technique called chrysography. It was used in the Byzantine to capture the radiance of Christ - and its effect is magical.

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The Raising of Lazarus

Christ’s power over death.

Christ visited the grave of his friend Lazarus.

Lazarus appears alive - and still wrapped in his burial shroud and smelling of the grave.

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Part 3 - Simone Martini

Following the death of Duccio in 1319, Simone Martini (1284-1344) became Siena’s foremost painter. As the exhibition explains, his name appears on almost all civic public records of commissions at the time.

Not only did he achieve an incredible decorative power to his art, but he was technical virtuoso. As the exhibition points out, his draped clothes suggest a link between Siena and the French gothic. Indeed, not only would he be working in Angevins (for the French royal family), but eventually at the papal court at Avignon.

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Christ on the Cross by Simone Martini

Wow. Such a powerful painting. As Harvard write:

The jewel-like image shows the figure of the crucified Christ alone, heightening the beholder’s empathy and engagement with his suffering. This delicate painting may have been made during the final period of the artist’s life, which Simone spent in the papal court at Avignon in France.

Saint John the Evangelist by Simone Martini

Jaw tense and eyes narrowed.

Grief-stricken.

The Palazzo Pubblico Altarpiece by Simone Martini

These panels were probably made for Siena’s government headquarters, the Palazzo Pubblico.

Simone Martini’s attention to detail is masterful - hair minutely depicted, vital flesh tones, fabrics etc.

The Virgin Mary looks towards us.

Saint Ansanus and Saint Peter (keys).

Saint Ansanus, The Apostle of Siena, is the patron saint of Siena.

The Madonna and Saint Andrew (long hair & book).

Chubby gingery hair.

Saint Luke.

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Old Saint, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Peter and Young Saint with a Book by Gano di Fazio

The exhibition explains that sculptures are reminiscent of Simone Martini’s early works in Siena.

And hence his broader influence on art history.

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Diptych with the Annunciation and the Assumption by Francesco di Vannuccio

The exhibition uses this portable diptych to illustrate the long shadow that Simone Martini cast over artists in Siena. The exhibition explains the inspiration was probably Simone’s Annunciation at the Uffizi:

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Part 4 - Simone Martini in Avignon

In 1309, the court of the Popes settled in Avignon, Southern France. At the time, the Papal court were especially attracted to Sienese paintings. Thus, in the first half of the 14th century, the city became home to one of the greatest communities of Sienese painters and goldsmiths outside Tuscany. Foremost among them was Simone Martini, who left Siena after 1333 and spent the final decade of his life in Avignon.

Siena’s fortunes waned in the second half of the 14th century, following the bubonic plague. But the city’s artistic legacy would be tended by generations of artists beyond Siena.

The Orsini Polyptych by Simone Martini

How the polyptych would open.

The Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Annunciate.

Wow!! Incredibly beautiful.

This is one of the highlights of the exhibition, for me.

The folded arms, beautiful if slightly pained eyes.

The robes are so ornate and intricate - still flapping.

The Way to Calvary and The Crucifixion.

The emotions on Christ and Mary Magdalena.

The sienes architecture and vivid colours are so striking.

Breathtaking.

Angels raising their arms.

Mother Mary collapsing, and people pointing.

The Deposition and The Entombment.

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Christ Discovered in the Temple by Simone Martini

In the Gospel of Luke, the twelve-year-old Jesus is found in the Temple in Jerusalem by his parents.

Here he seems to be admonished by his mum, and he’s irritated at being told off (😁) !! As Sara McKee writes:

The panel portrays a very rare subject. It appears to show Jesus saying goodbye to his parents, Mary and Joseph ... Unusually for the period, it represents an involved human situation, a difficult family issue not yet resolve.

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The Belles Heures of Jean De France by The de Limbourg Brothers

The exhibition points to the Sienese influence on the de Limbourg brothers.

In The Belles Heures (“Beautiful Hours”) prayer book:

In this striking Lamentation, several motifs - like the woman tearing at her hair, Saint John the Evangelist covering his eyes, and Mary Magdalene seen from behind crouching over Christ’s feet - are adapted from Simone’s Orsini Polyptych, which their patron may once have owned, and Pietro Lorenzetti’s frescoes at Assisi.

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The Wilton Diptych

The exhibition explains that the Wilton Diptych is an example of the international impact of Sienese art. The kneeling king is presented to the Virgin and Child.

Most likely painted in northern Europe, but the technique is Italian. The sgraffito technique of scratching away paint to reveal gold leaf. Used on the splendid textiles - a characteristically Sienese effect.

The neverending Jeffrey Epstein entanglements ✎

It seems we can’t go one week without hearing about Jeffrey Epstein.

Just yesterday, as per Channel 4 news, the British ambassador to the United States, Lord Peter Mandelson, was sacked.

Frankly ridiculous details emerged of the extent of his association with Jeffrey Epstein.

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A lot more serious, though, is the complete lack of judgment displayed by Sir Keir Starmer in appointing him – despite warnings, esp. from Lord Glasman (Daily Mail, Sept 2025):

The senior Labour peer Maurice Glasman privately warned Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney against the appointment in January, describing Lord Mandelson as ‘the wrong man at the wrong time in the wrong place’.

One Whitehall source last night claimed senior figures in the Foreign Office had also ‘advised against the appointment’ of a politician who was twice forced to resign from Cabinet over previous scandals.

That article went on to explain that there was:

A Secret memo in which Lord Mandelson urged then-prime minister Sir Tony Blair to meet Jeffrey Epstein has been kept under wraps, it is claimed.

The note, believed to have been written in May 2002 supposedly advised Sir Tony that a meeting would be ‘safe’ and useful given Epstein’s network of business contacts. Aides passed it to the prime minister. It is not known if a meeting took place.

The document and a civil service summary were due to be released this year by the National Archives. However, The Times reported, an exemption was applied on the grounds that disclosure could harm UK international relations, particularly with the US.

Yikes. Tony Blair now.

Why did our friends stop posting on social media? | BBC Global ✎

This was a fascinating BBC interview.

Social media originally started as a voice for people to connected to each other.

Today’s it’s about “influencers”, AI, culture wars, and advertising. 

Nobody uses it to connect to people much.

I guess this is why I'm here on blogger.

The Murder of Charlie Kirk ✎

In “The Murder of Charlie Kirk” by the WSJ:

This is all the more tragic because Kirk built his movement, Turning Point USA, the old-fashioned way: through political debate. His method was to appear on college campuses and welcome all comers to take him on with questions and opposing points of view. He did this amid the height of cancel culture and the worst of screaming mobs on campus who wanted to shut down conservative speakers.

This is a now dangerous moment for the country, which could descend into a cycle of political violence that would be hard to arrest. President Trump survived two assassination attempts. In June two Democratic state lawmakers in Minnesota were shot, one of whom was killed. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home was firebombed in April. Three years ago a contemplated assassin gave himself up outside Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house. Rep. Steve Scalise was shot in 2017 and Rep. Gabby Giffords in 2011.

At the same time, the political rhetoric is at a pitch that could hardly be higher. Losing the next election means the end of America, each side says, and the political opposition is often portrayed as not merely profoundly wrong or mistaken but intentionally trying to destroy the country, shred the Constitution, institute fascist rule. The crazy rage on the political left is especially acute at the moment given Mr. Trump’s polarizing Presidency.

Unbelievable news.

I feel despair by the tragic murder of Mr Kirk. 

I liked him - even if I disagreed with some of his views - because he advocated for and engaged in dialogue, and held in-person debates so as to challenge those with opposing views. He was also a right-winger strongly opposed antisemitism. 

Today, college students - more than ever - are in need of debate.

What happened in Utah was evil - people should not be living in fear for their lives for engaging in public discourse. 

Violence must never be the answer.

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I really like Bill Maher’s podcast, and I enjoyed listening to his recent interview with Mr Kirk.

“Jenny Saville: The Anatomy of Painting” exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery ✎

At the National Portrait Gallery, I went to Jenny Saville’s blockbuster retrospective: Jenny Saville: The Anatomy of Painting.

It was outstanding.

Jenny Saville is a painter of the human flesh - mostly female and some male. It all comes down to us - bodies & faces. For me, Saville seems to have moved away from her earlier depictions of the body with pain and suffering. Towards, an acceptance and calmness. Jenny Saville - who’s undergone childbirth, unknown to da Vinci and Michelangelo - also chose to infuse her art with the tenderness of motherhood. What is amazing is the sheer level of emotion conveyed in her brushstrokes.

Of particular interest to me is Saville’s focus on the eyes and lips, almost as a window into a person. Nearing the totality of expression - the inner workings of the subject’s mind and thoughts.

Her art is mindblowing.

Yet, even as I recognise her tremendous skill, there are some pieces which are difficult to engage with. Her earlier work seems to have a sense of anxiety and/or impending doom underlying them. Still I remain compelled - never indifferent.

Pieta 1 is stunning.

Rating: 5/5 ★★★★★

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Hyphen by Jenny Saville (1999)

This painting, Hyphen, was part of Saville’s first solo exhibition.

This is a double-portrait of the painter and her sister.

I think it’s amazing. Clearly Saville is “sculpting” paint to create a single body mass (with the two heads nestled together).

Thick impasto.

A scraper used to create the sensation of muscles?