The Maestà of 1315, located within the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena, stands as a primary milestone in the career of Simone Martini. This foundational work established his reputation as a significant contributor to the Sienese school, setting a template for fourteenth-century decorative painting that contrasted sharply with the prevailing monumental styles found in Florence at the time.
Artistic Development and Influences
Born in 1284, Martini operated during a period when artistic production relied heavily on workshop apprenticeship. While some historical accounts suggest an apprenticeship under Giotto di Bondone, modern scholarship often links his formative years to Duccio di Buoninsegna. His distinctive aesthetic incorporated elements of French manuscript illumination and ivory carving, likely introduced to Siena via the Via Francigena trade route. This integration resulted in the sinuosity of line and courtly elegance characteristic of his contribution to the International Gothic movement.
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Martini’s career extended beyond Siena through extensive travel and royal patronage. In 1317, he resided in Naples, where he produced the Saint Louis of Toulouse Crowning His Brother Robert of Anjou for the king. Later, his career moved to Avignon, where he worked for the Papal court starting around 1334 or 1335. During this tenure, he was commissioned to paint frescoes for the Avignon Cathedral porch, of which only faint sinopia outlines survive.
Cataloging the Oeuvre
Attribution remains complex due to the collaborative nature of medieval workshops, with his brother-in-law Lippo Memmi noted as a contemporary colleague. Key extant works include the Annunciation with Saints Maxima and Ansanus, the Commemoration of Guidoriccio Da Fogliano at the Siege of Montemassi, and the Saint Catherine of Alexandria Polyptych. His body of work also includes the Orsini Polyptych, the Polyptych of Saint Dominique, the Triptych of Saint Augustine, and the 1342 Christ Discovered in the Temple.
Final Years in Avignon
While based in Avignon, Martini maintained a social connection with the poet Francis Petrarch. Evidence of this relationship appears in Petrarch’s Canzoniere, which references a portrait of Laura de Noves supposedly created by the painter. Martini remained in the service of the Papal court until his death in 1344.
Fast facts
- Born: 1284, Siena
- Died: 1344, Avignon
- Occupations: Illuminator, painter
- Movement: International Gothic, Sienese school
- Brother-in-law: Lippo Memmi
- Notable work: Maestà (1315)
- Residence: Naples, Avignon, Siena
Questions readers ask
Who was Simone Martini’s teacher?
It is widely believed he was a pupil of Duccio di Buoninsegna, though Giorgio Vasari claimed he was a student of Giotto.
Did Martini know Francis Petrarch?
Yes, they were friends while Martini was in Avignon, and Petrarch wrote sonnets referencing a portrait Martini painted of Laura de Noves.
Achievements
- Notable work: Commemoration of Guidoriccio Da Fogliano at the Siege of Montemassi
- Notable work: Annunciation with Saints Maxima and Ansanus
- Notable work: Orsini Polyptych
- Notable work: Triptych of Saint Augustine
- Movement: International Gothic and Sienese school
