Ruth Leon recommends… Sienna:The Rise of Painting – 1300-1530 – Met Museum

Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300–1350

This exhibition, Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300–1350, examines an exceptional moment at the dawn of the Italian Renaissance and the pivotal role of Sienese artists—including Duccio, Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and Simone Martini—in defining Western painting.

In the decades leading up to the catastrophic onset of the plague around 1350, Siena was the site of phenomenal artistic innovation and activity. While Florence is often positioned as the centre of the Renaissance, this presentation offers a fresh perspective on the importance of Siena, from Duccio’s profound influence on a new generation of painters to the development of narrative altarpieces and the dissemination of artistic styles beyond Italy.

Drawing on the outstanding collections of The Met and the National Gallery, London, as well as rare loans from dozens of other major lenders, the exhibition includes more than 100 works by a remarkable group of Sienese artists.

It features paintings alongside sculptures, metalwork, and textiles, ranging from large works made for public display to intimate objects created for private devotion. Although none of these artists survived the plague of 1350, their achievements had an immeasurable impact on painters and theorists in the centuries that followed. This absorbing virtual tour is led by Stephan Wolohojian, John Pope-Hennessy Curator in Charge of the Department of European Paintings, and Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland.

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